Hikmat Maleh Partner, Co-Head of Investigations
Attorney at Law, LL.M.

Hikmat Maleh

Partner, Co-Head of Investigations
Attorney at Law, LL.M.
+41 58 450 70 00
hikmat.maleh@lenzstaehelin.com
Genève
Route de Chêne 30
CH-1211 Genève
www.lenzstaehelin.com
  • Expertise

    Hikmat Maleh is a partner and criminal and commercial litigator who co-leads the Investigations practice in Geneva. He represents clients in complex litigation before Swiss criminal and civil courts, often in multi-jurisdictional proceedings. Hikmat routinely handles white collar crime cases (fraud, money laundering, bribery, insider trading, mutual legal assistance), banking litigation, commercial disputes, and employment litigation, among others. He also advises clients on sanctions compliance and represents them in sanctions-related disputes or enforcement.

    Hikmat is the hiring partner for our Geneva and Lausanne offices. 

  • Practices

  • Specialist Areas

    Sports Commercial Litigation, Criminal Litigation, Employment Litigation, Public International Law, International Criminal Law, Investigations, Sanctions
  • Professional Experience and Education

    and Education

    2021Partner at Lenz & Staehelin
    2014Joined Lenz & Staehelin
    2013Admission to the Geneva Bar
    2011University of Geneva (MLaw)
    2010University of Cambridge (LL.M. in International Law)
    2009University of Geneva (BLaw and Certificate of Transnational Law)
  • Languages

    French, English, German, Arabic
  • Memberships

    Geneva Bar Association (OdA), Swiss Bar Association (SBA), Swiss Society of International Law (SSDI), Swiss Sports Law Association (ASDS), Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA), International Bar Association (IBA)
  • SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

    • Maleh H., et al. , Introduction aux Art. 264 à 264n, Introduction spécifique aux Art. 264b à 264j, Art. 264b, 264c, 264d, 264i, 264j, 264m et 264n CP, in : Macaluso/Moreillon/Quéloz (éd.), Commentaire romand du Code pénal II - Partie spéciale, Bâle 2017
    • Maleh H., Jakob ., Prohibere possunt & debeant : réflexions sur les responsabilités pénales de l'entreprise et du supérieur hiérarchique militaire, in : Garibian/Jeanneret (éd.), Dodécaphonie pénale - Liber discipulorum en l'honneur du Professeur Robert Roth, Genève/Zurich 2017
    • Maleh H., Les crimes de guerre, in : Meylan (éd.), La lutte contre l’impunité en droit suisse, Genève 2015
  • Contact Details

  • Assistant

  • References

    He has excellent mastery of the cases and a strategic approach to issues. His advice is timely, and he is always available and responsive to changing priorities and questions.

    Chambers and Partners, 2025

    He understands extremely quickly what you need and what needs to be done. He does not waste time. He is very pragmatic, straight to the point and a strategic thinker.

    Chambers and Partners, 2025

    He has extensive expertise and can deal with complex issues. He is very reactive and able to provide answers very quickly. He has a brilliant analytical mind and great attention to detail.

    Chambers and Partners, 2025

    Incredible how straightforward and clear he was.

    Chambers and Partners, 2025

    Highly talented. He is a very calm, quick, thoughtful and precise lawyer.

    Chambers and Partners, 2025

    Draws widespread praise for his first-rate business crime defence practice advising individuals on an array of multijurisdictional matters.

    Who's Who Legal, 2024

    One of the leading Swiss litigators for complex multi-jurisdictional business crime defence matters spanning fraud, money laundering and bribery among others.

    Who's Who Legal, 2023

    Fiercely intelligent, highly responsive and also extremely pleasant to work with. Clients love him.

    Legal 500, 2023

    One of the best minds in the space

    Who's Who Legal, 2022

He has excellent mastery of the cases and a strategic approach to issues. His advice is timely, and he is always available and responsive to changing priorities and questions.

Chambers and Partners, 2025

He understands extremely quickly what you need and what needs to be done. He does not waste time. He is very pragmatic, straight to the point and a strategic thinker.

Chambers and Partners, 2025

He has extensive expertise and can deal with complex issues. He is very reactive and able to provide answers very quickly. He has a brilliant analytical mind and great attention to detail.

Chambers and Partners, 2025

Incredible how straightforward and clear he was.

Chambers and Partners, 2025

Highly talented. He is a very calm, quick, thoughtful and precise lawyer.

Chambers and Partners, 2025

Draws widespread praise for his first-rate business crime defence practice advising individuals on an array of multijurisdictional matters.

Who's Who Legal, 2024

One of the leading Swiss litigators for complex multi-jurisdictional business crime defence matters spanning fraud, money laundering and bribery among others.

Who's Who Legal, 2023

Fiercely intelligent, highly responsive and also extremely pleasant to work with. Clients love him.

Legal 500, 2023

One of the best minds in the space

Who's Who Legal, 2022

1/9
  • 01 Oct 2017

    Introduction aux Art. 264 à 264n, Introduction spécifique aux Art. 264b à 264j, Art. 264b, 264c, 264d, 264i, 264j, 264m et 264n CP

    in : Macaluso/Moreillon/Quéloz (éd.), Commentaire romand du Code pénal II - Partie spéciale, Bâle 2017

  • 03 Sep 2017

    Prohibere possunt & debeant : réflexions sur les responsabilités pénales de l'entreprise et du supérieur hiérarchique militaire

    in : Garibian/Jeanneret (éd.), Dodécaphonie pénale - Liber discipulorum en l'honneur du Professeur Robert Roth, Genève/Zurich 2017

Insights

Insights 06.03.2026

Swiss sanctions against Russia – Further alignment with the EU – Implementation of the 19th Sanctions Package

Swiss sanctions against Russia – Further alignment with the EU –…

<p>In a continued effort to align with European Union ("<strong>EU</strong>") sanctions, on 25 February 2026, the Swiss Federal Council adopted additional measures transposing core elements of the EU's 19th sanctions package (adopted at EU level on 23 October 2025). The Swiss amendments entered into force on 26 February 2026, with certain measures phased in later in spring 2026.</p> <p>The revision notably (i) introduces a new crypto-asset transaction prohibition tied to a dedicated annex, (ii) adds a new sanctions pillar targeting Russian special economic, innovation and preferential zones, and (iii) expands the catalogue of prohibited services and enabling technologies (including AI-model access, high-performance computing and quantum computing).</p>

Insights 04.03.2026

MBaer Merchant Bank AG: FinCEN Section 311 action and FINMA liquidation – Important compliance lessons for Swiss financial institutions

MBaer Merchant Bank AG: FinCEN Section 311 action and FINMA liquidation –…

<p>In February 2026, U.S. and Swiss authorities took consecutive measures affecting MBaer Merchant Bank AG, a Zurich-based bank. The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued a notice under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act proposing special measure five, which, if adopted, would have effectively severed MBaer's access to the U.S. financial system via correspondent and payable-through restrictions.</p> <p>In parallel, FINMA announced supervisory measures culminating in the license withdrawal and liquidation of that bank, including procedural developments before the Swiss Federal Administrative Court.</p> <p>Taken together, these developments provide a highly practical case study for Swiss institutions on how AML control and sanctions compliance weaknesses, high-risk client exposure and cross-border market-access dependencies may converge and escalate quickly. The case also illustrates the interplay between foreign regulatory action and Swiss supervisory proceedings.</p>

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