Mr Michele Bernasconi > Bär & Karrer Ltd. > Zurich, Switzerland > Lawyer Profile

Mr Michele Bernasconi

+41 58 261 50 00 michele.bernasconi@baerkarrer.ch View profile View profile

Work Department

Media, Entertainment & Sports | Arbitration | Corporate & Commercial | IP & Technology | Energy | Employment | Data Protection | Litigation

Position

Michele Bernasconi advises on a broad range of sports, media, energy, telecom and IT matters, acting for both domestic and international clients. He has particular expertise in international litigation and arbitration as well as in commercial and transactional work relating to such industries.

His recent experience includes advice on outsourcing and joint venture projects, broadcasting and sponsorship agreements, ambush marketing, regulatory and antitrust work in both the telecom and sport sector, software licensing, electricity transmission and distribution, doping matters as well as international transfers of football players.

Michele Bernasconi lectures on international sports law at the University of Zurich. He regularly speaks and publishes articles on topics within his practice areas. He is Co-director of the UEFA Football Law Programme.

Michele Bernasconi is recognized as a leading lawyer in Chambers and Legal 500 further lists him in the Hall of Fame for his excellent work. Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal have listed him among the leading lawyers in Switzerland in the sports as well as in the technology, media and telecommunications sector for years. In 2018 Who’s Who Legal recognized Michele Bernasconi with the global award “Sports Lawyer of the Year” as well as “Thought Leader” for the sports and data protection sector. In 2016 Who’s Who Legal ranks him among the nine “Most Highly Regarded Individuals” for Sports & Entertainment worldwide. In its 2013 edition, the International Who’s Who of regulatory communication lawyers described Michele Bernasconi as one of the “10 Most Highly Regarded Individuals Worldwide”.

Career

• Partner of Bär & Karrer (since 2001)
• Associate at Bär & Karrer (1995)
• Teaching Assistant at the University of Zurich (1991-1994)
• Trainee in a Swiss law firm (1990-1991)
• Clerk and Secretary to the Zurich District Court (1989-1990)

Languages

English, French, German, Italian.

Memberships

• Arbitrator at the CAS – Court of Arbitration for Sport
• American Bar Association (ABA), Chair of the Sports Law Committee of the Business Law Section
• International Bar Association (IBA), Former Chair of the Committee Cm Telecommunications
• Chairman of the Sports Law Committee of the Swiss Bar Association (SAV/FSA)
• President of the Association Suisse de Droit du Sport (ASDS)
• Panelist at the WIPO for Domain Name disputes
• Member of the ASA, Swiss Arbitration Association
• Member of the Zurich Bar Association (ZAV)
• Co-delegate for the Organisation of and Lecturer at the Master in International Sports Law, Zurich University
• Member of the Executive Board of Swiss Tennis
• Member of the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Basketball
• Vice President of the Council of “Fondazione Patrimonio Culturale” (the foundation of the Swiss Italian Radio and TV for the protection and the valorization of the cultural treasures)
• Member of the Board of SV Group
• Co-Director of the UEFA Football Law Programme
• Member of the Scientific Committee of the Executive Master in Sports Law of the University of Neuchâtel
• Member of the Saudi Arabian Sport Arbitration Center
• Member of SGOA, the Association for the Settlement of Automation Disputes / SGOA – Verein für ICT Konflikt Management
• Member of the SCIA, Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration, as well as of the SCIA High Technology and Intellectual Property Arbitration Centre
• Lecturer and Member of the Advisory Committee of the Executive Master in Sports Law Program of Qatar Olympic Academy

Education

• Harvard Law School: LL.M. (1996)
• Admitted to the Zurich Bar (1992)
• University of Zurich: lic. iur. (1989)