Kellerhals Carrard > Lausanne, Switzerland > Firm Profile
Kellerhals Carrard Offices
PLACE SAINT-FRANÇOIS 1
PO BOX 7191
1002 LAUSANNE
Switzerland
Kellerhals Carrard > The Legal 500 Rankings
Switzerland > Employment Tier 1
Kellerhals Carrard provides employment advice to clients both nationally and internationally, with a particular focus on retail, consumer goods, and pharmaceuticals. The team’s specific industry-sector expertise is a notable value-add for clients, with a case in point being practice co-head Urs Marti‘s in-house experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Fellow practice co-head Christoph Zimmerli is a rounded corporate practitioner with a strong focus on labour and employment matters – particularly in relation to the healthcare and life-sciences sectors. Jonathan Bernasconi, Melanie Huber and Sabine Wyss are additional, key contacts for the practice.Practice head(s):
Christoph Zimmerli; Urs Marti
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
CSL Behring / CSL Behring Lengnau
H&M Hennes & Mauritz
International School of Berne
L’Oréal Suisse (L’Oréal Group)
Mayr-Melnhof Karton
Securitas
Staar Surgical Company
Swisscom Directories
VF International (VANS, The North Face, Timberland, Dickies, Altra, Bulwark, Eagle Creek, Eastpak, Icebreaker, Jansport, Kipling and Napapijri)
Zegna Group (Consitex, Coti Service, Ermenegildo Zegna, Z Zegna, Agnona)
Work highlights
- Advised H&M Hennes & Mauritz on the setting up and implementation of a social plan in connection with the restructuring of its stores throughout Switzerland.
- Advised CSL Behring on the implementation of a complex transfer-of-business and outsourcing project.
- Advised Staar Surgical Company on the deployments of various managers to the US, from the US or to other European Union member states and the Middle East.
Switzerland > Fintech Tier 1
Kellerhals Carrard has broad coverage of financial law matters, with expertise across capital markets, investment banking, retail and private banking, and compliance. The department has core emphasis on key fintech areas, including payment systems, credit, and asset management. Team lead Cornelia Stengel, praised for ‘her deep knowledge and expertise in technical as well as financial matters’, has notable expertise in financial services regulation and data protection. Also key are Lars Schlichting, who focuses on blockchain and cryptocurrency, and Luca Bianchi, who acts for digital banks and innovative digital products. Associate Luca Stäuble provides notable support in the design and implementation of digital business models.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team under the leadership of Cornelia Stengel is reachable and reverts back with a first assessment in short time. Their broad knowledge in banking and financial services paired with deep technical knowledge makes working with the team interesting and efficient.’
‘Cornelia Stengel clearly stands out given her deep knowledge and expertise in technical as well as financial matters. She is a fast thinker and her work is always of high value and quality.’
Key clients
Swiss FinTech Innovations
trustwise.io
Block Green AG
Eidoo
Santiment Gmbh
TWINT AG
MNC SA
Qui CH AG|Quid Global ltd
Ephelia Group SA
Undo Studio SA
Switzerland > Healthcare and life sciences Tier 1
Kellerhals Carrard’s is a leading law firm for startups, fielding attorneys which have previously held positions in pharma and healthcare companies, government agencies and healthcare institutions. The firm has created the first Sustainability & ESG (environmental, social and governance) desk in Switzerland, leading to an interdisciplinary approach and collaboration of specialists from various fields. Thomas Eichenberger heads the life sciences team which is said to have a ‘very thorough and long-lasting understanding of the Swiss healthcare law’. Claudia Götz Staehelin and Oliver M. Brupbacher left to Bär & Karrer Ltd. in April 2023.Practice head(s):
Thomas Eichenberger
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team has a very thorough and long lasting understanding of the Swiss healthcare law and provide great support around e.g. regulatory, reimbursement or product liability questions. They have a great understanding of the Swiss healthcare market and provide their support in an expeditious manner.’
‘Thomas Eichenberger has a deep understanding of the Swiss healthcare field, knows the relevant stakeholders and provides thorough legal support in a expeditious and excellent manner. He also understands the needs of his clients and the mechanism of the market very well.’
‘Strong knowledge and understanding of the life sciences sector.’
‘Excellent knowledge of Swiss and EU commercial and contract law, and deep experience with the pharmaceuticals sector.’
‘Kellerhals Carrard is very professional, hands-on and efficient. They provide answers in time and are not as risk averse as other law firms. They work in very diverse teams.’
‘Strong knowledge and understanding of the life sciences sector.’
Key clients
Actelion Pharmaceuticals a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson
Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A.
Gebro Pharma AG
Gilead Sciences Switzerland Sàrl
Interpharma
Moderna Inc./Moderna Switzerland GmbH
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG
Swiss Medtech
University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB)
Vifor Pharma AG
Ypsomed Holding AG
Work highlights
- Advises Moderna on numerous legal matters in connection with its business in Switzerland and ex-US, including legal and regulatory advice related to the establishment of its supply chain for its COVID-19 Vaccine.
- Advises Gilead with respect to the reimbursement of CAR T cell therapies as well as confidential pricing matter.
- Acted as Swiss legal advisor to MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company elevating care with innovative immunology therapeutics, whose shares are listed on Nasdaq as of April 2022.
