-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Notable
-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Notable
-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Notable
-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Notable
-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Notable
-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Tier 5
Notable
-
Notable
Active
-
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
Tier 4
Notable
Founded in 1907, Borel & Barbey employs nearly 60 lawyers and staff. The firm is headquartered in Geneva and provides services to clients both domestically and internationally.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm offers legal services on matters including M&A, banking & finance, real estate and private client services.
Goldblum and Partners is an independent Swiss firm that has a strong focus on corporate transactions.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm advises foreign investment firms on acquisitions in Switzerland, providing due diligence and compliance support under the local law. During the research period it also advised multi-jurisdictional companies restructure their businesses into a holding company in Switzerland.
Founded in 2006, Kasser Schlosser Avocats is a boutique law firm located in Lusanne.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm specialises in intellectual property, commercial and coprorate law, real estate and construction and M&A.
BMG Avocats is a geneva based Swiss law firm. The firm employs 25 lawyers and legal professionals advising on both domestic and international cross border legal matters.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm covers a broad range of legal practices that include bankng & finance, corpoate law and M&A and real estate
Founde din 1996, Barandum is a business law and tax consultancy firm with offices located in Zurich and Zug. The firm eploys 30 professionals.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm is well known for its financial and service regulatory offering as well as having an active presence in M&A.
Founded in 1982, Nobel & Partner is an international commercial law firm headquartered in Zurich. Its team of lawyers is admitted to practice in Switerland and the EU reflecting the firms regional presence.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm offers services including M&A, banking, dispute resolution and intellectural property.
Established in 1885, Kellerhals Carrard is one of Switzerland's largest full service law firms with around 600 staff. 360 legal professionals and 77 partners. The firm has representative offices in Shaghai and Tokyo.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm offers comprehensive legal services across 30 specialist areas some of the key practice areas include corporate and M&A, banking, energy, infrastructure and environment, restructuring and insolvency and financial service regulatory.
Founded in 1993, Transliq is headquartered in Zurich. The firm was established by partners with expertise in insolvency and estate proceedings.
Focus / Specialisms
The firm primarily specialises in debt collection law, bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings and restructuring and estate administration.
Baker McKenzie Switzerland is one of the largest and most established law firms in Switzerland with offices in Geneva and Zurich. The firm has a team of over 130 lawyers that advise domestic and international clients.
Focuses / Specialisms
The firm provides legal services across a range of corporate law matters including banking & finance, M&A, capital markets, and restructuring and insolvency
Located in Zurich, Advestra is a relatively new firm founded in 2020. Founders of the new firm came over from Bär & Karrer. The firm specializes in financial and corporate law.
Highlights
The firm advised Emmi on the CHF 700 million bridge financing for the acquisition of Mademoiselle Desserts Group. The firm’s team was led by financing partner Alexander von Jeinsen and also included Alexander Fische, Elizabeth Lagler and Celine Martin. Emmi is listed on SIX Swiss Exchange and marks the largest acquisition of Emmi’s history.
The firm acted as legal counsel to Galderma in its inaugural bond issuances in 2024 and 2025 following is its successful IPO. The two senior bonds were issued in two tranches valued at CHF 500 million each.
Testimonials 2025
“Always on point, Advestra did everything in a timely manner and advice was outstanding. They've pushed through our position as much as possible and have been very reliable and a great sparring partner” - Bank lending
“Highly professional support, perfect availability and impeccable responsiveness. Superb drafting in every material and formal respect. Very pleasant contacts.” - Bank lending
“Timely delivery of services, strong and positive working attitude, general expertise” - Bank lending
“Quick thinkers who provide tailor made, pragmatic advise. Always available when there is any need, even on very short notice.” - Banking and finance
“The team has demonstrated outstanding knowledge as well as experience in the market. They have been very responsive and also pragmatic.” - Capital markets debt
“Advestra is very pragmatic and outcome-oriented, making them a perfect fit for small and mid-sized transaction where we are mainly active. They provide expert know-how, are always available and quick to respond to complex questions.” - Capital markets equity
“Very professional, lot of knowledge and efficient work” - M&A
Key Clients
Aebi Schmidt, UBS Switzerland AG, SIG Group, Emmi, Viseca
Bär & Karrer is a leading financial and corporate powerhouse on the Swiss market. It has accomplished lawyers across the German, French and Italian speaking parts of Switzerland, with offices in Zurich, Geneva, Lugano, Zug and Basel and St. Moritz. The firm mainly advises on transactions with international aspects, but also works on domestic and cross-border deals.
Highlights
The firm was instrumental in the high-profile acquisition of 100% of Credit Suisse by UBS Bank. This transaction was highly significant on the broader global financial markets and played a critical role in containing the threat of wider damaging financial consequences. The highly sensitive and demanding timeline of the transaction reflects the significant level of expertise the firm has.
In capital markets equity, the firm demonstrates innovative market first engagement assisting as lead counsel for Novartis and Sandoz on the Spin-off of Sandoz.
Testimonials
“Service-minded and easy to work with; more pragmatic than other Swiss law firms I have worked with.” (Financial service regulatory client)
“Bar-Karrer team is always ready to help and they are very approachable. They are key partner of our firm, and we owe a debt of gratitude to them for the excellent service they provide. They are all amazing attorneys who practice nothing but the best client care methods. We are always impressed with the level of quality on the work they produce. My firm is active in a rather quite new field, and we do not have always the easy questions. But we always know that our firm is in very good hands with Bar-Karrer. They definitely deserve to be recognized for the exceptional service they provide.” (Financial service regulatory client)
Key clients
Novartis AG, UBS Group AG, Sandoz Group AG, Lonza Group AG, DSM - Firmenich AG
Burckhardt is a Swiss boutique law firm, founded in 2010, that is active in the financial and corporate space. The firm has an office in both Basel and Zurich.
