Best Lawyers in Geneva, Switzerland
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Practice Areas
Michel Abt is the co-head of the Tax Group and a member of the Banking & Finance Group. He advises both natural persons and legal entities such as banks, family offices and trusts, as well as investors and administrators whether in Switzerland or abroad, with a specific emphasis on asset holding structures. Since 2009, Michel Abt has been advising a large number of French clients in their regularization process and has assisted them with their tax optimisation. He thus addresses all tax m...
Diana Akikol represents our clients in complex commercial arbitrations and regularly sits as an arbitrator, often as president. She has been involved in more than 65 arbitrations seated in a number of jurisdictions and involving claims governed by various national laws. Her expertise extends to both institutional arbitrations (e.g. Swiss Rules, ICC, LCIA and DIS Rules) and ad hoc arbitrations (including UNCITRAL proceedings). Diana Akikol acts as counsel or arbitrator in all types of contract...
Adriano Antonietti advises domestic and foreign banking and financial institutions, as well as collective investment schemes and asset managers on a wide range of matters, in particular regulatory issues, private placements, the drafting of banking contracts and certain tax related matters (FATCA, CRS). He also defends banks and their clients in a number of disputes and deals with all aspects of corporate and commercial law. His main fields include financial products and services, including r...
Sevan Antreasyan is a partner specialising in intellectual property, technology and life sciences matters. He assists clients at all stages of the development of commercial transactions in these fields, covering licensing, sale and divestment of IP assets, R&D and collaboration projects, distribution, public-private partnerships, sponsoring agreements and joint ventures. Sevan also acts as counsel to clients in litigation, with a particular focus on trademarks, IP contracts and technology...
Mark Barmes is a senior counsel at our Geneva office, where he is a member of the Litigation and Arbitration and Private Clients groups. Mark contributes actively to the field of wealth planning in Switzerland, particularly in connection with trusts and trust disputes. He also acts for international organisations in employment disputes before the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization. Mark Barmes studied economics and law at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, A...
Laure Baumann is a counsel based at our Geneva office where, as a member of the Employment, Pensions and Immigration group, she specialises in immigration law. Laure advises both individuals and companies in the area of Swiss work and/or residence permit applications, focusing on the transfer or secondment of executives, first employment, internship, studies and family reunification. She also represents clients in contentious immigration law proceedings and advises individuals over their appl...
Frédérique Bensahel is considered as a leading lawyer in the banking and financial sector in Switzerland. As Partner at FBT and head of its Banking and Finance group, Frédérique Bensahel advises Swiss and foreign financial institutions, in particular banks, asset managers, brokers, dealers as well as investment funds and fund managers on all regulatory and contractual issues. Frédérique Bensahel’s practice covers, in particular, fund and structu...
Jean-Luc Bochatay is the cofounder and the chairman of the FBT Attorneys-at-law. He has broad experience in tax, finance and corporate commercial issues regarding Swiss and foreign corporations and their shareholders. He regularly advises individuals and corporate clients on complex domestic and cross-border matters. Jean-Luc Bochatay has extensive experience in handling and coordinating multi-jurisdictional projects. He is considered as a leading expert in Swiss-French regulatory and tax mat...
Sarah Busca Bonvin is a lawyer and tax expert specialised in both corporate and individual tax law. Together with M. Andrio Orler, she is responsible for CMS’ tax department in Geneva, which she joined in 2017. She worked for 15 years in the Geneva tax administration as Director of the tax affairs where she was responsible for tax rulings before being appointed Deputy Director-General in 2010. This experience has given her significant breadth and depth of knowledge and practice in many ...
Jamar E. Brown joins the Dispute Resolution and Private Clients groups in the Geneva office. In the dispute resolution field, Jamar represents international organisations in employment disputes before specialised administrative tribunals, including the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization. He is also a trusted advisor on internal investigations, disciplinary matters, and appeals before internal review bodies. In his private client work, Jamar specialises in regulat...
Partner Olivier Carrard mainly focuses on Sports law, litigation, arbitration, commercial law, construction law, inheritance law and bankruptcy. Graduated from the University of Fribourg (1982), he was admitted at the Geneva Bar in 1985. He worked at the General Direction of SBS (Basel). He founded his own firm in 1990, and joined ZPG as a partner in 2005, which merged with CMS in 2014. Olivier Carrard is now a Partner of CMS Geneva office. Since January 1st 2016, he has been appointed in 98 ...
Eleni Christou is a counsel at our Geneva office, where she is a member of the Banking and Finance, Private Clients and Investigations groups. Previously, she worked for Linklaters LLP in London as a solicitor. She also worked in the General Counsel's Office of major investment banks in London and in Tokyo. There, she specialised in capital markets transactions, including derivatives trades, asset-backed securities, repackagings and various structured products. Alongside her banking and finan...
