1. Home
  2. Events
  3. Multilateral Development Bank Sanctions and Investigations

Multilateral Development Bank Sanctions and Investigations

Webinaire | August.31.2021 | 8:00am - 9:15am (Eastern Standard Time)

Webinar

On August 31, 2021, Orrick and the Cyrus R. Vance Center hosted a webinar on the multilateral development bank (MDB) sanctions and investigations, which focused on the World Bank and African Development Bank processes. The event featured Thomas Laryea and Kenton Atta-Krah from Orrick and a panelist from the Vance Center Fellows. Attendees included contractors on MDB financed projects and government officials.

The webinar focused on recent developments in MDB sanctions and investigations, including issues with MDB procurement, contracting processes and enforcement actions. With the recent increase in MDB financing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the compliance risks associated with the use of such financing warrants additional scrutiny by private parties and government officials. There was also a discussion on how recent outcomes in enforcement actions and investigations may influence anti-corruption and anti-bribery compliance.

WATCH THE WEBINAR:

Please click below to view a recording of the event.

 

CLE INFORMATION: This course is eligible for New York and California CLE credit. Please complete and retain the applicable form for your records. The New York self-study form must be emailed to Melissa Woods and Jane Gracey. The California self-study form does not need to be emailed to Melissa Woods and Jane Gracey.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is an accredited MCLE provider in the State of New York. This transitional and non-transitional continuing legal education course has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the Continuing Legal Education Board for a maximum of 1.5 credit hours, of which 1.5 credit hours can be applied toward the areas of professional practice requirement.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is an accredited MCLE provider in the State of California. This continuing legal education course has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the State Bar of California for a maximum of 1.25 credit hours, of which 1.25 credit hours can be applied to the general requirement.

View the presentation slides here.

370979

Practice:

  • Finance Sector
  • Restructuration
  • Banque & Finance
  • Affaires gouvernementales
  • Antitrust & Concurrence
  • Arbitrage International & Résolution des litiges
  • Afrique
  • Fonds

Thomas Wyatt Laryea Counsel

Washington, D.C.

Thomas is widely recognized in international law and policy circles for sovereign debt restructurings and Africa-related finance and investments. While he has a special interest in Africa, his experience is truly global.

Thomas formerly served as Assistant General Counsel at the International Monetary Fund, where he was responsible for the IMF’s legal relations in finance and economic surveillance with each of its member countries. As the only senior IMF lawyer in private practice, he offers distinctive insights to asset managers, real money investors and hedge funds on sovereign debt and restructurings as well as large scale corporate restructurings and project financings. His practice bridges legal and strategic advice on the transactional, public policy and dispute resolution aspects of international finance and investment.

Thomas has advised on several recent high-profile sovereign debt restructurings, including representing the Argentina Creditor Committee on the restructuring of $65 billion of Argentina’s foreign currency bonds. He also recently represented the Steering Members of the Committee on Bondholders in the reprofiling of Belize’s bonds.

He is recognized as a key lawyer in the Restructuring (Including Bankruptcy): Municipal category of The Legal 500 US 2022 directory. A client remarked that he “provided invaluable advice on the IMF policies, individual personalities and missions which helped us to understand the sovereign’s priorities with the IMF” that “will then frame our negotiations with the sovereign.” “Thomas is highly respected in the sovereign restructuring space.”

Thomas is an active thought leader and has published numerous articles on sovereign debt and international finance.

376508

Practice:

  • Pénal des affaires, Enquêtes et Conformité
  • Strategic Advisory & Government Enforcement (SAGE)

Kenton Atta-Krah Senior Associate

New York

Kenton Atta-Krah is a senior associate in the White Collar, International Trade & Compliance practice group.

Kenton has broad experience working with clients in a range of high-stakes domestic and international white collar matters, including government and regulatory enforcement actions involving the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) among others, anti-corruption compliance matters, and internal investigations.

Kenton’s experience includes matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and U.S. anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, among others. He has extensive experience responding to subpoenas and information requests from regulators and government entities and has had trial and litigation experience before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal in New York.

Kenton gained in-house legal experience with Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management Advisory Legal team during a 2021 secondment, where, among other things, he provided legal and regulatory guidance to regional and complex risk officers and other company stakeholders on combatting and responding to fraud and other financial exploitation of seniors and vulnerable adults.

Kenton maintains an active pro bono practice. Through the Criminal Justice Act (“CJA”), he regularly represents incarcerated or indigent clients, including in Section 1983 civil rights actions.

Kenton is also a member of the firm’s Blockchain Regulatory practice. He has a particular interest in development and anti-corruption compliance matters involving Africa, with a focus on enforcement actions by multi-lateral development banks.

While in law school, he was a research assistant to Professor Doriane Coleman and interned with the CWS-RDU Immigration and Refugee Program. He also spent time as a Summer Associate at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah, a law firm in Accra, Ghana.