Highlights
The firm is best known for its work in the banking and M&A practice areas. In banking and finance, the firm mainly advises administrative agents and arrangers in acquisition financing and works on the lender-side in financing transactions.
In M&A the firm often represents buyers and sellers in mostly joint venture project. A recent notable M&A transaction that the firm advised on last year involves the acquisition of the Frama Group companies, involved in the fracking and folders/inserters sector, by Quadient, a French listed company.
Homburger is a leading Swiss firm founded in 1957 that has established itself as a go-to firm on the market for corporate transactional work. Homburger is one of the largest Swiss law firms and has more than 150 professionals. The scale of the firm is bolstered by its leading market impact in financial and corporate practices including banking and finance, capital markets, financial services regulatory and M&A.
Highlights
The firm advised ING Bank and other lender in connection with Axpo Holding's euro 7 billion sustainability linked revolving credit facility (RCF). The deal was conducted under Swiss law and the firm handled all legal matters relating to the loan documents and agreements.
In Capital Markets Debt, the firm advised UBS Group in connection with the issuance of USD 1.8 billion Tier 1 Capital notes with an equity conversion feature. The issuance marks UBS Group's first issuance of additional tier 1 capital notes with this equity conversion feature.
Another major highlight includes the firm's advise as transactional counsel for Galderma and EQT on Galderma's IPO, which valued the company at USD 17 billion. The IPO was the largest in Switzerland since 2017.
Testimonials
“Homburger has assisted us in capital market transactions, answered complex legal questions, and supported us in legal disputes.” - Banking and finance
“Currently Homburger is a peer (i.e. we are also a law firm) but I used to be their client and we mostly engaged them in structured financing transactions” - Banking and finance
“Daniel Haberli, Partner in Homburger's Banink & Finance Team, assisted us with the structuring and documentation of margin loans and structured investment products.” - Banking and finance
“Preparing a syndicated facilities agreement for an acquisition finance transaction.” -Banking and finance
“They support us by drafting the CHF Notes documentation, particularly in the the preparation of the Swiss Prospectus.” - Capital markets debt
“Advice on structuring bond transactions; drafting of relevant transaction documentation (prospectus, transaction agreements).” - Capital markets debt
“Homburger kindly advised on the implications of taking certain actions in relation to proprietary indices to which certain securitised derivatives had been issued under Swiss law to investors based in Switzerland.” - Capital markets derivatives
“Homburger regularly supports us in capital market transactions in Switzerland and the EU. We also occasionally ask them for advice on regulatory issues.” - Capital markets debt
“Supporting various high-yield corporate actions, and transitions, and preparing for the AGM” - Financial services regulatory
“Homburger provided top-tier legal support marked by precision, deep expertise, and commercial awareness. Their team demonstrated a strong command of Swiss legal and regulatory requirements while also showing a clear understanding of the broader transactional context. Their advice was consistently well-reasoned, pragmatic, and delivered in a timely and efficient manner.
What made them stand out was their ability to distil complex issues into clear, actionable guidance that supported decision-making under pressure. They were also excellent collaborators—highly responsive, approachable, and solution-focused, with a genuine commitment to delivering value. Their coordination with international counsel was seamless, and they played a critical role in ensuring the overall success of the transaction.” - Financial services regulatory
“Deep expertise, pragmatic approach, fast and reliable” - Investment funds
“The support is very professional and to the point. The team consists of high-end specialists in their respective field of expertise.” - M&A
“Superior legal skills, strategic ability, depth of expertise, able to compete with the London and NY best of the best.” - M&A
“Extremely responsive, solution focused and professional” - Project development
Andreas Muller
“Has very deep M&A experience, outstanding negotiator and very articulate in explaining complex issue. Fast.”
“Very hard-working and responsive (at all times, at short notice). Very knowledgeable and experienced. Pragmatic, actionable advice and solutions. Very concise and clear communication. Fair billing and no attempts to inflate efforts required on a given matter/project.”
“Always available, unparalleled know how in the Swiss market, good listener, quick to deliver, responsive to feedback.”
Benedikt Maurenbrecher
“High quality advice, open for discussions and seeking to find solutions, great analytics and problem solving, with rapid response time.”
Benjamin Leisinger
“Most efficient lawyer, fast and responsive. Best for capital instruments and bank regulation.”
“Benjamin provides great legal service tailored to the specific needs and shows exceptional commitment. He is always available and never misses any deadlines.”
Daniel Häberli
“High accessibility, pragmatic, fact-oriented solutions, deep specialist knowledge.”
Margrit Marti
“Familiar with our company, responsiveness, proactive approach guiding us as a mid-size company very good along all novelties in cap-market and overall legal topics.”
“Very responsive and skilled in navigating complex issues, in particular Swiss regulatory landscape. Also appreciated her proactive approach in interacting with various legal counsels of other selling shareholders always focused on ours and the company's interests.”
“Identifying and articulating legal/transactional structure risks, assessing them and proposing alternatives with pros and cons, offering a recommendation. She is comprehensive and fast. A pleasure to work with!”
Oriana Alicia Schöni
“She is always there when you need her. She has a very profound knowledge of Swiss corporate law and always listens to and implements her client's wishes, everything within deadlines and with very high quality. She will always let you know when she needs to re-confirm something with the partner but again her answers arrive within reasonable deadlines. It is great working with her.”
Stefan Kramer
“High quality of advice, listening to customer needs, problem solving and hands on proposals.”
“Highly competent and solution driven. Easy to work with.”
