Paige Berges

Counsel

Paige Berges

Counsel

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Paige Berges is counsel in Ropes and Gray’s Anti-Corruption and International Risk group. She is a U.S. and UK qualified lawyer with broad cross-border experience conducting internal investigations, enforcement and defence. She focuses on advising clients with pre-investment due diligence and post-investment monitoring to ensure compliance with Economic Sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-terrorist financing, and Anti-Corruption regulations. In addition to U.S., UK and pan-European practice, Paige brings significant experience helping clients build compliance programmes across Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the MENA region.

Paige has a strong background in public international law and regularly advises on human rights and humanitarian law. She has long volunteered with and served as special counsel to Lawyers Without Borders, leading on projects related to human rights and governance principles, and prosecuting human trafficking and corruption cases. She frequently writes on and inputs into industry fora on the intersection between financial crime compliance and ESG, including countering the effects of wildlife trafficking and negative impacts on human rights.

Prior to joining Ropes & Gray, she worked at CDC Group Plc, the UK’s Development Finance Institution, and Barclays Investment Bank, where she was responsible for financial crime compliance and sanctions across business lines. From 2007-2015, she practiced litigation and white collar in New York.

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In Financial Times, Paige Berges Discusses U.S. Treasury Division Sanctions Against Digital Currency Mixer Tornado Cash

Crypto evangelists have touted decentralised finance (DeFi) as a way to replace government and regulators with privacy and financial freedom. However, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently sanctioned digital currency ...

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  • JD, LLM (International and Comparative Law), Duke University School of Law, 2007; Honorable Harrison W. Ewing Scholarship recipient
  • BA (Political Science), magna cum laude, Stetson University, 2004; Senior Honor political science; Phi Beta Kappa

Qualifications

  • England and Wales, Solicitor, 2018
  • New York, 2008

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Experience

  • Represents global private equity clients in conducting pre-investment due diligence and post-investment monitoring on targets in a range of sectors including pharmaceuticals, agriculture, oil and gas, and transport
  • Assists private equity clients and portfolio companies to enhance anti-bribery and corruption, anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance policies and procedures
  • Secondment to large multinational client as Sanctions counsel advising on U.S., UK and EU sanctions compliance requirements
  • Partnered with Lawyers Without Borders to present to team of prosecutors in Kenya on best practices in Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-terrorist financing investigations. Drafted reference materials on anti-money laundering, corruption and counter-terrorist financing laws for prosecutors based in Tanzania
  • Advised South Sudan-based client operating in the charity sector regarding compliance with OFAC regulations in Sudan, South Sudan, and Somalia*
  • Represented client at meetings with the Department of Justice on bribery and wire fraud allegations in media sector*
  • Worked on internal investigations related to fraud and bribery allegations for infrastructure, healthcare, and media companies and financial institutions*
  • Successfully represented client before the Securities and Exchange Commission related to banking fraud allegations*
  • Advised global and regional financial institutions based in Kenya, India, Morocco, Egypt, Nepal and Pakistan on best practices in financial crime risk management*
  • Managed internal investigations in Nigeria, Ukraine, Gabon and the DRC, and drafted final report of factual findings and drafted compliance recommendations based on the FCPA and the UK Bribery Act*
  • Designed and conducted trainings for internal stakeholders, and senior management and boards of financial institution and NGO/charity clients*
  • Volunteered at the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha, Tanzania*
  • Partnered with Lawyers Without Borders to conduct trainings on advocacy, negotiation, and communication skills. Participated in training programs at the United Nations DPI/NGO Conference*
  • Observed trial at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on behalf of the UN Committee, New York City Bar Association*
*Experience prior to joining Ropes & Gray

Disclaimer

Ropes & Gray International LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in Delaware, United States of America and is a recognised body regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (with registered number 521000).

Publications

  • Risky Women “Women to Watch” (2021)
  • Legal 500 “Rising Star” for regulatory investigations and advice to corporates (2021)
  • New York Super Lawyers Rising Star, International Law (2014)

