Dr. Sibylle von Coelln

Dr Sibylle von Coelln has been practising law since 2006; until September 2013 she worked in a large national law firm exclusively active in the fields of white collar crime and tax crime law. She attended the University of Passau where she obtained a doctorate, and she undertook her legal professional practical training in the Munich Higher Regional Court district.

Her main focus is on criminal defence of individuals and companies in all areas of corporate, tax and insolvency crime law, on working as an ombudsperson  for different companies as well as on the preparation of criminal law expert opinions. Due to her special theoretical and practical knowledge in these fields, the Düsseldorf Bar Association awarded her the title “Criminal Law Specialist” and the German Criminal Defence Lawyers Association awarded her the title “Certified Corporate Crime Law Advocate (DSV)”.

In addition to her criminal defence practice, Dr von Coelln has previously advised extensive internal investigations and compliance projects, thus gaining a wide range of experience in preventive consulting.

Dr von Coelln had taught at the University of Passau for several years. She was introduced to scientific work during her three years as a research assistant with the chair of Professor Dr Werner Beulke in Passau. During this time, she supported the chairholder in his research and publication projects and wrote her dissertation on a topic in the area of the General Part of the Criminal Code. She also publishes in the field of (corporate) crime and criminal law and gives practice-oriented presentations to non-specialised audiences. She is also Chairwoman of the Expert Committee for Corporate, Tax and Insolvency Crime Law of the German Criminal Defence Lawyers Association and Chairwoman of the German Ombudsman Association – Vereinigung deutscher Vertrauensanwälte e.V.

Practice areas

  • General corporate crime law
  • Tax crime law
  • Insolvency crime law
  • Law of criminal procedure
  • General criminal Law
  • Ombudswoman

Memberships

Publications

  • Sanktionierung von Verstößen nach Straf- und Ordnungswidrigkeitenrecht (Sanctioning of acts under the criminal and administrative offences law), in: Nietsch (Ed.), Corporate Social Responsibility Compliance, 2021, S. 334 ff. (together with Christian Heuking)
  • Hinweisgebersysteme und Ombudspersonen (Whistleblowing Systems and Ombudspersons, in: Rübenstahl/Hahn/Voet van Vormizeele (Ed.), Handbuch Kartell Compliance, 2019, S. 917 ff. (together with Christian Heuking)
  • Der Mandant in der Insolvenz (The insolvent client), StraFo 2019, 143
  • Subjects in need of regulation in a future “Internal Investigations Act” NZWiSt 2019, 1 (together with Folker Bittmann, Dr. Matthias Brockhaus, Christian Heuking)
  • Review of “Thompson, Modelle der Selbstanzeige im Wirtschaftsordnungswidrigkeitenrecht und ihre strafrechtlichen Vorbilder” (Models of voluntary disclosure in corporate crime law and their parallels in criminal law), CCZ – Aktuell 6/2018
  • Statement in the context of the written expert consultation on the proposal “Germany finally needs a corporate criminal law – the state government must be pioneers in this respect, not a stumbling block!” of the SPD parliamentary group in the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament, accessible atNorth Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament Document Archive 
  • Berufsneutrale Handlungen an der Grenze zur Beihilfe im Wirtschaftsstrafrecht (Professional neutrality bordering on aiding and abetting in corporate crime law) WiJ 2017, 157(together with Christian Heuking)
  • Review of “Berndt/Theile, Unternehmensstrafrecht und Unternehmensverteidigung” (Corporate Crime Law and Corporate Defence),WiJ 2017, 145
  • Review of “Schnitzer, Der Entwurf eines Verbandsstrafgesetzbuches: Rechtspolitische Illusion oder zukünftige Rechtswirklichkeit?” (The Criminal Code for Associations bill: Legal-political illusion or future legal reality?),KriPoZ 2016, 206
  • Review of “Jahn/Schmitt-Leonardy/Schoop (Ed.), Das Unternehmensstrafrecht und seine Alternativen” (Corporate Crime Law and its Alternatives),KriPoZ 2016, 147
  • Die Neuregelung des § 299 StGB – Das Geschäftsherrenmodell als Mittel zur Bekämpfung der Korruption? (The new revision of § 299 of the German Criminal Code – The employer model as a means to fight corruption?) BB 2016, 323 (together with Christian Heuking)
  • Der aktuelle Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Bekämpfung der Korruption – Erweiterung der Bestechung im geschäftlichen Verkehr und der Amtsträgerbestechung (The current draft anti-corruption law – expansion of bribery in commercial transactions and bribery of public officials), in: Nietsch (ed.), Corporate Sanctions in Transition, 2016, p. 81 ff. 
  • The current debate about fines or criminal penalties for companies, BB 2014, 3016 ff. (together with Christian Heuking)
  • Review of “Sabine Tofahrn, Law of Criminal Procedure, 2ndedition 2013” WiJ 1/2014, 44 ff.
  • Ausweitung der strafrechtlichen Risiken im Vergabeverfahren – Anmerkung zum BGH-Beschluss vom 25.07.2012 (Expansion of criminal law risks in the public procurement procedure – Comment on the BGH decision of 25/7/2012) – 2 StR 1545/12, ZIS 2012, 628 ff.
  • Public Compliance – Maßnahmen zur Regelkonformität im öffentlichen Sektor (Public Compliance – Measures for regulatory compliance in the public sector), DÖV 2012, 827 ff. (together with Christian Heuking)
  • Zur Bestimmtheit des strafrechtlichen Amtsträgerbegriffs (On the precision of the criminal law concept of the public official), in: Schulz/Reinhart/ Sahan, Festschrift für Imme Roxin, 2012, S. 209 ff.
  • Das “rechtliche Einstehenmüssen” beim unechten Unterlassungsdelikt: Die Emanzipation der Garantenstellung von einzelnen Fallgruppen ("legal responsibility“ in a crime of omission: The emancipation of guarantor status from individual case groups) (dissertation, 2008, published by Duncker & Humblot)