Rébecca Dorasamy is a partner based in our Geneva office, where she is a member of the Tax group. She is a certified tax expert and holds an LL.M. in International Tax Law from the International Tax Center of Leiden University. Rébecca advises corporations and their employees on all aspects of Swiss and international tax law, including complex restructurings of MNEs, international dispute resolution, as well as employee participation plans. She also advises Swiss and internation...
Partner Pierre Ducret is a partner and co-head of the Private Clients and Sports Law departments of CMS von Erlach Partners. He advises and assists clients in complex litigation, mainly in civil and commercial matters, usually with international ramifications. He is particularly active in the field of inheritance law. He also acts as counsel or arbitrator in international arbitration proceedings. In addition to his dispute resolution practice, Pierre Ducret advises his clients on wealth and e...
As a partner and head of our Banking and Finance group in Geneva, Shelby R. du Pasquier is considered a leading lawyer in banking and financial services in Switzerland. He advises several Swiss and international financial institutions, and Swiss and offshore private equity, hedge fund and fund managers. Shelby is a frequent speaker at professional conferences and has contributed to multiple publications on banking and financial law issues and investment funds. He is also a board member of the...
Jean-Blaise Eckert is a partner based at our Geneva office, where he is co-head of the Tax group and widely regarded as one of Switzerland’s leading lawyers in tax and private client matters. He advises a number of multinational groups of companies, as well as HNWIs. Jean-Blaise is also Secretary General of the IFA and a frequent speaker at professional conferences on tax matters. He was recently ranked among the top tax lawyers in the Chambers and Partners 2022 Global Guide.
Serge Fasel is a Partner with FBT and head of its Litigation and Arbitration group. He has extensive experience both in Swiss and international court litigation and arbitration. His fields of activities cover all forms of commercial disputes, particularly in the financial sector.Serge Fasel is also active in the areas of insolvency law, employment law and economic crime. He has a vast knowledge of the Swiss judicial environment. He is recommended by Legal500 for his expertise in dispute resol...
Dr. Favre-Bulle has 30 years of experience in dispute resolution (arbitration as counsel or arbitrator, ADR, court litigation). He has been involved in some 260 arbitrations ( e.g. sales agreements, agency & distribution, licences, joint ventures, shareholders agreements, post-M&A disputes, etc., in various business industries such as energy, construction, luxury goods, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, banking, aerospace, sports, investment protection, etc.). At Lenz & Staehel...
Partner Pascal Favre is the head of the Corporate/M&A and Competition Practice Groups of CMS Geneva. Pascal regularly advises clients on all types of international and domestic M&A transactions, transaction finance, corporate restructurings, relocations, corporate law and general contract matters. His practice focuses particularly on joint ventures and projects based both in Switzerland and abroad. Pascal also has extensive experience in acquisition finance, corporate lending, crowdfu...
Rodolphe Gautier heads the Dispute Resolution practice of Geneva. He has more than 15 years of experience working in litigation and arbitration. His practice focuses on commercial and banking disputes in Switzerland and international arbitration involving Swiss-connected parties, assets, substantive law or seats of arbitration. He frequently acts for multinationals, domestic companies and individuals before civil and criminal courts and arbitral tribunals. His practice also includes applicati...
Roman Graf is a partner specialising in M&A transactions (including complex national and international deals and private equity) and insolvency. His extensive experience also includes cross-border restructurings. Roman regularly advises companies, managers and creditors on insolvencies and corporate reorganisations, including management liability. Other areas of practice include corporate, commercial and contract law, corporate finance, and corporate governance. He regularly speaks at pro...
Pierre-Alain Guillaume is a tax partner with Walder Wyss. He specializes in Swiss and international taxation. His mission is to reduce our clients’ tax burden to the bare minimum and to prevent any tax risk at their level, while complying fully with applicable tax rules. He handles matters related to direct taxes (individual income tax, wealth tax, corporate income tax, capital tax) as well as to indirect taxes (VAT, withholding tax, gift tax and inheritance tax). He provides the follow...
Ariel Ben Hattar is a partner at our Geneva office, where he is a member of the Capital Markets and FinTech groups. He regularly advises listed companies, investors and market infrastructure operators on transactional and regulatory matters, including capital market transactions, market conduct and disclosure requirements. His expertise extends to innovation in financial technology and the use of distributed ledger technology in financial markets. Ariel is also the secretary of the Executive ...
Hubertus Hillerström is a partner in the Banking & Finance Team. He is specialised in national and international financings and mergers & acquisitions, including structured finance as well as private equity and venture capital transactions. He has accompanied numerous commodities and trade finance operations (oil and gas, metals and soft commodities) and follows closely the legislative changes in this field. Hubertus Hillerström also specialises in real estate transactions a...
