David Apelbaum
Partner
David's activity is mainly focused on financial criminal law, particularly in matters of corruption and tax fraud. He defends companies and executives implicated in particularly complex cases, often with an international dimension. He also intervenes in high-level financial operations and litigation to provide his particular expertise in criminal law.
David intervient également dans de nombreux dossiers à dimension transnationales – qu’il s’agisse de coopération pénale, de contestation d’un mandat d’arrêt ou d’une notice rouge Interpol, d’enquêtes diligentées par des institutions financières internationales, ou de mise en cause d’entreprises pour violation des droits de l’homme et du droit humanitaire. Il dispose d’un important réseau international d’avocats pénalistes permettant de constituer des équipes solides et inventives.
David also handles numerous transnational cases – whether it involves criminal cooperation, challenging an arrest warrant or an Interpol red notice, investigations conducted by international financial institutions, or allegations against companies for human rights and humanitarian law violations. He has a wide international network of specialized lawyers, allowing for the formation of strong and inventive teams.
Finally, David is also sought after in reputational crisis matters – whether it involves allegations of fraud or harassment within a company, or accusations of particularly serious offenses against exposed personalities – and leads the defense of his clients by ensuring the preservation of their image and the restoration of a balanced narrative in the press.
“Since 2021, David has been distinguished by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner in business criminal law."
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Legal500 : "David Apelbaum is an exceptional lawyer who is very technically comfortable. Experienced, hardworking, and dynamic. He is also perfectly collaborative, which allows for the development of subtle strategies in a partnership manner."
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Education
Sciences Po Law School
Master 2 General Private Law – University of Paris Assas
Paris Bar (2012)
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Associative Activities and Teaching
Since 2024, David has been a member of the Board of the ECBA (European Criminal Bar Association).
In 2015, he was elected Secretary of the Conference of the Paris Bar, specially in charge, for one year, of the defense of indigent persons accused of serious crimes.
He teaches criminal procedure at Sciences Po Law School and regularly participates in conferences and training in business criminal law, international criminal law, and internal investigations. He has published numerous articles in specialized criminal law journals and contributed to the collective work Compliance et droits de la défense : Enquête interne – CJIP – CRPC.
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Examples of Recent Cases
- Defense of a listed French group in particularly complex tax fraud investigations conducted by the National Financial Prosecutor's Office
- Defense of an international group whose activity in France is under investigation for corruption of a foreign public official conducted by several French (National Financial Prosecutor's Office) and foreign prosecuting authorities
- Assistance of a French group in an internal investigation following suspicions of serious financial misconduct within a foreign subsidiary
Michael Bendavid
Partner
Michaël is sought after to handle complex fraud cases: large-scale consumer law violations, sophisticated scams, asset misappropriation, undeclared work – in defense of companies or executives, at all stages of litigation, and notably in negotiated procedures. He operates in the health, industry, and regulated gaming sectors, among others; he also defends a clientele of performing artists.
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Michaël has developed specific expertise in delicate situations where civil and criminal procedures must be conducted jointly, notably in the context of relationships between large companies and their service providers or shareholder and partner conflicts.
He regularly intervenes in media law, whether it involves defamation, presumption of innocence violations, or combating illicit content (notably racist and anti-Semitic), both in demand and defense.
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Finally, he has successfully supported several priority questions of constitutionality.
“Since 2021, Michaël has been distinguished by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner in business criminal law."
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Legal500 : " Michaël Bendavid is an excellent lawyer, responsive and available. First of all, he has excellent technical mastery and a perfect knowledge of criminal procedure which he knows how to use in the interests of his clients. He also has very good relationships with magistrates and a perfect analysis of the way they reason and how they can be convinced. He also has a global vision of his files and an ability to recommend long-term strategies. Finally, he has a great tactical sense of the hearing and he is a superb litigator."
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Education
Sciences Po Law School
Paris Bar (2013)
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Associative Activities and Teaching
In 2011, Michaël was elected First Secretary of the Conference of Lawyers at the Council of State and the Court of Cassation.
In 2016, he was elected Secretary of the Conference of the Paris Bar, specially in charge, for one year, of the defense of indigent persons accused of serious crimes.
He teaches dispute resolution and repressive law at Sciences Po Law School and has published numerous articles in legal journals, notably in criminal procedure.
