To me, criminal defense primarily involves shielding clients from the overwhelming power of routine in daily criminal justice procedures. This core principle has repeatedly proven true throughout my career as a criminal defense attorney. 

For instance, I once defended a client facing prosecution in two European countries for the same alleged crime. The case required representing the client before German courts and courts in other EU member states. After a preliminary ruling request from the Bordeaux Court of Appeal to the European Court of Justice, the extradition was ultimately withdrawn. Although the Court didn’t issue a ruling, the proceedings concluded successfully for the client. In 1999, the European prohibition on double jeopardy was already the subject of academic debate, but its practical application was still evolving. 

Challenging routine’s force is especially vital during the investigative phase of criminal cases. At this stage, the defense can often present substantive arguments directly to prosecutors and investigators, potentially preventing the client from ever needing to appear in court or endure a public trial. A memorable example of this was during an environmental criminal investigation, demonstrating what effective early-stage defense can achieve. Sometimes, criminal allegations are contested in civil courts, as criminal accusations are strategically used in civil disputes. 

My practice covers property and financial crimes, insolvency-related criminal law, environmental criminal law, tax offenses, employment-related crimes, sexual offenses, insults and defamation, as well as traffic-related criminal matters, including driver’s license issues and regulatory offenses.