#Ethics & Compliance
The Rocher Group convicted for failing to comply with its duty of vigilance, a first in France
In a judgment dated 12 March 2026, the Paris Judicial Court held the Rocher Group liable for a breach of its duty of vigilance. The court found that the vigilance plans adopted by the parent company in 2017 and 2018 were inadequate, as their risk-mapping did not include the group’s subsidiaries and therefore failed to identify risks of violations of trade union freedom. The court established a causal link between this shortcoming and the dismissal, in 2018, of nine employees of a Turkish subsidiary on the grounds of their trade union membership. The parent company was ordered to pay €8,000 in damages to each of the employees, as well as €40,000 to the union concerned. This ruling constitutes the first conviction in France on the basis of the duty of vigilance for conduct occurring abroad.> Read the article.
#White collar crime
Merger of sentences: Nicolas Sarkozy’s request rejected by the court
On 9 March 2026, the Paris Judicial Court rejected the application for a merger of sentences submitted by Nicolas Sarkozy, in which he sought to have the sentences imposed in the so‑called “Bismuth” and “Bygmalion” cases merged so that the latter would be deemed to have been served. Sitting in chambers, the court held that the former President of the Republic remained required to serve separately the six‑month custodial sentence, subject to adjustment, imposed in the Bygmalion case. Nicolas Sarkozy nevertheless remains entitled to lodge an appeal against this decision and, should the rejection be upheld, may apply for conditional release. >Read the article.
New FCPA Bill Signals Long-Term Commitment to Combating Foreign Bribery
On 9 March 2026, a group of fourteen U.S. senators led by Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the FCPA Reinforcement Act in Congress, a bill aimed at strengthening the fight against international corruption. The proposal would extend the statute of limitations for offences under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) from five to ten years. This reform addresses the practical challenges of transnational corruption investigations, which are often lengthy and complex due to opaque financial structures, shell companies, and international transactions. According to Transparency International US, the initiative is intended to give authorities more time to conduct investigations and prosecute offenders. It also reaffirms the United States’ long‑standing commitment to sanctioning the bribery of foreign public officials. > Read the article.
Breach of trust: former president of the Somme department sees his sentence increased on appeal to four years’ imprisonment and five years of ineligibility
On 11 March 2026, the Court of Appeal imposed a harsher sentence on Stéphane Haussoulier, former president of the Somme departmental council, after finding him guilty of breach of trust, fraud, and money laundering. The court sentenced him to four years’ imprisonment, including one year to be served under electronic monitoring, as well as a five‑year period of ineligibility. At first instance, he had been sentenced to a three‑year suspended prison term and three years of ineligibility. The offences related in particular to the period between 2016 and 2023, during which Stéphane Haussoulier held several public and associative positions. The investigation revealed numerous instances of improperly claimed reimbursements and the use of professional bank cards for personal expenses. The total loss was estimated at approximately €370,000. > Read the article.
#Arbitration and Mediation
AAA unveils AI simulation tool
The American Arbitration Association (AAA) recently announced the launch of a new artificial‑intelligence‑based simulation tool designed to provide parties with an initial assessment of how an arbitrator might analyze a dispute, even before formal arbitration proceedings are commenced. According to the AAA, the tool is powered by an AI model trained on a corpus of arbitral awards and further refined using expert‑annotated data. It enables an evaluation of the merits of the parties’ claims, the formulation of recommendations, and the generation of draft simulated decisions. This simulator is intended to assist practitioners in better assessing their risk exposure, testing the strength of their arguments, preparing negotiation strategies, and facilitating discussions with their clients. > Read the article.