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Examples of Recent Cases
- Defense of a parapharmaceutical company and its CEO in several cases of misrepresentation, both in court and under negotiated proceedings
- Defense of the main shareholder of a casino company, in criminal and civil litigation against minority shareholders
- Defense of the CEO of the French subsidiary of an international group in an inquiry for undeclared labor
Margaux Durand-Poincloux
Partner
Margaux handles all aspects of business criminal law, as well as media law. In financial matters, she has developed particular expertise in stock market cases – market abuse, financial and tax offenses committed via markets, complex money laundering, as well as defending local elected officials implicated for breaches of probity – corruption, influence peddling, favoritism, and illegal taking of interest.
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She is also regularly sought after in the context of serious personal accidents (employees or users) to defend large industrial groups or their executives in technical and complex procedures. More broadly, she intervenes in labor criminal law, notably undeclared work, moral harassment, obstruction offenses, and security obligation violations – subjects on which she also provides executive training. Margaux's industrial expertise also leads her to intervene, both in prevention and defense, on environmental criminal law issues.
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In press law, Margaux defends businessmen and political or media personalities, notably in matters of fraud and financial misconduct allegations.
“Since 2021, Margaux has been distinguished by Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner in business criminal law. "
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Legal500 : “Margaux Durand Poincloux demonstrates remarkable personal and professional qualities both in the investigation of the case and in the conduct of the hearing. Her qualities are empathy and extraordinary eloquence, punctuated by a relevant sense of humor.”
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Education
Master of International Criminal Law – University of Oslo
Master 2 Financial Criminal Law – Cergy Paris University / ESSEC Business School
Paris Bar (2015)
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Associative Activities and Teaching
Margaux is the Secretary-General of the Club of Women Criminal Lawyers.
In 2018, she was elected Secretary of the Conference of the Paris Bar, specially in charge, for one year, of the defense of indigent persons accused of serious crimes.
She publishes articles in reference legal journals and participates in conferences on business criminal law and compliance. She contributed to the collective work Compliance et droits de la défense : Enquête interne – CJIP – CRPC.
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Examples of Recent Cases
- Defense of a businessman involved in a national-scale money laundering case, linked to Corsican organized crime
- Defense of an international industrial group in numerous criminal procedures for involuntary homicide and injuries following user and staff accidents
- Defense of a management board member of a listed company prosecuted for market abuse
Edward Huylebrouck
Partner
Edward primarily practices in business criminal law as well as commercial, competition, and consumer litigation.
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He has developed particular expertise in the technology, digital platforms, finance and insurance, transport, and pharmaceutical sectors. In this context, he has been involved in high-profile cases leading to notable trials in undeclared work, tax fraud, and deception.
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More generally, he defends the interests of multinational companies and political or economic decision-makers in corruption, fraud, collusion, and unfair competition cases. He regularly intervenes in complex litigation, with civil and criminal dimensions, on a European and international scale.
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Before joining ABPH in 2025, Edward was a partner at Bougartchev Moyne, dedicated to business criminal law and compliance.
Edward Huylebrouck was listed by Décideurs as one of the 30 “up-and-coming” lawyers in business criminal law.
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Legal500 : “Edward Huylebrouck is a person with exceptional qualities. His answers are always perfectly developed and argued, they leave room for few questions from the client (which is rare). He is very technical, but knows how to be pragmatic in his recommendations. He is extremely patient and humble. It is a pleasure, and an honor, to work with him.”
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Education
Licenses in Law and Economics – Saint-Louis University of Brussels
Master 2 European Union Law – University of Paris Panthéon-Assas
Corporate and Competition Sessions – London School of Economics
Paris Bar (2011)
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Associative Activities and Teaching
In 2015, Edward was elected Secretary of the Conference of the Paris Bar, specially charged, for one year, with the defense of indigent persons accused of serious crimes.
He has authored numerous legal contributions on corruption and other breaches of probity, as well as expressed views on the criminal liability of public decision-makers during Covid-19 and the birth of the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
He is regularly invited to teach a business criminal law course at Sciences Po Paris.
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Examples of Recent Cases
- Defense of an international digital platform implicated for undeclared work in its relations with certain commercial partners
- Defense of the CEO of a French retail group in a preliminary investigation for misuse of corporate assets
- Defense of a French insurance sector group and its executive before the economic activities tribunal in unfair competition allegations made by the executive's former employer
Paola Sardi Antasan
Senior associate
Paola handles cases of corruption and influence peddling, complex money laundering, and financial misconduct linked to organized crime. She also deals with numerous press law cases, both in defense and as a civil party.
Additionally, she has developed specific expertise in serious offenses against individuals.
After completing internships at Schapira Associés, Kiejman & Marembert, and Temime, she joined ABPH in 2021 after being sworn in.