“Excellent understanding of our business. Thorough and quick legal analysis. Delivery of highly practical solutions. Effective and pleasant communication.”
Key Clients
Wenger Vieli is a Swiss law firm focused primarily on tax and business law, though it is also active in the financial and corporate advisory space. It has offices in Zurich and Zug.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm is recognised for its work in the banking and finance and M&A, in addition to boasting notable capital markets and project development practices.
In banking and finance, the team advises borrowers and lenders on bilateral loans, debt financing, real estate, project and acquisition financing transactions. The firm also advises startups on financing rounds.
The firm’s capital markets group is active on both equity and debt-side transactions, though it emphasises the representation of equity-side issuers.
In M&A, the firm advises international and domestic bidders, selling shareholders, investors and buyers for acquisitions in a range of sectors, including real estate, renewable energy, private equity and retail.
The project development team represents clients largely in the energy industry on project acquisitions, financings and development-related matters.
Key clients
Among the firm’s key clients are Unigestion,Klingel Medical Metal, Vontobel Holding, Jakob Müller, Kandou,Frontify, Left Lane, Burckhardt Compression, Molten Ventures, NLS Pharmaceutics, Sygnum Bank and Turnqey.
Client feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)
Financial services regulatory
“Prompt response, ability to deliver practical solutions.”
Investment funds
“They are very experienced with Swiss law and regulations and have a very pragmatic approach to handling situations.”
M&A
“Accurate understanding of clients' needs and objectives and effective implementation into the deal structure.
“Highly experienced, broad oversight and command of corporate and M&A matters, very business minded, forthcoming and client-oriented thinking, no budget overruns.”
Private equity
“They were answering quickly, were available, of good advice and business-oriented.
“Knowledgeable, high quality, timely, reliable, responsive, solution oriented.”
Project development
“Wenger & Vieli are highly experienced lawyers, able to present complex legal advice in a client friendly manner and to support company's management in identifying compliant and business-oriented solutions to legal issues.”
Project finance
“Very pragmatic, quick in understanding, responsive.”
Restructuring
“Quick response and good accessibility at partner level. professional negotiation and good preparation for the case.”
Andreas Hünerwadel
“Very experience in project finance, restructuring.”
Martin Peyer
“Very responsive and able to assist on variety of matters in quick, cost efficient and effective manner.”
“Very knowledgeable, client and solution oriented, highly responsive and reachable, very good work quality, good communicator, well managed process, very reliable.”
Beat Speck
“Beat is excellent in what he does – I’ve known and worked with him for the past 17 years. He is attentive, honest, open, and finds great solutions. His passion is very visible, and he has made a lasting effect on our company.”
“Very good knowledge of business relevant topics and solutions.”
“Highly experienced, calm and business-minded; client-centered thinking, quick, analytic, forthcoming.”
“Beat is highly knowledgeable and experienced, always striving to provide high quality advice in a way which is user friendly and business oriented. He always meets deadlines and is very accessible.”
Marc Walter
“Competent, friendly, multilingual, effective, honest and straightforward.”
“He is of good advice and business-oriented.”
Daniel S. Weber
“Daniel developed all the procedures for risk management around regulation, compliance and transactions, and managed the compliance regulation structure related to ethics and anti-bribery.”
Georg Zondler
“Clear and fast communication for urgent problems - and don't forget the cost implications.”
Loyens & Loeff is an international law firm with 11 offices across Europe, Asia and in the US. The Zurich office focuses on finance, corporate, investment and tax advisory work. The Switzerland office is best known for its work in M&A, with notable banking and finance and debt capital market practices as well. The banking and finance practice was established in 2018 and advises lenders in debt restructuring and borrowing lessors in refinancing and green financing transactions.
Highlights
Deal highlights include advising listed company, Forvia, on all Swiss law aspects in connection to the sale of all shares in Hug Engineering AG, Switzerland, to Anglo Belgian Corporation NV and Kompressorenbau Bannewitz GmbH
In the Banking and finance market, the firm advised Kongsberg Automotive ASA and its Swiss subsidiary KA Group AG in connection with the issuance of up to EUR 160 million senior secured Nordic bonds
Testimonials 2025
“Partner-led, responsive and keenly priced.” - Bank lending
“What sets Loyens & Loeff apart is their genuine commitment to finding the right solution. They are highly approachable, responsive, and a real pleasure to work with. The team consistently goes the extra mile and brings not only deep legal expertise, but also creativity to the table — they think outside the box and tailor their advice to the specific complexities of our situation. Their ability to combine technical precision with pragmatic, business-oriented thinking has been extremely valuable throughout our engagement.” - Banking and finance
“Approachable, clear output, efficient, timely” - Financial services regulatory
Key clients
Founded in 1980, Prager Dreifuss is a recognised Swiss law firm active across financial and corporate transactional advisory. The firm, which has offices in Zurich, Bern, Zug and Brussels, advises both domestic and international clients, assisted by their relationships with other law firms globally. The firm has presence in corporate M&A, banking and finance, capital markets, restructuring and insolvency and financial service regulatory work.
Highlights
The firm is best known for its work in restructuring and insolvency, but also has notable banking and finance, capital markets and M&A practices. In banking and finance, the firm represents lending and borrowing clients in senior financing and facility agreements.
In capital markets, the firm advises on initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency mandates.
In M&A, the firm advises sellers and buyers in acquisitions in the media, asset management and energy industries.
In restructuring and insolvency, the firm advises bondholders and indentures trustees in insolvencies and bankruptcies.
Schellenberg Wittmer is a leading Swiss law firm. It has offices in Zurich, Geneva and Singapore and regional desks in Southeast Asia, Brazil and Africa.
