Bär & Karrer Ltd.

Bär & Karrer Ltd.

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Switzerland

Turnaround, Reorganization & Insolvency

Christoph Neeracher

Christoph Neeracher

Christoph Neeracher specializes in international and domestic M&A transactions (focusing on private M&A and private equity transactions, including secondary buyouts, public to private transactions and distressed equity), transaction finance, venture capital, startups, corporate restructurings, relocations, corporate law, general contract matters (e.g. joint ventures, partnerships and shareholders agreements) and all directly related areas such as employment matters for key employees (e.g. employee participation and incentive agreements). He is experienced in a broad range of national and international transactions both sell and buy side (including corporate auction processes) and the assistance of clients in their ongoing corporate and commercial activities. Additionally, Christoph Neeracher represents clients in litigation proceedings relating to his specialization. Chambers Global and Europe rank him as a leader in the field of M&A (since 2010) and IFLR 1000 lists him as one of the leading lawyers in Switzerland (since 2012). The International Who's Who of M&A Lawyers lists Christoph Neeracher as one of the world's leading M&A lawyers. The Legal 500 (2012) describes him as "extremely experienced in M&A matters and very strong in negotiations" and ranks him among the leading individuals. Christoph Neeracher is ranked first in Mergermarket's Profile League Table for 2016's most prolific individual DACH legal advisors.
Luca Jagmetti

Luca Jagmetti

Luca Jagmetti has specialized in national and international private M&A transactions in different industries, venture capital investments, corporate restructurings and general corporate, commercial and employment matters, including related litigation and administrative proceedings. During his practice, he gained particular experience in complex asset deals, management participation schemes, up-/cross-stream topics, large outsourcing and procurement projects and regarding the logistics industry in general. Luca Jagmetti has several speaking engagements on asset transactions, legal due diligence and other M&A topics (e.g. Akademie der Treuhand-Kammer; Seminar on Mergers & Acquisitions for practitioners; Course on Commercial Law of the University of St. Gallen). According to The Legal 500 2016 he is "very knowledgeable and speedy". IFLR 2018 lists him as noticeable practitioner. Luca Jagmetti is jointly ranked first in Mergermarket's Profile League Table for 2016's most prolific individual DACH legal advisors.
Cédric Chapuis

Cédric Chapuis

Cédric Chapuis heads Bär & Karrer's financial services team in our Geneva office. His practice focuses on advising banks and other financial institutions in regulatory, compliance and general business matters. In addition, he regularly advises Swiss and foreign clients in a variety of industries on domestic and international transactions, as well as general corporate and governance matters. He has served on the board of directors of Swiss companies in various industries and is currently a member of the board of several banks. In recent years, Cédric Chapuis has advised a number of financial institutions in connection with internal investigations on cross-border issues and has represented them before the U.S. Department of Justice. Who's Who Legal lists Cédric Chapuis in Banking (Finance and Regulatory) and in Corporate: Merger & Acquisition. Legal 500 points out his expertise in regulatory matters.
Aurélie Conrad Hari

Aurélie Conrad Hari

Aurélie Conrad Hari leads the civil litigation practice of Bär & Karrer in Geneva, where she has been a partner since 2017. She has a broad experience in handling complex multi-jurisdictional disputes in financial, banking and commercial disputes. She also specializes in private clients' assistance and representation. Her practice encompasses shareholders' and employment disputes, insolvency as well as asset recovery, with the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards. She also frequently acts as counsel representing parties in commercial arbitration related to various industries, eg, sale, distribution, agency, construction (including power plants) and energy. Additionally, she conducts internal investigation on specific fact findings and compliance issues upon instructions from clients or supervisory authorities. Aurélie Conrad Hari is a regular speaker and publisher on topics of her expertise. She is co-chair of the officers of the commissions committee and member of the Extended Bureau of the International Young Lawyers Association and chairs the Expert Forum on Dispute Resolution established by the Geneva Bar Association in 2017. Who's Who Legal lists her as a leading lawyer in litigation, asset recovery and as a future leader in arbitration. She is also recognized by Chambers and Partners and Legal500 for her litigation practice as well as by Leaders League, the Global Elite Private Client Directory as well as Citywealth where she is featured in in the IFC Powerwomen Top 200 since 2018.
Cyrill Diefenbacher