Presentations/Conferences

  • Organization, chairing and moderation of the kick-off event of the German Ombudsman Association - Vereinigung deutscher Vertrauensanwälte e.V. with the theme " "Whistleblowing in international contexts and its implications on criminal legal proceedings" on 23.03.2023 in Frankfurt/Main
  • Organization, chairing and moderation of the kick-off event of the German Ombudsman Association - Vereinigung deutscher Vertrauensanwälte e.V. with the topic "Compliance, lawyers of trust and reporting systems - Urgent need for action by the legislator?" on 24.03.2022 in Stuttgart
  • "Whistleblower Protection by Legislators - Phalanx or Farce? Critical Analysis from the Perspective of an Ombudsperson, presentation at the virtual Jour Fixe "Mittwochmittag mit der Regionalgruppe NRW" of Transparency International Deutschland e.V. online on 09.02.2022
  • "Touch points of ombudsman activities to criminal law and criminal procedure law", presentation at the WisteV-wistra New Year's Conference on 18.01.2020 in Frankfurt/Main
  • "The decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court on "Jones Day" from a defendant's point of view and its impact on  legal practice", presentation at the annual seminar of the NStZ (a magazine of the publisher C.H.Beck) on 5/7/2019 in Frankfurt/Main
  • “Opportunities and Risks of Internal Investigations from the Defence Lawyer’s Perspective”, presentation at a seminar on 14/5/2019 at the German Police University (DHPol) in Münster on the subject of corporate crime for senior police officers, judges and prosecutors
  • “The Insolvent Client”, presentation at the 35thAutumn Colloquium of the German Lawyers Association’s Criminal Law Working Group on 09/11/2018 in Cologne
  • “Ruhr Corporate Crime Law Practice – Confiscation proceedings against Ombudspersons (Speaker: StA Dr Marc Sotelsek) and protection against corporate seizures using case groups (speaker: RA and FAStR PD Dr René Börner)”, Moderation of the event of the Corporate Crime Law Association on 13/6/2018 in Essen
  • “Pitfalls in criminal proceedings”, In-house training at one of the leading German legal expenses insurance companies on 16/3/2018 and 24/4/2018, both in Düsseldorf
  • “Reduction of criminal law risks in consulting for companies in crisis”, workshop at a medium-sized consulting company on 22/9/2017 in Düsseldorf
  • “Compliance in Companies”, presentation at a seminar on 31/05/2017 at the German Police University (DHPol) in Münster on the subject of corporate crime for senior police officers, judges and prosecutors
  • “One foot in the slammer?!”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 16/2/2017 in Düsseldorf
  • “One foot in the slammer?!”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 15/12/2016 in Düsseldorf
  • “One foot in the slammer?!”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 22/09/2016 in Düsseldorf
  • “Amending Corruption Provisions”, presentation at a seminar on 15/3/2016 at the German Police University (DHPol), Münster, on “Current Developments in Criminal Law and the Law of Criminal Procedure” for senior police officers, judges and public prosecutors
  • “Art and Crime” – panel discussion within the series of events “Beyond Borders: Boundaries of Fine Arts“ on 03/12/2015 in Düsseldorf; co-panellists: Dr Erhard Jägers, forgery expert; Stefan Koldehoff, journalist and art editor at Deutschlandfunk; Silke Lemmes, art historian
  • “The Anti-Corruption Act – New Challenges for Companies and Lawyers”, presentation at a lawyers’ seminar on 05/11/2015 in Düsseldorf (together with Christian Heuking)
  • “The current draft anti-corruption law – expansion of bribery in commercial transactions and bribery of public officials”, presentation at the 2nd Wiesbaden Compliance Day on 18/6/2015 at the European Business School in Wiesbaden, Center for Corporate Compliance
  • “The Current Debate around the Introduction of Corporate Criminal Law”, presentation at a seminar on 10/6/2015 at the German Police University (DHPol), Münster, on the topic “Current Developments in Criminal and Criminal Procedure Law” for senior police officers, judges and public prosecutors
  • “Corporate Crime Law – Status of the debate and Outlook”, presentation at a lawyers’ seminar on 21/5/2015 in Düsseldorf
  • “The Current Debate around the Introduction of Corporate Crime Law”, presentation at a seminar on 18/3/2015 at the German Police University (DHPol), Münster, on the topic “Current Developments in Criminal and Criminal Procedure Law” for senior police officers, judges and public prosecutors. 
  • “Corporate Criminal Law – Status of the debate and Outlook”, presentation at a lawyers’ seminar on 26/02/2015 in Düsseldorf
  • “Compliance and Criminal Law”, presentation as part of the series “Evening Guests from Practice” on 21/10/2014 at the European Business School in Wiesbaden
  • “Offences within the Company and Tax Law Adjustment Obligations”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 3/7/2014 in Düsseldorf
  • “Offences within the Company and Tax Law Adjustment Obligations”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 22/05/2014 in Düsseldorf 
  • “Criminal Law Implications of Compliance”, keynote address at a compliance seminar of the University of Cologne, the European Business School and Linklaters LLP on 7/2/2014 in Düsseldorf
  • “Searches in law firms”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 20/6/2013 in Düsseldorf
  • “Searches in law firms”, presentation on the occasion of a lawyers’ seminar on 14/3/2013 in Düsseldorf

Languages

  • German, English