Highlights
The firm advised Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories on the acqusition of Haleo plc’s consumer healthcare business for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). The firm advised on all Swiss law aspects of the deal. The transaction was valued at GBP 500 million and also included an upfront cash payment of GBP 458 million and performance based payments.
In capital markets debt, the firm advised BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA in the placement of a CHF 100 million green bond for Equinix in September 2024.
Testimonials 2025
“Available, reachable, assisting in negotiation, pro-active and solution driven when we face deal breaker issues. Provide in timely and ready to use legal documentations” - Bank lending
“As soon as we started working with Tarek Houdrouge, we realised we had made the right decision: he could anticipate the key challenges we would face so that we could manage them proactively, he demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of the legal aspect of our work, but also a good understanding of the cultural specificities of our firm (a privately owned private bank) that helped us manage our project as efficiently as possible. Also, we felt he demonstrated a very strong sense of integrity, as he asked several times whether we preferred him or us to conduct some parts of the administrative work when it was not necessary to have a legal background to achieve the tasks - resulting in very reasonable fees, hence great value for money.
In further projects, he continued demonstrating these qualities (in-depth banking legal knowledge, understanding of private banking specificities, integrity) and was also very helpful in shaping our communication with the regulators in some strategic projects - which showed that he is also used to dealing with regulatory authorities on a regular basis and has a strong business acumen and strategic vision.” - Banking and finance
“Extraordinary know-how on DCM transaction, very focused and detailed, absolutely trustful” - Capital markets debt
“Deep knowledge, immediate reaction, very professional advisors” - Capital markets equity
“They employ a broad range of experts in their individual fields, that work together seamlessly and produce exceptional results fast and at a fair cost. All individuals are top performers in their fields and show a high degree of work ethics. What I also love about the people I worked with is the fact that in addition to knowing the legal ins and outs they also showed a great understanding of the business/commercial side, what led to great solutions and strategies.” - M&A
“The team is very dedicated and provides excellent legal advice while being pragmatic and understanding our needs. Our team very much enjoyed working together with Schellenberg Wittmer and they felt like an extended arm of our team.” - M&A
Jean Jacques Ah Choon
"Jean Jacques is very reactive and business-orientated. He has a right vision and constructive approach in all circumstances. It is a delight to work with him and his team."
Philippe Borens
"Focused on details and highly knowledgeable."
Josef Caleff
"On top of legal developments, straight to the point, very pragmatic. Top tier!"
Olivier Favre
"He is extremely knowledgeable, experienced and solution-orientated. I was very satisfied with the advice provided by him.”
Tarek Houdrouge
"Tarek Houdrouge is always very positive and solution-orientated. He has very good understanding of the banking industry, extremely good legal skills and provides pragmatic legal solutions."
"His key strength is that he demonstrates both a very strong in-depth legal knowledge in each specific banking topic I addressed with him, and very good communication/strategy skills. In the past, most lawyers I have worked with were either good specialists, but then not so good at managing relationships, projects, or deadlines. Or they were rather good 'salesmen', with very strong interpersonal skills and high-level vision, but limited in-depth knowledge when it came to details. In all my interactions with Tarek Houdrouge, he has demonstrated he has both, which I feel is very rare. It makes it extremely efficient and pleasant working with him.”
Pascal Hubli
"Very knowledgeable, highly responsive and pleasant way of collaborating. Very reasonable approaches which are well balanced between dogmatic legal needs and business needs."
Marcel Jakob
"Marcel’s advice is always practical, solution-orientated and tailored to commercial needs."
"Knowledgeable, responsive, reliable, on point with answers, anticipates issues before they arise."
Lorenzo Olgiati
"Extensive corporate law and M&A experience, outstanding responsiveness, pragmatic approach, business mindset, very strong in negotiations, thinking ahead."
"High commitment, always approachable. Clear language, very quick. Extremely practical, field expertise. Relevance focus."
Jérémie Tenot
“Quick understanding. Very pragmatic. Finds solutions. Clear communication.”
Oliver Triebold
"Depth of knowledge and commitment."
"Very approachable. Hands-on and pragmatic."
"One of the best lawyers I ever met, proactive, understands our business and is very pragmatic in his approach, and legally excellent."
Christoph Vonlanthen
"Very commercial and practical, focuses on getting solutions not being the smartest lawyer in the room."
"Business-orientated, pragmatic approach to solving legal issues, diversified legal skills and broad experience.”
Grégoire Wuest
"Excellent sparing partner in business and regulatory issues."
"Highly knowledgeable, experienced and responsive."
Gion Jegher
"Excellent."
Elia Schunck
"Highly experienced in M&A and corporate law matters, extremely responsive, thinking ahead, business-orientated approach."
Grégoire Wuest
"Quick understanding. Very pragmatic. Finds solutions. Clear communication."
The Swiss firm VISCHER draws on the over 160-year legacy of its constituent firms, Gloor & Christ and Pestalozzi Haegi & Partner. Today, the firm boasts three offices in the crucial Swiss markets of Zurich, Basel and Geneva and is active across challenging mandates in the financial and corporate space. The firm has a specialized focus in tax and regulatory matters and commercial corporate transactions in Switzerland and globally.
Highlights
The firm assisted Danstar Ferment AG on the acquisition of all shares in Evola AG from the SIX Exchange listed firm Evola Holding SA. The transaction involves the delisting of Evola Holding SA from Swiss Exchange.
In debt capital markets, the firm advised on the development of the first global depositary receipts (GDRs) listed on the Six Swiss Exchange by Fangda Carbon New Material Co, Ltd, an integrated carbon material producer originated from China. This transaction offers an innovative development into the newly implemented debt instrument that widens market opportunity and expansion for global businesses and financial service institutions.