Rayan Houdrouge advises and represents Swiss and multinational companies as well as international organizations on all employment law matters. He has an extensive experience in executive transfers, compensation packages, work regulations, internal audits and collective procedures such as business transfers and collective dismissals. Rayan Houdrouge is also an accredited social security expert (Swiss federal certificate) and regularly assists clients in matters related to social security and p...
Partner Daniel Kinzer advises and defends businesses and individuals in regards to contentious matters in the areas of criminal law, economic criminal law, administrative criminal law, contractual and financial litigation, real estate law (public and private), employment law (public service and private law), computer law and data protection. Following his graduation from the University of Oxford (UK) with a MA in Physics and Philosophy, Daniel Kinzer obtained a degree in Swiss law and a Maste...
David Ledermann is a partner and an expert in corporate law, M&A and financing transactions. Much of his work is focused on complex equity financing for privately held companies, convertible debt financing and debt financing backed by traditional and non-traditional assets – such as art collections. David also has broad experience in M&A transactions (share as well as asset deals) across a wide range of industries including private banking, biotech, watchmaking and luxury goods,...
Jérôme Levrat specialises in corporate law, private equity, venture capital, M&A and commercial matters. He regularly advises funds and companies (including in the industrial, distribution, health care and life sciences, finance and energy sectors) in international and national M&A and private equity transactions, and routinely represents investors and start-ups in venture capital investments and financial rounds. Jérôme also has solid experience in regard to...
Counsel Fabien Liégeois advises businesses (groups, banks and SMEs) and individuals on Swiss and international taxation matters.His practice focuses on restructurings (mergers and acquisitions, demergers or transfers of assets), cross-border transactions and setting up businesses in Switzerland. He also assists individuals in their relocation to Switzerland (wealth and inheritance planning), in particular in anticipating the legal and economic consequences of such decisions. He also de...
Christian Lüscher mainly focuses on litigation, banking and commercial law, construction law, landlord-tenant disputes, white collar crime, and international judicial assistance in civil and criminal matters. He was admitted at the Geneva Bar in 1990, and attended law school in the United States graduating as a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Tulane Law School in 1991. He founded his own firm in 1994, and joined ZPG as a partner in 2005, which merged with CMS in 2014. In 2001, he was elected...
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 complia...
Dr. Lucien Masmejan is a partner heading up our Private Clients group in Geneva and Lausanne. He is widely considered one of Switzerland’s leading lawyers in private client matters and chairs the board of L&S Trust Services SA. Lucien's main practice area is private clients and this encompasses tax law and real estate, as well as general contractual and corporate matters. He advises Swiss and international families and privately owned companies, as well as their owners which include...
Dr. Valérie Menoud is a partner and leading practitioner in our Banking and Finance group and co-heads the Investigations practice in Geneva. She specializes in banking, financial services and corporate law. With a focus on serving clients in the banking, insurance and wealth management sectors, she advises on a wide range of issues, including regulatory, compliance, and contractual matters. Valérie regularly assists in proceedings and represents clients before the Swiss Financi...
Dr. Benoît Merkt is our managing partner and a leading expert in competition law. Based at the firm’s Geneva office, he specialises in all areas of competition law, notably in banking and finance, energy, high-tech, infrastructures (electricity), consumer goods, chemicals, luxury goods, motor-car distribution, public broadcasting and retail. Renowned for his first-rate practice, Benoît has been responsible for a large number of merger notifications to the Swiss Competition C...
Cécile Berger Meyer is a partner based at our Geneva office, where she heads up the Real Estate practice group. She advises both private and institutional clients on real estate law, civil matters (purchases, sales, structuring and financing) and administrative law matters (planning, construction licenses, restrictions on acquisitions, public procurements). Cécile is also vice-chair of the SVIT Romandie, a member of various committees of real estate actors / organisations, and h...
Partner Sidonie Morvan has 20-years experience in real estate law with a wealth of expertise in construction law, having expedited developments in both the private (real estate transactions, brokerages, contracts for architects and builders, and leases) and public (planning and construction permits) sectors. Ms Morvan regularly advises developers, architects, real-estate agents, general contractors and property owners on the day-to-day management of their businesses, and can represent them be...
Miguel Oural is a partner in the Litigation group and divides his time between our offices in Geneva and Lausanne. He is an expert on national and international complex litigation, often advising individuals and corporate clients on various criminal law matters, including international mutual legal assistance. Miguel's other areas of practice include internal investigations, tort law, and commercial and contract law. Miguel is the current Chairman of the Geneva Bar (Bâtonnier).
Floran Ponce is a partner based in Geneva, where he is a member of the Tax group and is a certified tax expert. He specialises in all aspects of corporate tax including private equity, fund structuring, public and private M&A, restructurings, complex financings and tax disputes. His experience includes acting for private equity funds, fund managers, multinational companies, banks, management teams and prominent families or family offices. Floran is also a regular speaker on tax-related to...