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Education
School of Criminal Defense
Institute of Criminology – University of Paris Panthéon-Assas
Master 2 Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences – University of Paris Panthéon-Assas
Master 2 Business Law – University of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne
Paul Lalanne
Senior associate
Paul primarily defends businessmen and company executives implicated in fraud, international money laundering, fraud involving French and European public aid, as well as tax fraud cases.
He particularly appreciates procedural questions and the law of sophisticated investigative techniques.
After completing internships at Barclays Bank and the law firms Canu-Bernard Associés, Dupont-Moretti & Vey, and Temime, he joined ABPH in 2021 after being sworn in.
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Education
School of Criminal Defense
Master 2 Financial Criminal Law – Cergy-Paris University
Mathieu Lanteri
Senior associate
Mathieu primarily handles economic and financial criminal law cases – particularly labor criminal law and digital and new technology criminal law – as well as complex and specialized civil and commercial litigation, and compliance. He also practices press law.
He possesses particular knowledge of issues and remedies involving fundamental rights and freedoms (constitutional law and European law).
After completing internships at Clifford Chance and Kiejman & Marembert, he was sworn in in 2021 and joined Spinosi & Sureau, then Bougartchev Moyne from 2021 to 2025. He joined ABPH in 2025.
Mathieu also teaches criminal law at the Catholic University of Lille (Issy-les-Moulineaux campus).
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Education
​School of Criminal Defense
EDHEC Business School
​Master 2 Business Law – Catholic University of Lille
Marine Boulard
Asssociate
Marine handles business criminal law (notably in cases of deception and false advertising), offenses against individuals, as well as complex commercial litigation with civil and criminal dimensions.
She also develops significant activity in press law, reputation protection, and presumption of innocence violations.
After completing internships at Veil Jourde and Kiejman & Marembert, as well as in a Supreme Court Attorney’s firm, she joined ABPH in 2022 after being sworn in.
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Education
School of Criminal Defense
Master 1 in General Private Law – Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University
Institute of Criminology – University of Paris Panthéon-Assas
Pauline Gendronneau
Associate
Pauline handles particularly complex financial cases, notably in financial markets. She also intervenes in international money laundering cases, as well as fraud in the health and digital sectors.
Additionally, she has had the opportunity to defend industrial companies and their employees in several serious accidents.
After completing internships at Dupont-Moretti & Vey and Allen & Overy (now A&O Shearman), she was sworn in in 2022 and joined Sieyès Avocats before joining ABPH in 2023.
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Education
Master’s Degree (Year 2) in Financial Law – Paris-Dauphine University-PSL
Clementine Marcon Sabatier
Associate
Clémentine handles significant cases of breaches of probity in France and internationally, as well as large-scale tax fraud cases.
She also intervenes in internal investigations, as well as in complex contentious cases involving intertwined civil and criminal procedures and raising international law questions.
After completing internships at Jones Day and Bougartchev Moyne and at a Supreme Court litigation firm, she joined ABPH in 2023 after a final internship and being sworn in 2023.
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Education
School of Criminal Defense
Sciences Po Law School (Economic Litigation & Arbitration)
Institute of Criminology – University of Paris Panthéon-Assas
Elisa Pelenc
Associate
Elisa works in both general criminal law and business criminal law, notably on large-scale tax fraud and money laundering cases in France and internationally.
She is also involved in complex litigation matters raising liability issues at the intersection of commercial and financial law.
After gaining several experiences in the public and institutional sector and then in the banking sector, Elisa completed several internships at leading law firms. She completed her entire lawyer-training program at A&O Shearman before joining ABPH in 2025 after being sworn in.
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Education
Sciences Po Law School (Economic Litigation & Arbitration)
Mathilde Paturel
Associate
Mathilde assists clients in both general criminal law and business criminal law, with a particular focus on significant cases involving financial criminal law and tax criminal law.
She is also involved in complex litigation matters, notably in cases relating to unfair competition.
Mathilde completed several internships in leading law firms before finishing her trainee-lawyer program within the business criminal law team at Paul Hastings. She joined ABPH in 2025 after being sworn in.
Following an experience at the French Controller-General for Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL), Mathilde teaches at the Sciences Po Law School Clinic as part of the Access to Law program, working particularly on access to legal rights for people in detention.
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Education
Sciences Po Law School (Economic Litigation & Arbitration)
Violeta Saranut
Associate
With eight years of experience in a leading law firm, Violeta joined the firm as Office Manager.
She ensures the smooth running of daily operations and the fluidity of internal and external communications, thereby contributing to the firm’s high standards of excellence and responsiveness.
Violeta is fluent in English, Romanian, Russian, and Italian.