Key Clients
RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA, Fangda Carbon New Material Co., Ltd., Lallemand, Inc./Danstar Ferment AG, PricewaterhouseCoopers AG (liquidator of, Lehman Brothers in Switzerland), Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited
Wenger Plattner is an established Swiss law firm active in M&A and restructuring transactional work, as well as in advisory roles. The firm counsels on both international and domestic from its four offices in Basel, Berne, Geneva and Zurich Despite the firm being independent, it has a wide ranging international network with law firms.
Highlights
Deal highlights include advising the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) as liquidators of Bank Hottinger & Cie AG since 2015. In 2023, the transaction was successfully executed in relation to the overall settlement for Bank Hottinger.
Wenger Plattner also played an important role advising as Swiss counsel for Novocure Ltd. In connection with the update of its $150 million credit facility the pharma industry.
Testimonials 2025
“They are highly competent, very experienced as administrators, including in larger restructuring cases, well organized, forward-thinking, and possess strong economic understanding. This enables them to be open to legally sound yet pragmatic solutions, and they work in a very solution-oriented manner.” - Insolvency
Key Clients
ING Belgium SA, Novocure Ltd., Jersey, CENTRUM Group. Health Care Royalty Partners, EnBW, Audi AG, Novartis Pharma Ltd., Bank Hottinger & Cie AG, Publicitas AG in bankruptcy liquidation, Swissair Group, The Enzian Shipping / Swiss Chem Tankers Group, Petroplus
id est avocats is a boutique firm in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Focusses / specialisms
The firm has a focus on M&A matters and has expertise in venture capital and private equity especially in the technology sector. The firm also carries out work in corporate finance, joint ventures and M&A.
CMS von Erlach Partners is a leading full-service law firm in Switzerland with more than 110 lawyers and tax experts and a total staff exceeding 160 employees.
Our history dates back to more than 80 years, and our reputation in the market for legal and tax services has been strong and established ever since. We serve our clients from our offices in Switzerland's main business centres, Zurich and Geneva.
Our experts advise Swiss and international companies, including multinationals, financial institutions, start-ups, government agencies, public utilities, entrepreneurs and individuals across all industries and fields of law.
As your business partner, we offer you our local expertise combined with the global reach and capabilities of CMS international, with access to 5,000+ lawyers worldwide in 75+ offices in more than 40 countries.
Bär & Karrer is a renowned Swiss law firm with more than 200 lawyers in Zurich, Geneva, Lugano, Zug, Basel and St. Moritz. Our core business is advising our clients on innovative and complex transactions and representing them in litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings. Our clients range from multinational corporations to private individuals in Switzerland and around the world.
We have offices in the German (Zurich, Zug, Basel and St. Moritz), French (Geneva) and Italian (Lugano) speaking parts of Switzerland. While our Zurich office is our main location, all our offices provide the full range of legal services.
We have an extensive international network of correspondent law firms, which are market leaders in their jurisdictions. Thanks to these close working relationships, we can seamlessly assist our clients on cross-border and international issues.
Bär & Karrer was repeatedly awarded "Switzerland Law Firm of the Year" by the most important international legal ranking agencies in recent years.
Bratschi - a full service law firm advising national and international enterprises, individuals and the public sector - offers one-stop assistance out of six major business centres covering the whole territory of Switzerland.
At Bratschi we set great store on a personal and long-term relationship, where matters are dealt with high partner attention.
The combination of local roots with in-depth business and industry knowledge, together with expertise in cross-border issues and cross-cultural skills is characteristic to Bratschi.
Buis Bürgi AG is an independent Zurich based law firm focusing on banking and finance, corporate and commercial law with a strong international practice. Our lawyers advise corporate and private clients and provide dispute resolution services in these fields in particular. Buis Bürgi AG has been continuously referred to as a «banking and finance litigation boutique» and is usually not conflicted to go against Swiss banks.
As one of the largest Swiss law firms, we advise and represent enterprises and entrepreneurs in all aspects of commercial law – transactions, proceedings and complex cases both in a domestic and a global context.
We offer our clients comprehensive legal advice, support them through negotiations and transactions, represent them before public authorities and in court, and protect their interests in administrative proceedings. Throughout, we place great emphasis on identifying legally sustainable solutions to complex legal issues while never losing sight of our clients’ commercial objectives.
We work closely with leading law firms abroad, which enables us to offer optimal solutions to companies with an interest in Switzerland, wherever their business activities take place.
We are organized around our main areas of practice: arbitration, capital markets, competition, corporate governance, corporate / M&A (including private equity), data protection, financial market regulation, financing, investment products, healthcare / life sciences, intellectual property / technology, litigation, regulatory and tax. In addition, we focus on compliance, crisis management, employment and executive compensation, esg / sustainability, insurance, investigations, private clients, real estate, restructuring and special situations, technology and digital economy and white collar crime.
All of the 43 partners and over 130 lawyers and tax advisors are members of at least one expertise team. Most of our lawyers have additional legal qualifications and have studied or worked abroad. Legal publications and league tables consistently rank Homburger in the top tier of its main areas of practice.
In addition to Switzerland, we focus on established markets in Europe, North America and Asia. This is supported by regional focus groups that foster good relations with selected regional markets.
We are a leading Swiss business law firm with offices in Zurich, Geneva and Singapore. We take care of all our clients' needs – transactions, advisory, disputes around the world.
Expertise & International Reach
- Our headquarters in Zurich and Geneva, covering the whole of Switzerland, provide a comprehensive range of legal services to a worldwide client
base of domestic and international companies and entrepreneurs.