Switzerland > Leading firms: Italian-speaking Switzerland Tier 1
Ivan Paparelli heads Kellerhals Carrard’s Lugano office, as well as the dispute resolution team. The practice is active in several areas, including public law, tax, arbitration, and M&A, among others. Other notable names include Giovanni Stucchi, who has extensive experience within tax and commercial law, and Massimiliano Maestretti, who has a particular focus on sports law and M&A. Lars Schlichting, Andrea Fioravanti, Stefano Perucchi, and Jonathan Bernasconi are other key contacts.Practice head(s):
Ivan Paparelli
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
AiliA
Alej Holding AG
Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Ost-Süd, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Mitte, Cautionnement Romand, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft SAFFA
Ehpelia Group SA|Ephelia Capital Sagl
Euroleague Basketball
Fondo Edifici di Culto
GSA Gestion Sportive Automobiles, Geneva
Kemaba Group, Luxembourg
Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli
Municipality of Lugano
Parmalat Group
Qui CH AG|Quid Global Ltd
TAS Group SpA
Undo Studio SA
Zegna Group
Switzerland > Public law Tier 1
Clients praise the public law team at Kellerhals Carrard for its ‘pragmatism’, ‘high level of professional competence‘, and ‘very efficient‘ work. Leveraging multiple offices throughout Switzerland, the practice is headed up by Christoph Jäger in Bern, Isabelle Romy in Zurich, Ivan Paparelli in Lugano, and Bernd Hauck in Basel. The team advises public authorities and bodies, private companies, and private individuals on all economy-related public law matters nationally and internationally. The firm’s extensive experience in energy and environmental law is particularly highlighted.
Practice head(s):
Christoph Jäger; Isabelle Romy; Ivan Paparelli; Bernd Hauck
Other key lawyers:
Thomas Geiger
Testimonials
‘Christoph Jäger was recommended by industry specialists. Thanks to his competence, our ambitious goals can be achieved in the required time. Working with him remains a key success factor in managing our complex business. He differs from his competitors through his distinctive professional competence, his ingenuity and his ability to engage in dialogue.’
‘A high level of professional competence paired with pragmatism and communication/advice tailored to the addressee. KC is able to prepare complex issues in a graphically appealing and understandable way.’
‘Christoph Jäger possesses exceptional specialist legal knowledge (especially in spatial planning and construction law) and uses this to assess very complex situations in a customer-oriented manner. He is also very competent in dealing with other lawyers. In addition, he has an exceptional commitment to the client and the case and is available to the client almost any time and at very short notice.’
‘Kellerhals Carrard has a large number of excellent lawyers in various fields of expertise. We have a partner in the law firm as our contact person who, depending on the legal question, advises us himself or puts us in touch with the appropriate specialist in the law firm very quickly and without complications. Everything is very efficient and competent.’
‘Thomas Geiger is a unique associate. He works efficiently and comprehensively and he has gone above and beyond at every step.’
‘Very strong practice in broad areas of environmental and energy law. Strong teams in various locations in Switzerland. There are able to build up a team of experts quickly and adapted to the needs of the client and the requirements of the case.’
‘Isabelle Romy. We have been working with her over the last 20 years on various complex issues of environmental law and complex issues of zoning, planning and public construction law. She is providing outstanding legal advice combined with pragmatic and solution oriented opinion.’
‘Isabelle Romy is the expert in Switzerland when it comes to soil, air and or water pollution. She has an excellent network at federal, cantonal and municipal level and is extremely well informed.’
Key clients
Vigier Group
Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation
Post CH AG
AVAG AG
BKW Energie AG
eOperations Schweiz AG
Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (BBL)
Conference of Cantonal Directors of Building, Planning and Environment (BPUK)
Strabag AG
Office for Land and Buildings of the Canton of Bern
Grande Cariçaie / ARSUD
Ville de Lausanne
Migros-Genossenschafts-Bund
Immobilienpartner AG
Konferenz Kantonaler Energiedirektoren (EnDK)
Work highlights
- Advised Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (BBL), the Conference of Cantonal Directors of Building, Planning and Environment (BPUK), the Swiss Association of Cities (SSV) and the Swiss Municipal Association (SGV) on the drafting of Switzerland-wide uniform guidelines on procurement procedures under the new/revised federal and cantonal public procurement law (project TRIAS).
- Advised Migros on the drafting of its model agreements for the procurement of food waste management services for its industrial companies.
- Represented Swiss Post in the building permit procedure for the construction of a new regional parcel distribution centre (RPZ) as part of the “New Operations Centre” (NOC) on the site of the former Utzenstorf paper mill.
Switzerland > Sports law Tier 1
Kellerhals Carrard has a strong practice covering all areas of sports law, including disputes and commercial matters. The practice has vast experience in the resolution of sport litigation and is active before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, particularly in relation to football and doping-related disputes. It advises a wide spectrum of high-profile clients, such as the IOC, on commercial programs, as well as regulatory and governance issues. Jean-Pierre Morand possesses a particular expertise in anti-doping matters, as well as in the field of sports marketing and hosting contracts. David Casserly‘s strengths involve disputes and transactional work.Practice head(s):
David Casserly; Jean-Pierre Morand; Massimiliano Maestretti; Marco Balmelli
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Jean-Pierre Morand is an exceptional lawyer. He is honest and practical and always able to represent his clients in the best possible light.’
