Jones Day has hired an investigations and white-collar defense practice partner in Düsseldorf.

Thomas Preute, who previously worked at a boutique firm in Germany, joins at a time when the volume of investigations, as well as the demands for compliance, have grown rapidly in Germany due to stronger regulations such as the European data protection law (General Data Protection Regulation) and stricter sanctions.

Preute has extensive experience in advising German and international companies on internal investigations, crisis management and all aspects of compliance programs. He was formerly a partner with Pohlmann & Company, a boutique law firm specializing in compliance and corporate governance. The Munich, Germany-based boutique has extensive experience serving as a compliance monitor for the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the World Bank.

Widely publicized compliance scandals such as Dieselgate, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, as well as the so-called cum-ex scandal, a tax fraud scheme that cost the German treasury billions of Euros, have also added additional pressure to the compliance sector. The scandal also hit such prominent global law firms as Freshfields and DLA Piper.

"We're seeing more political pressure, which makes compliance even more important," Ansgar Rempp, Jones Day's partner-in-charge in Germany, said in a telephone interview.

Thomas Preute

In a statement, Ted Chung, head of the firm's investigations and white-collar defense practice, noted that regulatory scrutiny and enforcement activity continue to intensify throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

"Companies are increasingly in need of counsel from lawyers like Thomas, who brings substantial cross-border experience on a wide range of compliance and investigations matters," he said.

Preute said he is looking forward to working at the firm. "Jones Day has all of the components needed to meet clients' complex requirements for efficient and successful compliance work: seamless service delivery across practices and jurisdictions, substantial global reach, and deep talent across subject areas," he said.

Preute's clients include DAX and MDAX-listed large German corporations, private equity houses, and family-owned groups of companies across various industries, including automotive, chemical, construction, defense, energy, health care, logistics and manufacturing.

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