HELCK Legal is a law firm specializing in corporate criminal law.
We advise and defend board members, managing directors, senior executives and companies in Germany and internationally. Our clients benefit from the 15+ years of legal experience of the firm’s founder, Dr. Thomas Helck, a lawyer and former public prosecutor.
2021-2022
2020-2023
Wirtschaftskanzleien
2020-2023
2021-2022
2022-2023
2019-2022
Services
We defend both criminal and administrative offenses in preliminary proceedings of the public prosecutor’s office and other authorities such as the tax investigation department or the criminal investigation agencies (e.g., breach of supervisory duty or corporate fines).
We accompany clients throughout the entire investigation proceeding and provide support in intermediate proceedings as well as in the final court hearing and in any further appeals.
We structure and conduct internal investigations or act as witness counsel for employees.
We also provide compliance advice. This includes the assessment of specific criminal law issues.
In addition, we help optimize the compliance management system (CMS) or provide compliance training for employees and executives.
Our services go beyond the aforementioned offerings, and we would be happy to discuss and agree on the scope of services best suited to you at any time at an in-person meeting. We speak German and English.
Accompanying searches and pre-trial detentions.
Appeal against the search and seizure of assets.
Leading communications with the investigating authority.
Requesting access to files and evaluating the investigation files.
Developing defense tactics and drafting pleadings.
Negotiating a „discreet“ end to the proceedings („settlement“).
Organizing coordinated defenses with other defendants and defense lawyers.
Representing the defendant at main hearings, including making submissions.
Assessing criminal law issues.
Preparing legal opinions on criminal law issues (also considering the requirements of the Business Judgment Rule).
Preparation of criminal complaints.
Reviewing and optimizing compliance policies.
Providing compliance training.
Structuring („Scoping“) and supervising the internal investigation.
Reviewing key documents and providing review support.
Preparing and conducting interviews.
Documenting all investigative steps.
Preparing investigation reports.
Evaluating the investigation results.
Accompanying employees and executives during interviews as part of internal investigations.
Accompanying employees and executives to police and prosecutorial interrogations.
Acting as ombudsperson.
Areas of Law
Corporate Criminal Law
Criminal Corruption Law
Criminal Property Law
Criminal Tax Law
Criminal tax law
Criminal Labor Law
Criminal Competition Law
Offences of Utterance
Dr. Thomas Helck
Attorney-at-law Dr. Thomas Helck is a proven expert in cases involving white collar crime and criminal tax law.
From his work as a lawyer, Dr. Helck is very familiar with the different interests and obligations that can arise in white collar crime cases for the company, board members and employees. Dr. Helck takes difficult situations, which are often unclear for all parties involved, and comprehensively provides actionable advice. He speaks German and English.
Dr. Helck has advised on many cases, including factually and legally complex cases. He has defended a major German vehicle manufacturer with regard to the diesel scandal, advised an international aircraft manufacturer in connection with allegations of corruption and embezzlement in the three-digit million euros range, led several major internal investigations, coordinated the accompaniment of numerous house searches for clients, prepared legal opinions on complex criminal law issues, updated the compliance policies of a global asset management company and provided numerous compliance trainings, most particularly in relation to corruption, money laundering, competition law and supply chain due diligence.
Dr. Helck is a certified defense lawyer for white-collar crime (DSV e. V.) and a qualified specialist in criminal law. He regularly publishes articles on criminal law and compliance topics and is a sought-after speaker at professional conferences and training events.
He is a member of the German Bar Association Deutschen Anwaltverein (DAV), the Economic Criminal Law Association (Wirtschaftsstrafrechtlichen Vereinigung e.V., WisteV), the German Institute for Compliance (Deutschen Institut für Compliance e.V., DICO), the German Association of Defense Lawyers (Deutschen Strafverteidiger Verband e.V., DSV) and the Bavarian Association of Judges (Bayerischen Richterverein e.V., BRV).
Publications
Dr. Thomas Helck regularly publishes articles on criminal law and compliance topics.