‘World-leading sports law practice with deep insight into the CAS in particular.’
‘David Casserly – world-leading partner and advocate in the sports sector who adds significant strategic value to any matter he is instructed on.’
Key clients
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
World Athletics (WA)
FIBA / Basketball Champions League SA
International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)
International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)
International Powerlifting Federation (IPF)
Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF)
Football Association of Ireland (FAI)
World Air Sports Federation (FAI)
World Rugby
International Biathlon Union (IBU)
World Dance Sport Federation
World Games
Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF formerly SportAccord)
International Cheer Union
International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA)
Paris Saint-Germain Football SASP, French football club
FC Nantes, French FA Cup Champions
FC Porto, Portuguese football club
Grasshopper Football Club, Swiss football club
Manchester City Football Club, English football club
36th America’s Cup Arbitration Panel (member thereof)
Ducati Motor Holding SpA, motorcycle-manufacturing division of Italian company Ducati.
Leopard Racing Team Audi, FIA World Touring Car team
Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, FIA World Touring Car team
Euroleague Basketball
European Bridge League
World Bridge Federation
European Club Association (ECA)
Work highlights
- Takes care of all regulatory and sports law matters regarding the Ferrari Formula One team and the Ferrari GT Racing Activities as well as of the drafting and negotiations of all commercial and sporting agreements related thereto.
- Represented WADA in dozens of anti-doping proceedings before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, including before the CAS Ad-Hoc division during the Olympic Games, against decisions rendered by national and international-level bodies.
- Advised the European Club Association on the creation of a new joint venture with UEFA for the exploitation of all commercial rights relating to European club football competitions (UEFA Champions League etc.) from 2024 onwards.
Switzerland > Banking and finance: Zurich Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard‘s sizeable banking and finance practice group has expertise across a broad spread of areas, including retail and private banking issues, financial products, and asset management work. Lead partner Cornelia Stengel focuses on financial services regulations, and is a notable thought leader in fintech related matters. Dominik Oberholzer is highly active in the asset management industry, and Luca Bianchi specialises in complex debt capital market transactions and financial products. Isabelle Romy is the key name for litigation.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team under the leadership of Cornelia Stengel is reachable and reverts back with a first assessment in a short time. Their broad knowledge in banking and financial services paired with deep technical knowledge makes working with the team interesting and efficient.’
‘Cornelia Stengel clearly stands out given her deep knowledge and expertise in technical as well as financial matters. She is a fast thinker and her work always of high value and quality.’
Key clients
UBS AG
Swiss FinTech Innovations
One Swiss Bank
Franklin Templeton Group
DWS
Man Group plc
TWINT AG
Macquarie Group
Vaudoise Assurances Holding SA
Ypsomed Holding AG
Credit Suisse AG
Work highlights
- Assisting Man Group plc with the set-up of up to 10 new Irish/Luxembourg sub-funds and registration with Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA.
- Advising UBS AG with regard to all aspects of Swiss law for the set-up, registration with the Swiss regulator and listing at SIX Swiss Exchange of listed and non-listed funds (in total approx. 150 funds).
Switzerland > Capital markets Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard‘s large capital markets team delivers ‘professional, hands-on and efficient’ advice across a range of matters, with expertise in listed financial products and mid-cap capital market transactions. The department has key strength in the fintech sector, and handles token offerings, token marketplaces, and token exchanges. Co-leading the group are Beat Brechbühl and Dominik Oberholzer, with Brechbühl handing transactions while Oberholzer covers financial products. Jean-Luc Chenaux advises on IPOs, and Luca Bianchi specialises in complex debt transactions.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘In the capital markets area, KC has profound specialists that provide added value to their clients. KC is determined to develop new collaboration models, always putting the client at the centre and becoming a more diverse organisation.’
‘In comparison to other large law firms, with which we also work regularly, it became apparent that KC always consulted the original problem and envisaged solutions in their advice and did not open up secondary topics. Luca Bianchi is characterised by a very high level of commitment and is always available.’
‘The team has highly specialised members in all fields with great client focus, superb collaboration, and a highly personalised and professional service level.’
‘Beat Brechtbühl was our lead partner and coordinator at KC. His professional skills in legal, IPO and all associated fields are truly superb and most valuable in such transactional situations!’
‘Kellerhals Carrard is very professional, hands-on and efficient. They provide answers in time and are not as risk averse as other law firms. Innovation wise, they were first movers in the start-up desk, embedded lawyer concept, and work in very diverse teams.’
‘Beat Brechbühl: smart, quick, creative, and good sense of humour. Jean-Luc Chenaux: very experienced, very professional and efficient.’
Key clients
BKW AG
Bank Vontobel
BV Holding/Skan
BCV Banque Cantonale du Valais
Deutsche Bank
Edisun Power Europe AG
Franklin Templeton
Galenica
Kursaal Bern AG
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics AG
Macquarie
RealUnit Schweiz AG
STILLE AB
Sygnum Bank
UBS AG
Ypsomed
Work highlights
- Advised Ypsomed and Zürcher Kantonalbank on the listing of new registered shares and capital increase of Ypsomed Holding AG.
