Benno Schwarz is the partner in charge of the Munich office of Gibson Dunn and co-chair of the firm’s Anti-Corruption & FCPA Practice Group. He focuses on white collar defense and compliance investigations in a wide array of criminal regulatory matters. For more than 30 years, he has handled sensitive cases and investigations concerning all kinds of compliance issues, especially in an international context. Benno assists his clients in the prevention and avoidance of corruption, fraud and money laundering and in navigating economic sanctions in the corporate sector.
His advisory work comprises the planning and implementation of internal corporate as well as independent investigations both nationally and internationally; the structuring, implementation and assessment of compliance management systems; and the representation of companies and their executive bodies before domestic and foreign authorities during associated criminal and administrative proceedings. He also helps clients navigate the complexities of sanctions and counter-sanctions compliance, especially with respect to Russia-related sanctions and export control restrictions, leveraging his insights from his decades-long experience in advising corporate clients on transactional, compliance and trade law related matters involving Russia.
Benno is recognized as a leading lawyer in Germany in the areas of white collar crime, corporate advice, compliance and investigations by publications such as Chambers, The Legal 500 and JUVE, with clients, competitors and references describing him as “a unique expert in the field of internal investigations”, “extremely professional, very knowledgeable about details and a real advisor” and saying they would “use him any time for big international compliance matters, no question” and that “he is an excellent leader and does very well in boardrooms, where he is very respected.” Benno was named one of four Leading Individuals in Internal Investigations in Germany by The Legal 500 in 2024. Chambers Europe 2024 ranked him in the category of Compliance and named him a Notable Practitioner for Dispute Resolution: White-Collar Crime–Corporate Advisory. Handelsblatt / Best Lawyers™ 2024/2025 listed him as a leading lawyer for Germany in the categories Corporate Governance and Compliance, Criminal Defense and Corporate Law, and recognized him as a Lawyer of the Year 2025 for Corporate Governance and Compliance. He is “frequently recommended” for Compliance Investigations and Corporate, as stated in the JUVE Handbook 2024/2025. JUVE also named Benno’s Gibson Dunn German team “Compliance Investigations Law Firm of the Year 2014” and nominated the team for “Compliance Law Firm of the Year 2022.” Lawdragon recognized him in its 2024 Global Litigation 500 list for White-Collar Defense & Compliance, National Security.
Benno’s noteworthy experience includes advising DAX® and Fortune 100 companies as well as executive and supervisory boards in relation to FCPA and New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) monitorships or similar monitor functions under U.S. legal regimes. He has conducted numerous sensitive and complex internal investigations in various jurisdictions across Europe, the Americas and Asia, and has handled negotiations with U.S. and non-U.S. authorities.
Benno studied law at the Universities of Bonn, Munich and Regensburg, where he also obtained his Dr. jur. degree in 1992. He has practiced as an admitted German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt) since 1993.
Benno regularly publishes on compliance topics, is a much-sought-after speaker and panelist and also regularly appears in many webcasts covering the topics of Anti-Corruption Enforcement, Internal Investigations and Compliance. He co-founded and chairs the Munich Forum of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and is a member of the DGAP board. He is also a member of Deutsches Institut for Compliance e.V. and of Forum Compliance & Integrity, an initiative of Zentrum für Wirtschaftsethik. Benno speaks German and English and is a state-certified translator (IHK) for Russian, which makes it possible for him to carry out internal investigations and regulatory proceedings in all three languages.
Capabilities
- White Collar Defense and Investigations
- Anti-Corruption & FCPA
- Artificial Intelligence
- International Trade Advisory and Enforcement
- Litigation
- National Security
Credentials
Education:
- University of Regensburg - 1992 Dr. jur.
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich - 1990 Law Degree
Admissions:
- Germany - Rechtsanwalt