Die Haftung im Steuer- und Wirtschaftsrecht: Ein Praxishandbuch für Unternehmen und Berater; Kapitel Persönliche Verantwortung der Unternehmensführung, Kapitel Betrug, Kapitel Bestechung; Erich Schmidt Verlag, June 2023
Bribery & Corruption Laws and Regulations 2023 | Germany, GLI, December 2022 (co-authors Karl-Jörg Xylander, Dr. Tine Schauenburg)
Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz legt Standard fest, Börsen-Zeitung Verlagsbeilage, 4 Dezember 2021 (co-author Dr. Julia Sitter)
Bribery & Corruption Laws and Regulations 2022 | Germany, GLI, December 2021 (co-authors Karl-Jörg Xylander, Dr. Tine Schauenburg)
Supply Chain Due Diligence Act: What companies need to prepare for in the future, Betriebs Berater (27/2021), 5 July 2021, p. 1603
Bribery & Corruption Laws and Regulations 2021 | Germany, GLI, December 2020 (co-authors Karl-Jörg Xylander, Dr. Tine Schauenburg)
Neue Runde im Kampf gegen Geldwäsche, Börsen-Zeitung, 5 September 2020, p. 9
Bribery & Corruption Laws and Regulations 2020 | Germany, GLI, December 2019 (co-authors Karl-Jörg Xylander, Dr. Tine Schauenburg)
Beschlagnahme von Unterlagen aus einer internen Untersuchung, note to Regional Court of Stuttgart, decision of 26 March 2018 – 6 Qs 1/18, jurisPR-Compl 5/2018 note 1 (co-author Marwin Krenke)
Beschlagnahmefreiheit versehentlich an die Staatsanwaltschaft verschickter Verteidigungsunterlagen, note to Regional Court of Frankfurt, decision of 9 November 2017 – 5/12 KLs 14/17, jurisPR-Compl 3/2018 note 3
Hinreichende Konkretisierung der im Verdacht stehenden Tat und des Tatzeitraums im Durchsuchungsbeschluss, note to Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, decision of 4 April 2017 – 2 BvR 2551/12, jurisPR-Compl 3/2017 note 2
Beschlagnahmeschutz unabhängig vom förmlichen Beschuldigtenstatus, note to District Court of Hamburg, decision of 17 August 2016 – 618 Qs 30/16, jurisPR-Compl 6/2016 note 1
Kein Beschlagnahmeschutz für Compliance-Ombudspersonen, note to District Court of Bochum, decision of 16 March 2016 – 6 Qs 1/16, jurisPR-Compl 5/2016 note 1
Beschlagnahmeschutz für Unterlagen aus internen Ermittlungen, Journal of the Wirtschaftsstrafrechtlichen Vereinigung e.V., WiJ 2016, 83-87
Beschlagnahmefreiheit von für die Unternehmensverteidigung erstellten anwaltlichen Unterlagen, note to District Court of Braunschweig, decision of 21 July 2015 – 6 Qs 116/15, jurisPR-Compl 3/2015 note 1
Die Selbstanzeige im Außenwirtschaftsrecht, Zeitschrift für Zölle und Verbrauchsteuern, ZfZ 2015, 151-156 (co-author Dr. Daphne Petry)
Verletzung betriebsbezogener Aufsichtspflichten im Konzern, note to High Court of Munich, decision of 23 September 2014 – 3 Ws 599/14, jurisPR-Compl 2/2015 note 1
Untreue durch Vorstandsmitglied einer Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung, note to Chamber Court of Berlin, decision of 4 November 2014 – 2 Ws 298/14 – 161 AR 16/14, jurisPR-Compl 1/2015 note 5
Staatsanwaltliche Ermittlungen im Unternehmen, Compliance-Berater, CB 2014, 83-88
Die medizinische Betreuung in der Untersuchungshaft unter Berücksichtigung der freien Arztwahl, PhD thesis, Verlag Dr. Kovac, 2009
We look forward to hearing from you.
HELCK Legal operates nationwide and is present not only in MUNICH but also in BERLIN / DÜSSELDORF / FRANKFURT / HAMBURG / STUTTGART.
We would be happy to come to your area, just contact us.