Cyrill Diefenbacher

Cyrill Diefenbacher has broad experience in national and international corporate tax matters. He advises clients on tax-related questions in the area of M&A transactions / restructurings / financing, but also has broad experience in advising clients in the area of tax compliance. He frequently works on M&A transactions (buy-side or sell-side advice over all stages of the transaction, advice on management incentive schemes), restructurings and reorganizations and provides advice on various national or international corporate tax matters. His area of expertise includes Swiss VAT. Cyrill Diefenbacher regularly speaks in the area of M&A tax / corporate tax law and publishes specialist articles in the field of taxes. He is a lecturer at the EXPERTsuisse Swiss Certified Tax Expert education program and regularly speaks at different tax seminars.
Andrew M. Garbarski

Andrew M. Garbarski

Andrew M. Garbarski specializes in white collar crime, administrative criminal law, international judicial and administrative assistance, as well as financial and commercial litigation and insolvency. During recent years, Andrew M. Garbarski's work has encompassed, among others, complex multi-jurisdictional financial crime and asset recovery matters, as well as the representation of clients before the Swiss prosecution authorities and courts. Andrew M. Garbarski teaches white collar crime and criminal procedure law as Professor at the University of Lausanne and regularly publishes in his practice areas. Andrew Garbarski is listed by Who's Who Legal as a leader in Switzerland for business crime defence, investigations and asset recovery, and as a "Future Leader" (2018-20) for investigations. Chambers and Partners lists him as "Band 3" in their white-collar crime category. He is also listed as a "Rising Star" in the white-collar crime category by Euromoney Legal Media Group (Expert Guides, LMG Rising Stars 2015, 2016 and 2017). Andrew Garbarski was recently appointed by the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) as member of the Working Group dealing with the modernisation of the Administrative Criminal Law.
Peter Hsu

Peter Hsu

Peter Hsu is Bär & Karrer's key contact for the practice area of banking and insurance. His practice focuses on banking, insurance, financing and capital markets. He regularly advises Swiss and foreign banks, securities dealers, insurers and other financial intermediaries as well as fintech businesses with regard to a wide range of regulatory, contract law and corporate law matters. Moreover, he often advises clients on M&A transactions. Peter Hsu has published several books and articles on topics in banking, insurance and capital markets and is regularly invited to speak on these topics. Peter Hsu is ranked as a leading individual in the practice areas of Banking & Finance as well as Insurance & Reinsurance and listed as "most highly regarded" practitioner in Insurance & Reinsurance (Who's Who Legal 2018). The Legal 500 2014 refers to him as a "key individual within the banking and insurance sector" and recommends him for insurance advice. In Who's Who Legal, he is quoted as "the 'go-to guy' for clients in need of insurance and reinsurance regulatory advice" (2013, 2018) and "key player in the Swiss insurance and reinsurance regulatory field" (2014) and wins praise for his "unparalleled abilities". In addition, he is described as "extremely knowledgeable" in insurance and regulatory matters, lauded for his "business oriented approach" (2016) and it is further noted that "he is not only an expert on regulatory topics, but also has a very profound understanding of other legal areas". Moreover, he is praised for "his pragmatic approach to resolve legal issues" (2018). In IFLR 1000, a client characterizes him as "very knowledgeable, detail-oriented and very open to novel solutions and approaches" (2016).
Cesare Jermini

Cesare Jermini

Cesare Jermini has extensive experience in court litigation as well as international and domestic arbitration, in which he specializes. He regularly acts as a party counsel before state courts and the Federal Tribunal (in civil, criminal and administrative matters) as well as in domestic and international arbitration proceedings. Cesare Jermini is often appointed as chairman, sole arbitrator and co-arbitrator in international and domestic arbitration proceedings, conducted under the ICC Rules, Swiss Rules, Rules of the Camera Arbitrale Nazionale e Internazionale di Milano, UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules as well as in ad hoc proceedings. Cesare Jermini also advises clients in commercial and company law, private international law, joint ventures, transportation, labor, administrative, real estate and inheritance law. He is a member of the executive board of GASI (Gruppo Arbitrato della Svizzera italiana – the Local Group Ticino of ASA, the Swiss Arbitration Association), the ASA Marketing Committee and the International and Domestic Panels of Arbitrators of several arbitral institutions.
Urs Kägi

Urs Kägi

Urs Kägi advises listed and non-listed companies on a broad range of corporate and regulatory matters. A main focus of his work is on M&A transactions (both in a domestic and a cross-border setup), including mergers, spin-offs, public offers, joint ventures, complex intra-group restructurings, relocations, as well as private equity and family succession transactions, on corporate restructurings of financially distressed companies, and on corporate governance (including "Minder"/compensation issues) and securities laws issues. Urs has advised a number of Swiss blue chips and major multi-national clients. Apart from his transactional work, he provides ongoing corporate advice to a number of listed companies, including several Swiss-domiciled clients with a primary or secondary listing abroad. He has in-depth expertise of the financial services sector, in particular banking, insurance and stock exchanges. In the context of his expertise in connection with cross-border bank reorganizations and resolution actions, he has recently been invited to speak as a panelist by the Financial Stability Board's Legal Experts Group.
Saverio Lembo