- Advised on the issuance of public first rate bonds, senior unsecured debt by BKW.
- Advised Kursaal Bern AG on its successful launch of the first initial public offering on the BX since the outbreak of the pandemic.
Switzerland > Data privacy and data protection Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard‘s data privacy team acts for clients from a range of industries, including banking, fintech, biotech and healthcare, in contentious and non-contentious cases. With offices in the French, Italian, and German parts of Switzerland, the team is well placed to provide advice in all three official languages. The team is jointly headed by Nicolas Mosimann, Daniel Alder, Ralph Gramigna, Christophe Rapin, and Stefano Perucchi.Practice head(s):
Key clients
Moderna Switzerland GmbH
Swiss FinTech Innovations (SFTI)
Vilebrequin International SA
University Children’s Hospital Basel
Eidoo SA
Undo Studio SA
Work highlights
- Advising Swiss Fintech Innovations (SFTI), a Swiss association of major financial institutes, on digitisation of processes (e.g. onboarding process, open banking, outsourcing, data protection), blockchain/DLT projects, data protection issues in different projects (e.g. cloud services, outsourcing, open finance-projects) and supporting the “working group regulations” on drafting statements to the authorities regarding new fintech and data protection regulation.
- Advising Moderna on its global data privacy strategy, processes, and systems.
- Advising Vilebrequin International SA on the set-up of the GDPR compliance programme worldwide for the mother companies and all their subsidiaries, including day-to-day advice in terms of collection and processing of data, marketing campaigns, and dealing with requests from customers and other data subjects.
Switzerland > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard‘s team brings ‘professionalism and integrity‘ to the full range of insolvency and corporate reorganisation matters, with a client list which includes financial institutions, debtors, and the acquirers of distressed businesses/assets. Daniel Staehelin, who has more than twenty-five years’ experience in the practice area, co-leads the department with litigator Lukas Bopp. Jean-Luc Chenaux, a professor of business and corporate law at the Lausanne University, acts as liquidator, while Emanuel Dettwiler focuses on distressed M&A transactions and restructurings.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is able to provide us all the necessary expertise with professionalism and integrity.’
Key clients
Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Ost-Süd
Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Mitte
Cautionnement Romand
Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft SAFFA
iQ International AG
Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA
Banque Privée Espirito Santo
Peter Lang Group AG
Alitalia – Società Aerea Italiana S.p.a.
Parmalat Group
Tally Weijl Holding AG
RJC Leisure AG
Work highlights
- Acting as Commissioner in the reorganization of public listed IQ International AG.
- Retained by the four government-accredited loan guarantee organisations to uncover possible credit abuses, persecute possible fraudsters and recover the unlawfully obtained loans under the COVID 19 regime for the next 7 years.
Switzerland > Insurance Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard primarily handles domestic and international litigation and arbitration proceedings. Particular focuses include private insurance contracts law and reinsurance law, including property damage matters and professional indemnity cases. The firm often represents major players in the Swiss insurance market in litigious cases as defence or coverage counsel, with particular experience in negotiating with the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority where it assists clients with a range of corporate and regulatory matters. Pascal Grolimund is an experienced litigator. Christoph Frey advises on torts and third-party liability disputes as well as IP cases. Thomas Eichenberger, Nicolas Gillard and Ivan Paparelli are the other practice heads.Practice head(s):
Christoph Frey; Pascal Grolimund; Thomas Eichenberger; Nicolas Gillard; Ivan Paparelli
Other key lawyers:
Claudio Helmle; Laura Manz, Karin Friedli, Matthias Spinner
Key clients
KPT Versicherungen AG
Visana Services AG
Baloise Insurance Ltd
Chubb Insurance (Switzerland) Limited
AXA Insurance Ltd
AIG Europe S.A., Luxembourg; Branch Opfikon; Zürich Glattbrugg
Swiss Re International SE, Luxembourg, Zurich Branch,
Swiss Mobiliar Insurance Company Ltd
Catlin Europe SE, Cologne, Zurich Branch
Allianz Suisse Insurance Company Ltd
Helvetia Swiss Insurance Company Limited
Work highlights
- Litigating a 100 million dollar case in a coverage dispute against Zurich Insurance Company Ltd.
- Representing 3 former board members in a multibillion-dollar D&O litigation.
- Representing a major insurance company in an arbitration proceeding under Swiss Rules regarding a coverage dispute of a liability insurance. Amount in dispute is approximately $50m.