- Our Singapore office provides a gateway to the Asian market, enabling us to assist clients with their inbound and outbound investments in Asia. We also represent clients in connection with international arbitration matters in all major Asian cities.
- As for our regional desks (without onsite presence), they were set up to develop our existing cross-border business initiatives, centralize case-work across these regions, and underpin our commitment to the provision of top-tier, full business law services to clients on a global level.
Niederer Kraft Frey is a leading full service Swiss law firm based in Zurich and Geneva with an international approach. The firm works closely with its clients in Switzerland and internationally, to implement strategic goals, strengthen businesses and navigate change effectively. Niederer Kraft Frey offers integrated advice across the whole spectrum of corporate, finance and business law. The firm has a long track record of dealing effectively with complex challenges by combining legal excellence with commercial focus. Over decades, Niederer Kraft Frey has worked on the most significant and demanding matters in the Swiss market. This is the foundation of the firm’s distinct market knowledge, legal expertise and its capacity for innovative thought.
Main Areas of Practice
Antitrust & Competition:
The team advises companies in cartel and abuse of dominant position investigations and in merger control proceedings, as well as in high-profile transactions, including the setup and growth of their business, cooperation, distribution, sourcing, R&D, market dominance and compliance. Clients include Swiss and international companies from a broad range of sectors and industries.
- Advising companies in major cartel investigations, such as in the LIBOR, FX, leasing and bid rigging investigations
- Swiss counsel to Procter & Gamble advising, among others, on distribution, advertisement, promotions
Banking, Finance & Regulatory:
NKF’s team represents all kinds of financial services providers around the globe, their clients and investors in innovative finance transactions, financial services regulatory and compliance matters, enforcement proceedings and governmental investigations.
- NKF advised the Swiss Confederation on the conclusion of a Loss Protection Agreement (LPA) with UBS Group AG. The loss protection guarantee governed by the LPA is a cornerstone element of the merger between UBS and Credit Suisse.
- The NKF regulatory team advised UBS, the world's largest wealth manager, on legal and regulatory aspects of the retention of inducements paid by product providers i.c. with advised and execution only-transactions carried out for clients and the requirements on the monitoring of the bank's relevant product shelves.
- The NKF finance team acted as counsel on numerous domestic and cross-border credit and notes financings such as the landmark refinancing of Swiss Prime Site’s existing bank mortgages by two parallel unsecured ESG-linked credit facilities agreements with an aggregate value of CHF 2.6 billion or the financing for Bain and Cinven for the acquisition of Lonza’s Specialty Ingredients business and operations for an enterprise value of CHF 4.2 billion consisting of a combination of credit and sustainability-linked notes issuances.
- NKF represented Credit Suisse in FINMA proceedings relating to the “spygate” affair which ended with a decree favourable for the bank in October 2021 and now advises Credit Suisse on the implementation of regulatory improvement measures.
Capital Markets:
NKF regularly advises on the largest and most complex capital market transactions and has been at the forefront of the development of new and innovative capital market products for many years. The team advises banking and insurance clients on the structuring of novel hybrid and other innovative regulatory capital instruments and on the regulatory capital treatment of capital market transactions.
- Swiss counsel in the largest Swiss IPOs every year since 2014
- Counsel to a syndicate of 15 banks, led by Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS as joint global coordinators, in connection with the initial public offering of Galderma Group AG.
- Counsel to Porsche on its international initial public offering and listing on Frankfurt Stock Exchange
- Swiss Counsel to the Global Coordinator, 4 other Joint Lead Managers and 15 Joint Bookrunners in the CHF 4 billion capital raise of Credit Suisse Group
- Counsel as issuer or underwriter counsel on eight of the nine 2022 GDR listings on SIX Swiss Exchange under the China-Switzerland Stock Connect program launched in July 2022
- Landmark CHF 20 billion Credit Suisse Switzerland Covered Bonds Programme
- Represented Arrangers or Originators in all SIX listed Swiss ABS transactions since 2012
Commercial:
NKF’s specialist lawyers cover the entire spectrum of corporate services. The team supports companies in the full range of their operational activities, from procurement and production through to the distribution of products and the provision of services.
Compliance:
NKF advises and represents individuals and multinational companies on all aspects of compliance, in particular anti-money laundering, anti-bribery and corruption, sanction and embargo compliance as well as antitrust compliance matters.
Corporate/M&A:
NKF’s practice covers: general aspects of corporate law, including capital markets laws and regulations applicable to public companies and groups; corporate restructurings and insolvency; preparation and holding of shareholders’ meetings of listed companies; advising senior management and boards of directors and their committees on a wide range of issues, including corporate governance and liability management; corporate housekeeping and compliance; and business succession planning for owner-managed and family businesses.
- Counsel to leading Latin American retailer FEMSA on the acquisition of Valora Holding AG by way of public tender cash offer
- Counsel to Partners Group on the acquisition of a majority stake in leading Swiss watchmaker Breitling from CVC
- Represented Actelion on its USD 30 billion transaction with Johnson & Johnson
- Advised Tokyo-listed NEC Corporation in its acquisition of leading Swiss financial software company Avaloq Group AG
- Аdvised Global Blue Group Holding AG in its USD 2.5bn merger with Far Point Acquisition Corporation and listing on the NYSE
- Advised Broadcom on the USD 18.9 billion cash acquisition of CA Technologies
- Advised Électricité de France (EDF) on the sale of its 25% participation in Alpiq Holding AG
Dispute Resolution:
The NKF team has extensive experience advising on complex and high-value cases, with a significant international element. The team’s extensive experience covers disputes in a wide range of industries from financial, commodities, sports, energy, construction, and pharma disputes to global investigations and risk management and handles all types of proceedings, in particular civil litigation, arbitration, administrative, criminal, and tax/customs proceedings.