Saverio Lembo

Saverio Lembo heads Bär & Karrer's White Collar Crime practice group. He has extensive experience in white collar crime, commercial and financial litigation, international judicial assistance (civil and criminal), arbitration and insolvency. During recent years, he has been involved in a number of complex commercial litigation proceedings, has served as a party representative or arbitrator in various domestic and international commercial arbitrations and has assisted clients in Swiss and foreign criminal proceedings. He regularly represents clients before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Saverio Lembo's practice also extends to pharmaceutical litigation, inheritance law, employment matters and enforcement of foreign judgments and awards. Saverio Lembo is ranked in tier 1 of the leading lawyers in White-Collar Crime Switzerland by Chambers & Partners. He was awarded "Lawyer of the Year for Switzerland" in the categories "Business Crime Defence" and "Investigations" at the Who's Who Legal Awards in 2020 as well as "Lawyer of the Year 2016" in the categories Criminal Defence and Litigation in the Geneva area by Best Lawyers. Since 2012, the International Who's Who lists him among the world's leading practitioners in the areas of Business Crime Defence, Asset Recovery Lawyers and Commercial Litigation. In The Legal 500, Saverio Lembo has been listed among the leading individuals in Switzerland in Dispute Resolution since 2010.
Ralph Malacrida

Ralph Malacrida

Ralph Malacrida specializes in M&A and corporate finance transactions, including venture capital transactions, structured and acquisition finance as well as capital markets. He has extensive experience in complex corporate restructurings. Ralph Malacrida is co-head of the M&A practice and heads the Finance practice. He has a strong track record advising clients on domestic and international M&A and finance transactions, successfully executing deals for sellers, buyers, finance providers, borrowers and issuers. Ralph Malacrida is a member of the board of directors of several Swiss companies. He is ranked as a leading lawyer in IFLR 1000, Legal 500, Chambers Europe and Chambers Global.
Corrado Rampini

Corrado Rampini

Corrado Rampini heads the real estate department of Bär & Karrer. He has broad experience in M&A and capital market transactions but specialises in real estate transactions of all types, including asset deals and large-scale portfolio transactions, acquisitions of real estate companies and IPOs and other capital market transactions of listed real estate companies. He also assists lenders and borrowers in financings of real estate portfolios, enforcements and restructurings of defaulting borrowers in the real estate sector. Beyond M&A and real estate, Corrado Rampini is also considered an expert in data protection and privacy law. Chambers & Partners ranks Corrado Rampini in tier 1 of the leading lawyers in Switzerland for Real Estate. Legal 500 lists him among the leading individuals in the category Real Estate & Construction. He was awarded "Lawyer of the Year 2016" for Real Estate in the Zurich area by Best Lawyers.
Rocco Rigozzi

Rocco Rigozzi

Rocco Rigozzi's practice focuses on real estate, M&A and corporate law. He specializes in real estate transactions of all types, including asset deals, share deals, large-scale portfolio transactions and real estate related M&A-transactions. He has special experience in the field of the Swiss legislation on acquisition of real estate by persons abroad (Lex Koller) and the associated restrictions for international investors. Tenancy law and environmental law form also part of his practice. In addition, Rocco Rigozzi advises corporations on commercial and corporate law, in particular in connection with all types of corporate reorganizations, carve-out transactions, incorporations, shareholders' agreements, as well as capital increases and reductions.
Susanne Schreiber