Switzerland > Leading firms: German-speaking Switzerland Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard handles employment, competition, construction, dispute resolution, capital markets, and life sciences, among others.Other key lawyers:
Dominik Oberholzer; Christoph Jäger; Daniel Emch; Thomas Eichenberger; Cornelia Stengel; Pascal Grolimund; Olivier Mosimann; Fabrizio Gabrielli; Lukas Bopp; Ines Pöschel; Marco Balmelli; Nicolas Mosimann; Daniel Staehelin; Isabelle Romy
Switzerland > Real estate and construction Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard provides expertise in connection with construction and public procurement law, and has a particular focus on clients from the real estate consulting industry including architects and engineers. The firm has extensive experience of sustainable real estate projects and all aspects of digitalisation in the construction sector. Team head Bernd Hauck regularly advises foreign construction clients and has a particular expertise in litigating Swiss court cases that are governed by German law. Jean-Rodolphe Fiechter has over 15 years of experience in cross-border real estate dispute resolution. The practice is strengthened by Isabelle Romy, a leading expert in environmental and construction law with vast experience in litigation and arbitration.Practice head(s):
Bernd Hauck
Other key lawyers:
Jean-Rodolphe Fiechter; Isabelle Romy; Fabrizio Gabrielli
Testimonials
‘We work with Fabrizio Gabrielli’s team on a regular basis, and we are very happy with their pragmatic and informal support. We always get perfect legal and strategic support within the shortest delays.’
‘Fabrizio Gabrielli has a wide knowledge of all aspects regarding construction and the development of projects. We are happy to have him as our main support, also when it comes to defining a strategy in a case.’
‘I think this is a strong, proactive, practice with an interesting international outlook. I get to recommend Swiss lawyers once in a blue moon, but I would have no real concerns at all about sending my clients to them. All of my experiences with them have been good.’
‘I work at a big German law firm, and we need to have international partners who are at the same level. Kellerhals Carrard and its real estate team is one of those partners. The construction and real estate team covers the entire country, all languages (French, German, Italian and English, of course) and all sort of services, including notarial services The team (headed by Bernd Hauck) comprises more than 30 lawyers (partners and associates) – great resources for complex projects!’
‘Bernd Hauck is the go-to-guy for construction matters in Switzerland. Bernd’s out of the box thinking is phenomenal. Great approach and availability. I would not go elsewhere.’
‘The Kellerhals Carrad real estate and construction team is unique (as far as I can see) in the Swiss market as they have a very international outlook as to how they deliver services and advice in this sector.’
‘I have dealt principally with Bernd Hauck and Jean-Rodolphe Fiechter. They are both excellent. They are organised and responsive. Bernd in particular provides very focused and clear advice on complex issues. I know Jean-Rodolphe to be an expert on legal issues related to BIM which is a complicated area.’
‘The Kellerhals Carrad real estate and construction team is unique in the Swiss market as they have a very international outlook as to how they deliver services and advice in this sector.
Key clients
Bricks Group AG
CSL Behring
EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg
Grand Cariçaie / ARSUD
Immobilienpartner
Implenia
Itten+Brechbühl AG
Public Transport Canton on Baselland (BLT Baselland Transport AG)
STS Group / STS Group Switzerland AG
Swiss Association of Consulting Engineers / usic-Stiftung
UBS Fund Management / UBS „Sima“
University of Basel
Ville de Lausanne (city of Lausanne)
Work highlights
Switzerland > Regulatory, compliance and investigations Tier 2
Kellerhals Carrard fields a rapidly growing team of specialists in investigations, white collar crime and compliance. The investigation team is experienced in cross-border investigations, crisis management and all commercial matters as well as in handling cybersecurity investigations and matters related to public affairs. This is complimented by the strength of the white-collar crime and compliance teams which are led by white collar crime expert, Florian Baumann, and compliance specialist, Daniel Lengauer. The team is strengthened by the addition of Roman Huber who has particular knowledge of the banking sector. In April 2023, Claudia Götz Staehelin and Oliver M. Brupbacher departed to Bär & Karrer Ltd.Practice head(s):
Florian Baumann; Daniel Lengauer
Testimonials
‘Strong proactive team that is well organized and result driven while being objective and independent in their investigation.’
‘Kellerhals Carrard has been exceptional at providing clear, concrete and practical advice. The advice is clear in the sense that the communication is not lost in the generalities of applicable laws and what ifs; rather, it tends to be to the point on issues that are actually at stake. It is concrete in that there is a clear actionable plan. And it is practical, in that it properly takes into account actual risks, litigation costs, focusing on actions that will move the ball rather than a more encompassing and comprehensive approach where it may not be needed.’
‘The individuals are great at educating (not lecturing), with an eye toward the experience and day-to-day operations of an in-house counsel and the business. They are also genuinely vested in the relationship and seek to form a productive relationship not simply with the overall legal operation of the company with individual in-house attorneys as well.’
‘Kellerhals Carrard offers a wide range of highly qualified attorneys including former inhouse counsel which allows the team to bring together the subject-matter expertise with the specific business need. Further, the team is regularly organizing events and publishing articles on relevant legal topics and developments.’
‘Pascal Grolimund stands out as a litigator as he is capable of combining strategic thinking and deep subject matter expertise with a pragmatic approach.’
‘Strong understanding and knowledge of internal investigations.’
Key clients
Brazilian Financier
Credit Suisse AG
Government-accredited loan guarantee organisations:|Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Ost-Süd, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Mitte, Cautionnement Romand, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft SAFFA
Moderna Switzerland GmbH|Moderna, Inc.
Portuguese Entrepreneur
Parmalat Group
Swiss Bank
Swiss Banker
Work highlights
- Represented Moderna as it was heard as a third party in the inspection of the Control Committee of the National Council (CC-N) that was launched in May 2020 regarding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Federal Authorities.
