Clifford Chance
Carla Lewis specialises in contentious regulatory matters and financial crime, with a particular focus on EU and UK sanctions, anti-money laundering and anti-bribery and corruption.
Carla represents a variety of governmental, non-governmental, corporate and individual clients, and has extensive experience advising clients on both risk and crisis management, liaising with relevant competent authorities where necessary.
Carla has lived and worked in London, Paris, Dubai and New York, and was seconded for six months to the Litigation, Investigations and Enforcement Team at a global bank in Singapore.
Regulatory Investigations and Financial Crime Insights
The latest global trends, risks and developments in regulatory investigations and financial crime
❯
- Advising a multi-state government-backed investment bank concerning the scope of UK sanctions, including reporting obligations, and advising on its sanctions compliance policies.
- Advising Asian and Middle Eastern government-backed financial institutions and corporates concerning their financial crime compliance programmes.
- Advising a multi-state government-backed investment bank concerning the application of UK and EU sanctions to public projects in Lebanon, following the appointment of Government Ministers with suspected links to the political arm of Hezbollah.
- Advising a Japanese conglomerate concerning its whistleblower procedures.
- Drafting and reviewing compliance programmes for a number of organisations, including some of the largest European and Asian financial institutions and corporate organisations.
- Providing on-going advice to international banks and trading companies regarding financial crime issues in connection with day-to-day business activities, including revising compliance policies and procedures.
- Advising a central bank concerning its potential sanctions exposure in relation to the payment of a judgment debt.
- Advising various multi-national corporate and financial entities concerning the UK and EU Blocking Regulations.
- Advising an international manufacturer in relation to suspected breaches of UK sanctions and assisting with reporting the same to OFSI.
- Preparing various OFSI licence applications for international financial institutions.
- Advising various clients in relation to recent sanctions imposed on Russia in response to developments in Ukraine.
- Advising an international hospitality chain concerning contracts concluded with a Syrian entity affected by EU restrictive measures, advising on interactions with three competent authorities.
- Advising a multinational integrated oil & gas company regarding the potential UK sanctions implications for its existing project portfolio post-Brexit, and assisting with obtaining necessary UK licences.
- Representing a company in connection with claims brought against a former employee in Russia in relation to fraud, breach of economic sanctions and the breach of a loan agreement.
- Advising a multinational integrated oil & gas company in relation to the construction of an oil pipeline in Africa, advising on issues of public international law for the purposes of investment planning and the negotiation of intergovernmental and host state agreements.
- Representing a Zambian investment company and shareholder in a US$140 million claim against the operating company (and ultimate parent company) relating to mining projects in Zambia.
- Conducting and co-ordinating the Firm's largest pro bono project to date on behalf of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and the Environment, for which the Firm's work was recognised for its contribution to the development of international environmental law by the Cyrus. R Vance Center for International Law.
News and client work
Contact details
- Clifford Chance, London
- +442070064323
- Email me
- Follow me on LinkedIn
- Practice area Litigation, dispute resolution & risk management
Career and qualifications
- Université de Paris II Panthéon-Assas (Certificat Superieur de Droit Français) 2007
- Magdalen College, Oxford (BA, Law with French Law) 2008
- New York University (LLM, International Legal Studies) 2010
- Joined Clifford Chance 2010
- Worked in Clifford Chance's Dubai office 2011
- Admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales 2012
- Obtained Higher Rights of Audience 2014
- Seconded to the Litigation, Investigations and Enforcement Team of a global bank in Singapore 2014
- Worked in Clifford Chance's Singapore office 2015
- Senior Associate since 2017
Awards and citations
- Rising Star (Dispute Resolution; Public International Law) Legal 500, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
- “Carla Lewis is a capable and dedicated senior associate with experience of a wide range of matters.” Legal 500 2024: Public International Law
- Recognised by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for contribution to international environmental law.