Employment:
NKF advises publicly listed and private companies, financial institutions, executive employees and directors on all aspects of employment law from recruitment and contract negotiation to termination, including related fiscal, compensation, pension and social insurance law matters.
ESG:
NKF has broad experience advising clients across many sectors on how to successfully manage ESG risks and availing ESG opportunities. The focus lies on the three key ESG pillars "ESG risk identification, reporting and disclosure", "ESG risk management" and "sustainable and green Finance".
Intellectual Property:
NKF’s IP team has extensive experience in all aspects of intellectual property law including the licensing, sale and securitisation of IP rights, copyright and trademark protection, unfair competition, bribery and the protection of know-how and business secrets.
- Advised Navistar International Corporation on Swiss law aspects of a framework agreement for collaboration with Volkswagen Truck & Bus
- Advising Thomson Reuters, one of the world’s leading sources of intelligent business information
Investigations & Enforcement, White Collar Crime:
NKF’s investigations and enforcement lawyers have broad experience in conducting transnational, multijurisdictional internal regulatory and white collar crime investigations as well as in defending clients in governmental investigations, enforcement proceedings by Swiss and foreign supervisory authorities, and related civil disputes.
- Advising several financial institutions and individuals in relation to Swiss and foreign investigations and enforcement proceedings
Private Clients:
NKF’s expertise in advising wealthy individuals, family businesses and entrepreneurs extends across the firm, with a particular focus on private wealth services, estate planning, corporate, commercial property and tax planning.
- Estate planning, matrimonial property law, divorce law, foundation and philanthropic work
Real Estate:
The real estate team specialises in high value, complex real estate transactions including sale and lease back transactions, hotel and leisure projects and the development of former industrial sites. NKF advises on property acquisition and investment, development, regulatory framework and structures, management, insurance, financing, restructuring, and disposal of all asset classes of real estate.
- Advised Ina Invest Holding AG on the acquisition of 82'600 sqm within the development site Bredella
- Advised Rhystadt AG on the acquisition of 160,000 sqm within the Klybeck site from Novartis
- Advised Swisscanto Invest by Zürcher Kantonalbank Credit Suisse Asset Management AG and Schroders on various real estate transactions
Sports:
The NKF team advises international and national sports associations, leading sports clubs, global players in the sports industry and top athletes on all international and transdisciplinary sports law matters.
Tax:
The NKF tax team has deep expertise in structured finance, securitisation, corporate finance, corporate migration, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, capital markets transactions, investment funds, private equity, real estate, employee benefits and participation, sports, charities, art and global operations.
- Lead counsel to various single family offices of UHNWI
- Advised INA Invest (spin-off from Implenia) on a major real estate acquisition transaction with respect to all tax issues including for the financing of the transaction
- Advised Swiss global private banking group Julius Baer on the bond issuance by its parent company, Julius Baer Group Ltd., of USD 320 million perpetual non-cumulative and unsecured Additional Tier 1 (AT1) securities with no Swiss withholding tax on interest payments
Technology:
NKF advises domestic and international clients across industries on all aspects of technology, IT, outsourcing, telecoms, data privacy and cybersecurity. Years of practical experience, both in the legal field and in relevant business functions with technology providers, enables the team to offer clients commercially pragmatic advice on both domestic and international projects.
- Advising Worldline on a technology driven strategic partnership in which Worldline acquired SIX Payment Services, the payment services division of SIX Swiss Exchange
- Advising Schindler in worldwide outsourcing and IoT projects
- Advising the World Economic Forum (WEF) on data protection matters and GDPR compliance
- Advising Microsoft in negotiations with public institutions in cloud contract matters
Pestalozzi is a Swiss business law firm focusing on high-end work for domestic and international clients since 1911. The firm guides and supports its clients in their strategic business decisions, anticipates their future challenges and helps them solve their critical issues.
Pestalozzi lawyers are strong and empathic personalities, known for their truly independent approach to advising and representing their clients. They are capable of handling complex transactions and are team players within interdisciplinary project groups.
The firm is part of the Lex Mundi international network and can draw on an extensive international network of lawyers in other jurisdictions, with whom they work seamlessly in multi-jurisdictional matters.
Pestalozzi predominantly represents and advises enterprises as well as associations, public institutions, foundations, and private individuals in economic and legal affairs with a connection to Switzerland. About half of the clients are located in Switzerland while the other half is located all over the world and includes top-ranked enterprises, as well as medium-sized and smaller companies from a broad range of sectors.
PRAGER DREIFUSS is one of Switzerland’s leading law firms for business law. We offer outstanding quality and strive for solutions for our clients that are adapted to legal and economic realities. Our attention is equally focused on legal issues as on controlling business risks. With years of experience and in-depth expertise, PRAGER DREIFUSS is ideally positioned to advise and support international and domestic clients in a wide field of legal matters.
As the sixth largest Swiss commercial law firm, MLL Legal advises its clients in all traditional areas of commercial law and is particularly recognized for its first-class industry expertise in technically innovative specialist areas such as fintech, blockchain and artificial intelligence, but also in regulated and innovative industries such as financial services, life sciences, telecommunications, real estate and retail and luxury. MLL Legal employs 250 people, including 150 lawyers, at its four Swiss offices in Zurich, Geneva, Zug and Lausanne, as well as at its international offices in London and Madrid.
MLL Legal's unique, truly integrated, international structure reflects a strong cross-border focus. Its lawyers value and promote continuity and strong client relationships. MLL Legal's teams are tailor-made, assembled from every practice area and across our network of offices.