- Represented the four government-accredited loan guarantee organisations to uncover possible Covid credit abuses, persecute possible fraudsters and recover the unlawfully obtained loans.
- Advising and represented Credit Suisse AG for many years in a criminal investigation led against several individuals for alleged money laundering and against the bank itself for alleged organizational deficiencies in the bank’s AML prevention system.
Switzerland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 3
‘Quick, professional and pragmatic’ firm Kellerhals Carrard has particular strength in the life sciences, industry, and technology sectors. The department is increasingly active in matters relating to venture capital, and general corporate advice such as lobbying and communications. Beat Brechbühl acts as head of the group, which includes Reto Schumacher, Edgar Philippin, Ines Poeschel, Emanuel Dettwiler, Massimiliano Maestretti and Clarence Peter.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Fast turnaround, always on top of markets insights.’
‘Ines Pöschel is an indispensable contributor to our company. As a board member of many companies, she also brings the practical point of view.’
‘KC is quick, professional and pragmatic. Compared to others, I always get the answers to the point, in time and with no disclaimer mentality. KC is highly innovative: diverse and interdisciplinary teams, “lawyers in residence” concepts in co-working spaces, use of AI technology for high data volumes and value based billing offers.’
‘Beat Brechbühl: He is a clear leader, not only in the firm but also for the clients; very responsive, very business oriented and strategic; good sense of humour Ines Pöschel: Very quick and smart, thorough but pragmatic, highly efficient and very nice and good advice.’
‘Kellerhals Carrard is very professional, hands-on and efficient. They provide answers in time and are not as risk averse as other law firms. They work in very diverse teams. Billings are competitive.’
‘Beat Brechbühl: smart, quick, creative, and good sense of humour Ines Pöschel: Thorough, top on say on pay and other governance matters, efficient, nice to work with.’
Key clients
AccorInvest
Ameliora Wealth Management
Autonet Group Holding AG
BKW Group
FISCHER Spindle Group
Four Government-accredited loan guarantee organisations
Kontivia AG
MoonLake Immunothereapeutics AG
ONE swiss bank S.A.
Scholle IPN
STILLE AB
Vance Street Capital LLC
Ypsomed Holding AG
Zegna Group
Work highlights
- Advised AccorInvest on Swiss legal aspects of its financial restructuring.
- Advised Autonet Group Holding (AGH, an integral part of the SAG group) on its purchase of Augsburg International in a series of closings.
- Advised BKW on its acquisition of the UMB Group, one of the leading independent full-service IT providers in the Swiss market.
Switzerland > Competition Tier 3
Kellerhals Carrard represents clients in all major industries including media, energy, telecommunications, transport, and banking. It particularly focuses on representing clients in investigations before the Swiss competition commission where it has seen record success. The team is headed by Christophe Rapin and Daniel Emch.Practice head(s):
Daniel Emch; Christophe Rapin
Testimonials
‘Our main contact is Christophe Rapin. We just handled a major cross-border case together, with the assistance of French counsel, and this with great success.’
‘Christophe Rapin is a great communicator and a good strategist. He has good insight into competition law and is able to present matters understandably to clients.’
‘I have worked with Christophe Rapin on a number of competition law matters, and he is my go-to-lawyer in Switzerland. He is well connected, knowledgeable and pragmatic and is surrounded by a good team.’
‘Christophe Rapin is a highly skilled and clever and knowledgeable competition lawyer.’
‘A profound knowledge of the legal field, a quick understanding of the commercial situation of the client and speedy legal advice which is provided to the point and without further ado.’
‘Dr. Daniel Euch is a profound expert on the field of competition law. He provides timely and thorough legal assessments which are to the point and without further ado.’
‘The team of Kellerhals Carrard (KC) advises multinational clients in antitrust matters and represents them before the competition authority and the courts in the major proceedings. Kellerhals Carrard has very strong antitrust lawyers in Berne where the authority has its seat as well as in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich. KC antitrust is very much experienced in abuse of dominance cases.’
‘I can highly recommend Daniel Emch who is leading the practice group. He has nearly 20 years of practice experience and has successfully handled numerous mergers, antitrust and market power abuse cases. He knows the representatives of the authorities and the courts, and he is an outstanding strategist. He also has exceptional knowledge in the field of competition economics.
Key clients
Roche
Swiss Football League
PostFinance Ltd.
Galenica Ltd. / Galexis Ltd.
International Volleyball Federation (FIVB)
Novartis
World Anti-Doping Agency
La Vaudoise (Insurance Company)
Vilebrequin International SA
Spie
Sonia Rykiel International SA
Work highlights
- Represented Galexis and HCI Solutions before the Federal Supreme Court in the pharmaceutical price recommendations case. This was the only successful appeal before the Federal Supreme Court in the year 2021.
- Represented three parties in a merger control case regarding the creation of joint battery production facilities.
- Represented Interforum before the Federal Supreme Court in a case related to the distribution of French books in Switzerland.
Switzerland > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 3
Kellerhals Carrard‘s ‘excellent’ team provides the full range of arbitration services to clients, with experience in both domestic and international proceedings. Bernhard Berger co-leads the group with Olivier Mosimann, who specialises in international commercial arbitration and litigation. Martin Molina and Henry Peter are also key, as is Isabelle Romy, who joined from MLL Legal in 2021.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent arbitration team in Bern, Lausanne and Lugano. Very large experience in arbitration. Great command of arbitration law and Swiss substantive law.’