Presentations

Publications

  • Quoted, “IBA Miami: Keeping Pace with Technological Advances,” ICLG.com (November 4, 2022)
  • Quoted, “Keeping Up with Crypto Regulations,” IFLR (November 3, 2022)
  • Quoted, “Britain’s Sanctions Agency Considers Authorizing Russian Legal Payments,” MoneyLaundering.com (September 7, 2022)
  • Quoted, “FT Cryptofinance: DeFi is DeFi Until Washington Says it’s Not,” Financial Times (August 26, 2022)
  • Co-author, “Further EU and UK developments in financial crime regulation of cryptoassets,” Westlaw Today (August 17, 2022)
  • Author, “Managing the risks in the supply chain,” Fraud Intelligence (April 8, 2022)
  • Quoted, “Implications of DOJ’s Pursuit of the Crypto-Laundering Couple,” Anti-Corruption Report (March 16, 2022)
  • Quoted, “The 2022 white-collar waiting game,” CDR (January 27, 2022) 
  • Author, “UK joins US in implementing a global anti-corruption sanctions regime,” Lexis PSL (May 6, 2021) 
  • Quoted, “UK sanctions regime carves out uneasy middle ground between US and EU,” Global Investigations Review (April 30, 2021)
  • Quoted, “Ministerial penalty reductions in UK sanctions cases raises eyebrows,” Global Investigations Review (April 3, 2021)
  • Contributor, Oil and Gas Sale and Purchase Agreements: SPAs for International Oil and Gas Acquisitions and Divestitures, Second Edition, Global Law and Business Ltd
  • Contributor, Lissack and Horlick on Bribery and Corruption, Third Edition
  • Acknowledgement, “Risk Management Principles Guide for Sending Humanitarian Funds into Syria and Similar High-Risk Jurisdictions" (May 2020)
  • Editor, “Chapter 1, Alternative Dispute Resolution Law,” Recent Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation, 2014 Edition (Volume 1), ABA Business and Corporate Litigation Committee 
  • Co-author, “Doing business in Africa – new regional institutions bring international arbitration to Sub-Saharan Africa,” New York State Bar Association International Chapter News (August 1, 2013)
  • Co-author, “Don’t ‘Put the Cart Before the Horse’: Supreme Court Rejects Amgen’s Argument that Securities Fraud Plaintiffs Must Prove Materiality of Alleged Misrepresentations at the Class Certification Stage,” AIG – Legal Insights (April 15, 2013)
  • Co-author, “Landmark Class Action Case to Be Heard in Supreme Court,” Law360 (December 13, 2012)
  • Contributor, “Dispute Resolution,” Corporate Counsel’s Guide to Doing Business in China, THOMSON WEST.  3rd Ed. (2012-2013)
  • Co-author, “Another Pro-Arbitration Decision of the Supreme Court,” Law360 (December 7, 2012)

Presentations

  • Speaker, “Who pays for integrity or the lack thereof?” Cambridge International Symposium on Economic Crime (September 2021)
  • Speaker, “Regulatory Roundup and the Future of AML regulation,” Nice Actimize ENGAGE Live (June 9, 2021)
  • Speaker, “Sanctions Compliance Monthly Update,” ACAMS (February 2021)
  • Panelist, “Sanctions Risk Awareness: identifying sanctions exposure in practice,” ICA (January 27, 2021)
  • Speaker, “Sanctions Masterclass: Understanding and Interpreting Ownership and Control,” ACAMS (October 15, 2020)
  • Panelist, “Risk assessments: Customizing a Comprehensive and Effective Sanctions Risk Profile,” C5 Berlin Forum on Global Economic Sanctions (September 15, 2020)
  • Speaker, “Sanctions Compliance Monthly Update,” ACAMS (August 2020)
  • Panelist, “Third Party Management, Supply Chain and Crisis Preparation,” American Conference Institute (June 3, 2020)
  • Panelist, “Risk-Based Approach to Sanctions Compliance” and “Compliance Culture/Financial Inclusion,” The Ninth Annual Forum for “Heads of AML/CFT Compliance Units in Arab Banks and Financial Institutions, Beirut, Lebanon (October 3-4, 2019) 
  • Panelist, “Fraud Prevention, AML Compliance and Due Diligence challenges for FinTechs,” Cross-Border FinTech: Regulation and the Law, Global Legal Group (June 6, 2019)
  • Panelist, “Roundtable on Economic Crime,” Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (May 22, 2019) 
  • Panelist, “Managing Business Disputes in Africa II: Anti-Corruption,” African Law & Business Summit 2018, London, UK (November 8, 2018)
  • Panelist, “Financial Crime and Money Laundering seminar series,” Hansuke (September 12, 2018)
  • Speaker, “Training Techniques for Anti-Bribery and Corruption,” ABC Minds Financial Services, Informa (March 15, 2018)
  • Panelist, “Sanctions and Money Laundering Training for NGOs,” Advocates for International Development (June 6, 2016)
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