Adil Sahban

Adil is an attorney admitted to the New York Bar since 2015. He was admitted to the Paris Bar from 2016 to 2023 (currently inactive).

He is experienced in handling high profile disputes in France, Africa, and the MENA region, and advises individuals, businesses, and sovereigns on criminal law, white-collar crime, and public international law issues. He acted as one of the leading litigators in the Cameroon post-electoral crisis, and contributed to securing the release of numerous political figures including the former President of the International Law Commission and presidential candidate Maurice KAMTO.

Adil is also regarded as a highly effective criminal law and sports law litigator, both when he is instructed as a defender or on the victim’s side.

Amongst the cases that are on public record, he secured the full dismissal of all charges by the prosecution office in the case of the internationally acclaimed track and field trainer Giscard SAMBA. Mr Giscard SAMBA was also cleared of all disciplinary charges by the appellate disciplinary committee of the French Federation of Athletics. Adil also represented before French criminal courts the family of Mrs Julie DOUIB after her assassination by her partner, and was featured in several documentaries on this case, which triggered in France the “Grenelle des Violences Conjugales”, the government policy summit that led to several measures in favour of victims of domestic violence.

Practice areas:

Crime, Economic sanctions, Public international law, Human rights law, Sports law

Notable Cases

Mr. Bruno GARCIA-CRUCIANI v. Prosecution Office

Mr Giscard SAMBA v. Prosecution Office

Mr Giscard SAMBA v. French Federation of Athletics

Mr Maurice KAMTO and the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) v. Republic of Cameroon

TV appearance:

Mr Giscard SAMBA v. Prosecution Office

https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/video/maitre-adil-sahban-avocat-de-giscard-samba-mon-client-sait-qu-il-est-innocent-1055377.html

Mr. Bruno GARCIA-CRUCIANI v. Prosecution Office

https://www.bfmtv.com/police-justice/pour-l-avocat-des-parents-de-julie-douib-il-y-avait-tres-clairement-un-contexte-de-violences-conjugales-anterieur-a-l-assassinat_VN-202106100548.html

News articles:

Mr Giscard SAMBA v. Prosecution Office:

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/harcelement-sexuel/accusations-de-viol-contre-giscard-samba-mon-client-n-a-pas-ete-traite-comme-un-justiciable-comme-les-autres_2790247.html

https://www.lequipe.fr/Athletisme/Actualites/Giscard-samba-denonce-des-accusations-calomnieuses-selon-son-avocat/889612

https://www.lequipe.fr/Athletisme/Actualites/Giscard-samba-suspendu-douze-mois/908189

https://www.20minutes.fr/sport/athletisme/2248747-20180404-violences-sexuelles-athletisme-giscard-samba-denonce-accusations-calomnieuses

https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/accuse-de-viol-l-entraineur-giscard-samba-suspendu-par-la-federation-francaise-d-athletisme-06-06-2018-7756761.php

https://www.lemonde.fr/athletisme/article/2018/10/18/metoo-la-suspension-d-un-entraineur-d-athletisme-accuse-de-violences-sexuelles-annulee_5371178_1616661.html

Mr Maurice KAMTO and the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) v. Republic of Cameroon:

https://www.jeuneafrique.com/745969/societe/cameroun-le-tribunal-rejette-la-demande-de-mise-en-liberte-provisoire-de-maurice-kamto/

Mr. Bruno GARCIA-CRUCIANI v. Prosecution Office

https://www.corsematin.com/articles/le-martyre-de-julie-douib-devant-la-cour-dassises-de-bastia-118224

https://www.msn.com/fr-fr/actualite/france/féminicide-de-julie-douib-laccusé-réserve-ses-excuses-à-ses-enfants/ar-AAL4xM6

https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/feminicide-de-julie-douib-son-ex-compagnon-ecope-de-la-perpetuite-27-01-2023-2506516_23.php

Publications:

Editor in chief of the “Business and Law Review”:

Fifth edition on “(E)nvironment & business law” (may 2008)

Sixth edition on “(I)nternational arbitration: the choice of the appropriate arbitration rules” (september 2008).

Author of “(T)he applicability of international law standards to multilateral economic sanctions”, published in the Hague Yearbook of International Law (2013 edition)”