‘Henry Peter: A Formula 1 arbitrator with strong expertise in post-M&A arbitration cases.’
‘Bernhard Berger: One of the best arbitration practitioners with a solid command of procedural issues.’
‘I highly recommend Olivier Mosimann and Bernhard Berger for arbitration. Olivier is one of the up-and-coming arbitration practitioners – very talented, devoted, knowledgeable and hard-working.’
‘Bernhard Berger is an excellent arbitrator. He is sharp, precise and writes very well.’
‘Very capable individuals with a broad horizon from previous in-house and academic practice.’
‘Excellent knowledge of international arbitration law and proceedings.’
‘Martin Molina – definitely a young practitioner to follow. Efficient and nice to work with.’
Key clients
International Federation of Sport Climbing
International Ski Federation (FIS)
International Olympic Committee
International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)
Ultimate Concepts Ltd.
World Anti-Doping Agency
Switzerland > Intellectual property Tier 3
Kellerhals Carrard's intellectual property practice is co-led by Daniel Alder, Daniel Emch, Nicolas Mosimann and Stefano Perucchi, and provides advice to clients on the development of intellectual property strategies, licensing agreements, and contract negotiations, among other matters. With notable experience in the education, fashion, IT, automotive and sports' sectors, the team is also active in litigation and the defence of infringement claims.Practice head(s):
Daniel Alder; Daniel Emch; Nicolas Mosimann; Stefano Perucchi
Key clients
Magnolia International
Switzerland > Leading firms: French-speaking Switzerland Tier 3
Kellerhals Carrard has offices in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Sion, and Zurich. The group handles employment, competition, construction, dispute resolution, capital market, and life sciences, among others.Other key lawyers:
Edgar Philippin; Julien Rouvinez; Emmanuèle Argand; Clarence Peter
Work highlights
Switzerland > TMT Tier 3
The practice at Kellerhals Carrard is known for its innovative approach to the TMT market, which sees the firm act for spin-offs from universities and startups in addition to a range of Swiss and international companies. The team is headed by a trio of partners: Zurich-based IP-expert Daniel Alder, Daniel Emch in Berne, whose focus lies on licensing and competition law, as well as Nicolas Mosimann in Basel, whose experience particularly covers the software, technology and life sciences sector.Practice head(s):
Daniel Alder; Daniel Emch; Nicolas Mosimann
Key clients
Moderna Switzerland GmbH
Magnolia International AG
Swiss Broadcasting Company (SRG SSR)
Vivendi/Groupe Editis/Interforum
Work highlights
- Advising Magnolia International Ltd on all corporate, licensing and data protection matters.
- Advised Swiss Broadcasting Company SRG SSR on telecommunication and antitrust matters.
- Advising Moderna on its global data privacy strategy, processes and systems.
Switzerland > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 4
Kellerhals Carrard‘s large litigation team provides clients with the full range of civil and commercial dispute resolution services. The group operates throughout Switzerland, with offices in all major economic sectors, and has significant expertise in international, cross-border dispute resolution. Lukas Bopp leads in Basel, Nicolas Gillard in Lausanne, and Michael Daphinoff in Bern, while Ivan Paparelli, Peter Schatz and Annemarie Streuli head up the teams in Lugano, Zurich and Geneva respectively.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Kellerhals Carrard has been exceptional at providing clear, concrete and practical advice. The advice is clear in the sense that the communication is not lost in the generalities of applicable laws and what ifs; rather, it tends to be to the point on issues that are actually at stake. It is concrete in that there is a clear actionable plan.’
‘The individuals are great at educating, with an eye toward the experience and day-to-day operations of an in-house counsel and the business. They are also genuinely vested in the relationship and seek to form a productive relationship, not simply with the overall legal operation of the company, with individual in-house attorneys as well.’
Key clients
Banque Privée Espiritó Santo SA in Liq.
Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Ost-Süd, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft Mitte, Cautionnement Romand, Bürgschaftsgenossenschaft SAFFA
Cautionnement romand société coopérative
SAFFA Bürgschaftsgenossenchaft
CSL Behring AG
Implenia
Itten+Brechbühl AG
Work highlights
- Acting for government-accredited loan guarantee organisations to uncover possible credit abuses, prosecute possible fraudsters and recover the unlawfully obtained loans.
Switzerland > Private client Tier 4
The private client team of Kellerhals Carrard is ‘highly regarded‘ by clients as ‘top notch‘ with ‘expertise in very complex jurisdictional matters‘. The team is headed up by Annette Spycher in Bern and Ingrid Iselin in Geneva, and handles inheritance litigation, private investment structuring transactions, tax and estate planning issues, and relocations to Switzerland. Christian Witschi and Frédérique Flournoy are also key names, complimented by clients for their ‘client focused‘ work.Practice head(s):
Annette Spycher; Ingrid Iselin
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Kellerhals Carrard are a phenomenal team. The expertise and professionalism which Kellerhals Carrard showed was second to none, and their particular strong point is their expertise in very complex jurisdictional matters, of which, I could not fault them. I have worked closely with Annette Spycher specifically, who is undeniably bright and who has an enormous understanding of family matters.’