MLL Legal’s growing banking and finance team has the expertise and specialisation to cover every aspect of legal financial services work, in addition to offering extensive transactional knowledge. Its team members also have in-depth operational experience, invaluable for many clients in a period of rapid and complex regulatory change.
MLL Legal's clients include banks and other financial services providers and institutions. The firm can service them in all legal questions relating to their business, from regulatory issues to banking contracts and complex financing transactions, through to structuring financial products and having them listed on the stock exchange.
Several of the firm's partners serve on the boards of financial institutions, and clients regularly look to MLL Legal for guidance and support on the reorganisation required to keep pace with today’s rapid cycles of regulatory change.
While Lenz & Staehelin is acknowledged by most as Switzerland’s leading law firm, its connections and expertise span the globe. With over 200 lawyers, its ability to innovate and adapt to the ever-changing complexities of legal and regulatory environments in Switzerland and beyond, has attracted many of the world’s top corporations as well as private individuals.
Continuity, stability and a pragmatic understanding of the big picture have all played a significant part in the firm’s development and success - and in its ability to attract the best young talent. Swiss-orientated but globally attuned, Lenz & Staehelin is rightly recognized in Switzerland and abroad as “The world’s Swiss law firm”.
VISCHER is one of the leading independent Swiss business law firms with offices located in Zürich, Basel and Geneva, the three largest and most important economic centers in Switzerland.
The firm's practice covers all areas of business law with particular emphasis on Corporate/M&A, Litigation and Arbitration, Banking and Finance, IP/IT (including Media and Entertainment), Taxation, and Private Clients, all of which are served by specialised practice groups. Additional sector specific groups (ranging from Aviation to Telecom) ensure that client needs are served by attorneys having the relevant industry background. In addition, the Basel office provides full notarial services.
Walder Wyss is one of Switzerland’s leading law firms, specialising in corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, intellectual property and competition law, dispute resolution and tax law. Walder Wyss has established a leading position in specific sectors and product areas. Its national and international networks of correspondents and partners from a broad range of disciplines are selected according to the highest standards of professional competence.
Wenger Vieli advises companies and individual clients on matters of domestic and international law and taxation. Our wealth of experience and expertise in all areas of commercial law allow us to deliver precisely what our clients need.
We are a member of Meritas, one of the largest international associations of independent law firms, and collaborate with WTS Global, a worldwide network of selected tax consultancy firms.
Although our offices in Zurich and Zug are deeply rooted in the heart of Europe, we operate internationally. Whether we are working with companies or individual clients in Switzerland or overseas, our team always speaks the right language.
Wenger Plattner has been advising and representing clients in all areas of business law for over 40 years. With more than 100 employees at three locations: Basel, Zurich, and Bern.
Wenger Plattner is a fully integrated partnership. Your concerns are handled with high quality and efficiency by the expert who has the necessary expertise and experience for the case. We develop easily implementable solution concepts for you and support you in pursuing these concepts with optimal economic results.
With rich expertise in cross-border matters, burckhardt Ltd is a commercial law firm built around a team of highly specialised lawyers with international and multi-jurisdictional experience. We offer a calibrated range of first-class services to private clients and businesses in domestic and cross-border matters, including transactional, tax and dispute resolution advice as well as full notarial services. Our lawyers work together to provide pragmatic and simple solutions to legal and tax issues, no matter how complex.
Founded in 1993, FBT Attorneys-at-Law SA (FBT) is a multidisciplinary law firm based in Geneva and Paris and operating in the financial and commercial sectors as well as in niche activities, with a predominantly cross-border dimension. The firm’s organization comprises specialized and complementary legal teams focused on the following spheres of expertise: Banking & Finance, Tax, Corporate & Commercial, Litigation & Arbitration, Family Estate Law and Labour & Social Insurance. Constant exchanges among these groups translate into continual sharing of up-to-date information in each area.
FBT lawyers and tax advisers have worked in banks, multinational companies, international trust companies, family offices, notary offices and law firms, in Switzerland, France and other countries.
Goldblum and Partners is an independent Swiss law and fiduciary firm established in 2007, with offices in Zurich and Zug.
The firm advises both Swiss and international clients on corporate, financial, and tax matters, providing a full spectrum of legal, regulatory, and accounting services.
Our team focuses on corporate law, M&A, financial market regulation, taxation, accounting, intellectual property, and FINMA/SRO/SECO authorizations.
We act for private clients, entrepreneurs, investment funds, and corporations engaged in cross-border transactions and complex regulatory environments.
Our multilingual team (English, German, French, Italian) ensures seamless service across jurisdictions.
We are Loyens & Loeff, a leading independent, full-service, law and tax firm in Europe that is uniquely on point; We provide deeply pragmatic excellence that gets you further and faster towards achieving your ambitions.
We combine law and tax in teams of experts who understand better what matters most to you, and who are invested in your success. We are on point for the most complex challenges and environments, working together to get things done.
Loyens & Loeff is proud of the unique service they offer multinational enterprises, financial institutions, investors and High Net-Worth Individuals from their home markets of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. With offices in key financial centres and a global partner network, Loyens & Loeff reaches out and supports clients wherever they need.
Advestra was founded in 2020 by passionate lawyers on a shared vision: clients deserve sophisticated advice by dynamic and approachable professionals with a deep commercial understanding.
Advestra is a corporate law firm combining the power of a big law firm with the personal and lean approach of a small firm. The team consists of experienced lawyers with outstanding legal and transactional expertise. Clients in Switzerland and around the world retain Advestra for advice on all matters related to corporate|M&A, capital markets, finance, financial services and tax. For practice areas the firm does not cover itself, it teams up with specialist law firms leading in their field to deliver comprehensive services to the clients.