Fedor Poskriakov is a deputy managing partner in our Banking and Finance practice and is based at our Geneva office. His area of expertise lies in banking, securities, and finance law, with a particular focus on fintech. Fedor regularly provides advice on complex and novel regulatory, contractual, and corporate matters. His comprehensive experience, coupled with his skillful approach, enables him to provide valuable insights and strategic advice to clients. Fedor has also developed a speciali...
Philippe Pulfer is widely recognised as one of Switzerland’s leading private client lawyers and, for nearly 20 years, has been constantly top-ranked by all major professional directories. He is, according to Chamber HNW, ‘the go-to person in Switzerland’ in his area of practice and has been described by Legal 500 as 'one of the most knowledgeable trust and private client practitioners in Switzerland'. He has been included in the Legal Week Private Client Global Elite since t...
Andreas Rötheli is a corporate partner and heads the Corporate and M&A practice group. He is experienced in different industries in a broad range of M&A transactions, including leveraged buy-outs and venture capital financing rounds, as well as real estate transactions. He further advises clients on general corporate matters, including shareholders' meetings and corporate governance matters, both for institutional clients and large families. Andreas Rötheli is consistently r...
Sara Rousselle-Ruffieux is a counsel at our Geneva and Lausanne offices, where she heads the Employment group. She is an accredited labour law expert (SBA-certified) and advises national and multinational companies, and international organisations, on employment, immigration and social security matters. Sara's expertise encompasses both individual employment relationships (contract, company regulation, participation or bonus plan, non-competition clause, termination agreement, secondment, etc...
Fouad Sayegh is a partner in the tax team. His expertise covers most aspects of domestic and international taxation. He regularly advises high net worth families in their relocation, wealth reorganization, asset protection, estate planning and charitable projects, which often includes tax advice in relation to trusts, private foundations and investment vehicles. In the field of corporate tax, his practice includes advising on M&A transactions, corporate reorganizations, double tax treaty ...
Daniel Schafer is a partner and certified tax expert with experience in administrative, contract and commercial law. He practises domestic and international taxation, with a special focus on corporate tax (including M&A, restructuring and relocation, and private equity), Swiss VAT and real estate taxation. Daniel further advises on tax and legal questions in connection with private clients (UHNWIs), as well as on real estate matters (transaction, structuring and acquisition).
Olivier Sigg is a partner in the Private Clients team as well as an experienced employment lawyer. He heads our Geneva office. He is known, both in Geneva and in London, where he worked for one year, as an expert in complex crossborder matters and is regularly instructed by foreign lawyers, in particular from common law jurisdictions. Olivier Sigg’s private client practice includes various estate-planning techniques. In particular, as a TEP expert, he specialises in trusts, foundations,...
Olivier Stahler is a partner who specialises in banking and finance law, acting for a broad range of Swiss and foreign financial institutions. These include banks, fund managers and insurance companies, as well as commodities traders and industrial groups. Olivier gives regulatory advice in the context of the granting of licences for banks, securities houses and asset managers by the Swiss financial market supervisory authority. He is also involved in the structuring of financial products, in...
Daniel Tunik is a partner in our Litigation and Arbitration group based in Geneva, and active in both court litigation and international arbitration. His work covers all forms of commercial disputes, notably in the banking sector. He is also frequently involved in white collar crime matters, employment disputes and insolvency law.
Leonard Vijverberg is a counsel in our Private Client group based in Geneva. His practice includes advising private clients and their families on estate planning, succession, issues of international private law, international investment and corporate structures, as well as contract and commercial law. This often involves dealing with cross-border issues. Leonard also advises trust companies, charities and foundations on regulatory, as well as administration and litigation matters. He is a man...
Marco Villa is a partner with FBT and a member of its Corporate and Banking and Finance groups. He is a leading contract and commercial law expert and specializes in corporate and commercial law. He is a former professor on contract and tort law at the University of Lausanne.He advises individuals and companies of different sizes on domestic as well as cross-border legal issues, namely on banking and finance agreements, mergers and acquisitions, agency and distribution agreements and cooperat...
Patrick W. Vogel is a partner with Walder Wyss. He specializes in corporate law, as well as in banking and finance. He advises domestic and foreign companies on mergers and acquisitions and private equity transactions. With an education in both business and economics (HEC Lausanne) and law, he began his career by working for several years as an associate in the busy corporate finance departments of two pre-eminent US law firms in New York. Patrick Vogel has advised numerous clients on cross-b...
Laurence Vogt Scholler is a counsel specialising in banking and finance law who advises clients from the banking and asset management sectors, as well as Swiss and foreign collective investment schemes, on regulatory, contractual and corporate issues. She has a particular focus on the structure of collective investment schemes and fund managers, as well as their authorisation by the supervisory authorities. Her expertise also includes anti-money laundering regulations.