Susanne Schreiber

Susanne Schreiber is a partner at Bär & Karrer AG and co-heads the tax department. Susanne Schreiber has extensive experience in international corporate tax matters, in particular in domestic and cross-border M&A transactions and reorganizations. She advises on tax aspects of financing, acquisition structuring as well as capital market transactions and management incentive schemes. She frequently works on vendor or buy-side transactions, both for private equity clients, multinationals or individuals, covering due diligence, pre-deal structuring as well as carve-outs and post-merger integration from a tax perspective. Furthermore, Susanne Schreiber regularly supports Swiss multinationals in their tax planning work, including tax advice on restructurings, financing and tax litigation work. Susanne Schreiber is an attorney-at-law and tax advisor as well as a Swiss certified tax expert. Before joining Bär & Karrer she worked for an international law firm in Germany and for one of the big four companies in Zurich where she last headed the Swiss M&A tax department. She regularly speaks on tax-related topics in the area of M&A / corporate tax law and publishes specialist articles as well as commentaries in the field of taxes. Susanne Schreiber is an Officer of the IBA Taxes Committee, a member of the Exam Commission for Swiss Certified Tax Experts, the tax chapter of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, the International Fiscal Association and EXPERTsuisse tax commission. Susanne Schreiber won the award "Rising star: Tax" at the IFLR Europe Women in Business Law Awards 2016 and is listed as a Woman-in-Tax Leader in the International Tax Review. Legal 500 listed her as Leading Individual in the category Tax Switzerland. She has recently been awarded for outstanding quality client service with the Client Choice Award 2020 for Corporate Tax in Switzerland.
Philippe Seiler

Philippe Seiler

Philippe Seiler has broad experience in international and domestic private M&A transactions in various industries with a special focus on life science and health care transactions (incl. medtech, pharma, healthcare providers in various industries, suppliers to healthcare providers etc.). Philippe Seiler does not only cover big size transactions and takeovers but also focuses on small- and mid-size M&A transactions, private equity transactions as well as venture capital and startup transactions. Furthermore, he advises clients on regulatory matters relating to life science and health care law outside of M&A transactions. Philippe Seiler is praised for his pragmatic and solution-oriented advice while at the same time having an excellent technical knowledge. Due to his extensive transaction experience he has a fast and good understanding of the business and the process. Legal 500 ranks Philippe Seiler as a Key Contact for Healthcare and Life Sciences transactions and Who's Who Legal lists him in M&A and Governance. In addition, Philippe Seiler was listed as a "Rising Star in Corporate/M&A/Private Equity" by Legal Media Group. Philippe Seiler has frequent speaking engagements on M&A-related topics and teaches regularly at a number of private and public Universities (e.g. LL.M. of the University of Zurich, Switzerland; Executive MBA University of St. Gallen).
Rolf Watter

Rolf Watter

Rolf Watter has broad experience in all types of M&A transactions, including defence mandates. He also specializes in corporate governance questions and capital market transactions. He is a board member of the listed AP Alternative Portfolio and of the privately held Faber Castell (Holding). He used to be chairman of PostFinance AG (2012/2021), CEVA Logistics (2018/2019) and of Nobel Biocare (2012/2014; member 2007/2012); further he was a board member in a number of other Swiss listed companies, namely Aryzta, Zurich Insurance Group, Syngenta, Centerpulse, and Forbo. In addition, he is a member of the Regulatory Board of the SIX Swiss Exchange. Rolf teaches as a professor at the University of Zurich since 1996 and is an editor of the GesKR and the Basler Kommentare on the Code of Obligations II, the Financial Infrastructure Act, the Banking and the Merger Act. He regularly publishes in his fields of work. In Chambers Global and Europe, Rolf Watter is consistently ranked in tier 1 of the leading lawyers for Corporate/ M&A in Switzerland. Rolf Watter is recognized as a leading lawyer in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. He is listed among the top 30 corporate governance practitioners in the world by Expertguides. Rolf Watter won the ILO Client Choice Awards Switzerland in the category M&A (2016 and 2018) and Capital Markets (2014); WWL has ranked him in 2019 as best Corporate Governance lawyer.

Team Services

Successful restructuring and insolvency proceedings are based on extensive experience in insolvency law and require in-depth knowledge in related fields such as M&A, financing, employment, tax and litigation.
Our restructuring and insolvency team has extensive experience in all aspects of domestic and cross-border restructurings and insolvency matters and works closely with our other practice groups.

A special focus of our practice lies in out of court restructurings, where we can draw on our full range of know-how across relevant related practice fields, such as M&A, corporate law, litigation, financing, employment, tax as well as our banking and insurance practice.

We advise clients on matters including:

  • distressed M&A
  • sale or acquisition out of composition proceedings
  • advice to directors, officers and shareholders of distressed companies
  • default negotiations under facility agreements, enforcement of pledges and other securities
  • mass dismissals, redundancies, social plans
  • special precautionary requirements and insolvency proceedings for financial institutions.

In insolvency and related court proceedings, we advise and represent debtors, their directors, officers and shareholders as well as creditors, helping with:

  • composition proceedings
  • bankruptcy proceedings
  • fraudulent conveyance actions
  • enforcement of securities
  • creditors' claims in bankruptcy
  • directors' and officers’ liability claims