‘I have worked closely with Annette Spycher. Annette is a force to be reckoned with. She is proactive, impressive and has a wealth of knowledge in family law. Annette is multi-lingual – she fluently and comprehensively speaks at least 5 languages, and it makes her delivery when dealing with English clients absolutely perfect. This is exceptionally important when dealing with niche, complex matters and Annette’s execution is flawless.’
‘Annette Spycher and Christian Witschi are highly skilled professionals with extensive experience in their fields of expertise and extraordinary language and communication skills. What I most value about them is their legal know how and their responsiveness.’
‘Highly regarded, in particular for private clients; high-net-worth individuals trust them with their most important legal issues.’
‘Frédérique Flournoy, very client focused and responsive.’
‘We work mainly with Kellerhals Carrard in Geneva when we have a case in the French speaking part of Switzerland. The team is very knowledgeable and always very well informed about the actual legal situation in Switzerland.’
‘We usually work with partner attorney Ingrid Iselin who is fluent in German and English and one of the few French speaking Swiss lawyers which are Certified Specialists by the Swiss Bar Association in Inheritance Law. Ingrid is very responsive and quickly grasps the key issues of a case. She also was member of the expert committee of Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice for the revision of the Inheritance Law.’
Kellerhals Carrard > Firm Profile
Kellerhals Carrard is a full-service law firm with more than 220 legal experts and offices in Basel, Berne, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano, Sion and Zurich as well as representative offices in Shanghai and Tokyo. The firm offers a full range of legal services for national and international clients in all areas of corporate and commercial law, with particular emphasis on cross border transactions. The firm is known for its entrepreneurial spirit, understanding of business needs and pragmatic approach.
Kellerhals Carrard advises and represents companies and entrepreneurs from all industries and economic sectors, public authorities, national and international organisations and private individuals before all judicial and administrative bodies nationally and abroad in practically all areas of the law. Kellerhals Carrard’s activities are focused on:
- Company and corporate law, external legal department
- Litigation, arbitration and insolvency law
- M&A and capital markets law
- Regulatory financial markets law, financial services, collective investments, leasing, insurance
- IT/IP, distribution, competition and anti-trust law
- International sports law
- Tax
- Public law
- Employment and social insurance law
- Commercial criminal law and international mutual assistance / compliance
- Family and inheritance law for private customers
- Notarial office
KC focuses in particular on the areas of financial services, life sciences, IMT sport, energy, real estate/construction as well as on trading and retail.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Managing Partner KC | Beat Brechbuehl | beat.brechbuehl@kellerhals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 35 00 |
Managing Partner KC Basel | Nicolas Mosimann | nicolas.mosimann@kellerhals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 30 00 |
Managing Partner KC Bern | Mario M. Marti | mario.marti@kellerhals-carrrd.ch | +41 58 200 35 00 |
Managing Partner KC Geneva | Emmanuèle Argand | emmanuele.argand@kellehals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 32 00 |
Managing Partner KC Geneva | Clarence Peter | clarence.peter@kellerhals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 32 00 |
Managing Partner KC Lausanne/Sion | Edgar Philippin | edgar.philippin@kellerhals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 33 00 |
Managing Partner KC Lugano | Massimiliano Maestretti | massimiliano.maestretti@kellerhals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 31 00 |
Managing Partner KC Zurich | Daniel Lengauer | daniel.lengauer@kellerhals-carrard.ch | +41 58 200 39 00 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Dr iur Marco Balmelli | Dr. iur., Attorney at Law and Notary Public, Partner | View Profile | |
Prof Dr iur Jean-Luc Chenaux | Prof. Dr. iur., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Jean-Christophe Diserens | lic. iur., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Alexandre Gachet | lic. iur., LL.M., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Nicolas Gillard | lic. iur., Attorney at Law, PartnerCertified specialist SBA in inheritance law | View Profile | |
Dr iur Vincent Jäggi | Dr. iur., LL.M., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
Dr iur François Kaiser | Dr. iur. Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Jean-Pierre Morand | lic. iur., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
Prof Dr iur Edgar Philippin | Prof. Dr. iur., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Christophe Rapin | lic. iur., Attorney at Law (Geneva and Brussels), Partner, DEA in European Law | View Profile | |
Dr iur Frédéric Rochat | Dr. iur., LL.M., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Jean-Philippe Rochat | lic. iur., Attorney at Law, Partner | View Profile | |
Nicolas Zbinden | MLaw, LL.M., Attorney at Law | View Profile |
Barrister Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
David Casserly | Barrister | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partners : 88 Counsels : 8 Senior Associates : more than 20 Associates : more than 60 Notary Public : 10 Of Counsels : 15 Legal Counsels : 5 Attorneys trainee : more than 20Languages
English German Swiss German French Italian Spanish Portuguese Arabic Polish Russian Mandarin JapaneseMemberships
SCG Legal TAGLaw - A Worldwide Alliance of Independent Law Firms IBA (International Bar Association) ABA (American Bar Association) Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) International Association of Lawyers (UIA) AIJA - International Association of Young LawyersComparative Guides
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