Sabine Stetter

Practice Areas

Anti-Corruption

Compliance Counseling

Congressional Investigations

Corporate Crime

Crisis Management

Cross-border Investigations

Environmental

Extradition

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

Government Investigations

Healthcare

Internal Investigations

Trade Secrets

Trials

White Collar Crime

Career

Licensed since 2000

Managing Partner of the stetter Rechtsanwälte law firm for white collar crime in 2010

Legal training in Munich and Karlsruhe

Experience as a lawyer including appeal proceedings with Prof. Gunter Widmaier

Doctorate (Dr. iur.) in international tax crime under Prof. Wolfgang Joecks

Munich Bar (admitted to all German Courts, except the Federal Court of Justice in Civil Law)

QUALIFICATIONS

Dr Sabine Stetter has the following qualifications:

Certified Specialist in Criminal Law

Certified Specialist in Tax Law

Sabine started her legal career as a white-collar defense counsel almost 25 years ago with one of the most famous professors in Germany at the time who specialized in criminal legal appeals before the highest criminal court (the “Bundesgerichstshof”), Prof. Dr. Gunter Widmaier, while simultaneously earning a doctorate in U.S. and German criminal tax law. She built a reputation for excellence in this niche area of practice before the Federal Court of justice, including handling a commercial smuggling trial where the court’s ruling is regarded as a landmark ruling in Germany (BGH, judgement dating from October 24th, 2002 - 5 StR 600/01, BGHSt 48, 52) and - after having worked for other German law firms - founded her own one stetter Rechtsanwälte in 2010.

Her team includes Stephanie Kamp, LL.M. as Counsel, Lisa Plum as Senior Associate and Dr. Laura Leitschuh, Dr. Anna Berger and Cheyenne Blum as Associates. Sabine uses her position to the advancement of women in the white-collar space.

She appreciates the bundling of expertise for the benefit of clients very much and worked with a range of global law firms such as Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, Baker & McKenzie International, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Hogan Lovells International LLP, Allen & Overy LLP, Williams & Connolly LLP, Osborne Clarke LLP, CMS Hasche Sigle Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälte mbH, Noerr PartGmbH throughout her career.

Professional Memberships

Sabine is member of the following associations:

1. Women’s White Collar Defense Association (WWCDA),

2. International Bar Association (IBA),

3. Officer of the Anti-Corruption Committee of the IBA – Vice Chair of the NTR Committee,

4. JuWiSt e.V. Women´s White Collar and Tax Defense Association,

5. Wirtschaftsstrafrechtliche Vereinigung e.V. (WisteV) – White Collar Defense Association,

6. German Bar Association (Deutscher Anwaltverein) – Working Group on Criminal Law,

7. Munich Bar Association.

Publications

Sabine is one of the co-authors of the “Münchener Anwaltshandbuch Strafverteidigung” and “Münchener Anwaltshandbuch Verteidigung in Wirtschafts- und Steuerstrafsachen” (both standard references for German defence counsel), the “Handbuch Arbeitsstrafrecht” (a comprehensive practical guide to the responsibility of company personnel in respect of labour criminal liability risk) as well as the “Handbuch des Fachanwalts Medizinrecht” (a standard reference for medical law).

Experience

Sabine is representing and has represented clients in most significant and high-profile criminal matters in Germany. Her representations include the following matters:

1.Wirecard Scandal

Lead defense counsel of the former head of accounting for more than 3 years

- in the German criminal investigation during which he was released from custody,

- in the German federal congressional investigation and

- in the first criminal trial that began in 2022 relating the allegations of falsification of balance sheets, market manipulation, fraud and embezzlement.

2. Dieselgate

Lead defense counsel of the former member of the management board responsible for technology at Audi for more than 6 years

- in the German criminal investigation and

- in the German white-collar court proceedings relating to the allegation of fraud.

3. Dieselgate

Lead defense counsel of a German subsidiary of a global U.S. car manufacturer for an almost 3-year period in the German white-collar proceedings relating to the allegation of lack of supervision including the reduction of a fine including disgorgement from about 300 million Euro to about 70 million Euro for this German subsidiary including the coordination of a team of defense counsel for the targets (individuals).

4. Cum-Ex Scandal

Sole criminal legal advisor of a major global U.S.-based firm which was advising one of the implicated banks during the relevant time period in connection with the overall strategy as it related to a specific German criminal trial.

5. Cum-Ex Scandal

Lead defense counsel of a former CEO of an international bank for more than 2 years in the German criminal investigation relating to the allegation of aiding and abetting tax evasion.

6. Protective Mask Scandal

Lead defense counsel of the daughter of a former high-ranking politician in the German state of Bavaria

- in the Bavarian congressional investigation and

- in the German criminal tax trial relating to allegations that after having sold protective masks to various German federal states and having earned almost 50 million Euros in commissions, the required taxes were not handled appropriately and rather sought to be evaded.

7. International Bribery Scandal

German lead defense counsel of a German subsidiary of a large U.S. conglomerate for an almost 4-year period coordinating efforts across multiple jurisdictions especially the U.S. and Germany and representing this German subsidiary in the German white-collar proceedings as well as coordinating a team of defense counsel for the targets (individuals).

8. Siemens Bribery Scandal

Lead defense counsel of a senior CFO for more than 17 years in

- an internal FCPA investigation and in the German criminal investigation which ended with a termination of the proceedings,

- together with U.S. counsel in the U.S. investigation conducted by the DOJ which ended with a non-prosecution agreement and

- together with an Argentinian counsel in Argentinian criminal court proceedings.

Languages Spoken

German

English

Personal

"I have assimilated the concept that there is no such things as a hopeless case. For me the keys to legally successful activity are expertise, creativity and tenacity. I worked as a lawyer in Prof. Gunter Widmaier’s law practice for four years and sought reasons why legal rulings should not be allowed to stand, even though such rulings had been made by legal experts in the district court. This left its mark on me. And it is hugely motivating. Each of our clients can rely on the fact that we tackle each and every case with this attitude, whether in Germany or abroad. Nothing is impossible ‒ we always find a solution."

Education

Awards