VISCHER > Zurich, Switzerland > Firm Profile

VISCHER > The Legal 500 Rankings

Switzerland > Data privacy and data protection Tier 1

VISCHER has a strong data & privacy team embedded in its full-service offering. The group is well positioned to cover matters relating to Swiss and EU data protection and data law requirements, data-related aspects of M&A transactions, data compliance queries, as well as data protection-related disputes. Team head David Rosenthal is considered to be ‘an absolutely brilliant mind, one of the leading data protection lawyers in Switzerland‘. His practice encompasses information technology, data privacy and e-discovery. TMT-specialist Rolf Auf der Maur is another name to note.

Switzerland > Healthcare and life sciences Tier 1

Pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, entrepreneurs/start-ups as well as private equity and individual investors regularly turn to the team at VISCHER for advice. Areas of expertise are regulatory matters, including compliance and administrative procedures, and patent cases in the biotech and pharmaceutical sector. Furthermore, it is also involved in IPOs, financing rounds and M&A deals. Stefan Kohler, a life sciences IP specialist, and transaction expert Matthias Staehelin lead the practice. Christian Wyss is a key contact for start-ups.

Switzerland > Public law Tier 1

The public law department at VISCHER has a particular focus the healthcare and energy sectors with further clients coming from other regulated industries, including banks, postal services and lottery providers. Michael Waldner is the key contact when it comes to providing regulatory advice to hospitals, assisting them with transactional matters disputes with regulatory authorities at all levels of government. Practice head Stefan Rechsteiner acts for energy companies on transactions, contracts and concessions in addition to representing them in regulatory disputes.

Switzerland > TMT Tier 1

VISCHER‘s full-service TMT practice includes regulatory matters in the telecom and media sector, data security and data privacy, technology transfer arrangements, cloud-based software as a service offerings as well as fintech, smart energy and health IT. Rolf Auf Der Maur is considered ‘best in class‘, in particular with respect to his specialisms in digitalisation and online business matters. The advice of David Rosenthal ‘has huge practical value‘, among others when it comes to the ‘application of data protection implications in the litigation and investigation context‘.

Switzerland > Capital markets Tier 2

VISCHER is noted for its expertise in assisting underwriters and issuers with the listing of securities at the SIX Swiss Exchange, share listings and equity transactions in general; these often take place in the life sciences and FinTech space. Other skills also include supporting clients in dealing with a variety of bond issues, distressed bonds, public takeovers and proxy solicitations in addition to covering regulatory work. Key contacts Markus Guggenbühl and Jana Essebier are well versed in derivate instruments. Robert Bernet  deals with public takeovers of listed companies. Adrian Dörig leads the department.

Switzerland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

The team at VISCHER has a considerable track record in national and international mid-market M&A and private equity transactions, with a particularly active practice in the life sciences. Furthermore, the practice offers a dedicated China desk and extensive experience in advising venture capital investors, corporates and start-ups in financing rounds and exits. Transaction specialists Jürg Luginbühl, Robert Bernet and Damien Conus lead the group, which also includes life sciences expert Matthias Staehelin. Gian-Andrea Caprez has notable know-how in the technology sector.

Switzerland > Competition Tier 2

Advising on a range of competition law matters, the team at VISCHER is particularly active for clients from the TMT, digital, banking and finance, branded products and automotive industries. It represents clients in related investigations and litigation, and advises on a wide range of topics, including cartels, pricing, competition law infringements, and abuse of dominance. Practice head Klaus Neff specialises in antitrust matters and appellate cases.

Switzerland > Employment Tier 2

VISCHER‘s employment practice advises on all aspects of employment and labour law as well as related fields of immigration, social security, pensions and data protection. The team is highly experienced in major corporate restructurings and all related issues, such as union disputes and strikes, and has further notable experience with internal investigations regarding gender discrimination and harassment. Specialist for executive remuneration, staffing and all employment related issues of restructurings Marc Ph. Prinz heads the practice and is supported by co-heads Anela Lucic and Gerald Virieux from the Basel and Geneva offices respectively.

Switzerland > Fintech Tier 2

VISCHER has long-standing experience a wide range of fintech matters. The practice is particularly experienced in crowdfunding projects and distributed ledger technology projects, having recently advised on one of the few DLT projects in Switzerland that went beyond the proof of concept phase. Jana Essebier heads the team and, together with Stefan Grieder, has recently been involved in policy making regarding venture capital financing and new technologies. Christian Wyss has a particular focus on insurance-related technology companies and David Rosenthal is the specialist for the data privacy and protection aspects of fintech projects.

Switzerland > Insurance Tier 2

The insurance clients of VISCHER, which include insurance companies, brokers and insured parties, come to the firm for regulatory, corporate and coverage issues, including D&O and crime policies, property policies and financial line policies. The practice is headed by Daniele Favalli who has a specialisation in coverage analysis, coverage claims, and coverage litigation. Tina Jäger is noted for her experience in insurance litigation representing insurance companies and their insured before Swiss courts.

Switzerland > Intellectual property Tier 2

VISCHER acts in litigation and arbitration cases regarding, in particular, trade marks and patents, and also covers regulatory issues as well as transactional matters, such as licensing, cooperations, joint ventures and franchising. Practice head Stefan Kohler is a ‘very valuable patent litigator‘ with a focus on arbitration in pharmaceutical and biotech matters. Rolf Auf Der Maur is ‘best in class in IP topics in the media and telecommunications sector‘ and Christian Wyss has a focus on the IP aspects of M&A transactions. IP litigator Lorenz Ehrler is the key contact in the Geneva office.

Switzerland > Leading firms: German-speaking Switzerland Tier 2

VISCHER has particular experience when it comes to M&A, capital markets and litigation matters as well as healthcare, TMT and transport matters. The team is further noted for its expertise in public law and competition matters with Michael Waldner and Klaus Neff  active here. Rolf Auf der Maur, Stefan Kohler and David Rosenthal have strengths in IP, IT, TMT and data. Benedict Christ, Stefan Rechsteiner, Christian Oetiker and Christian Wyss are other names to note.

Switzerland > Real estate and construction Tier 2

Full-service law firm VISCHER ‘has specialised lawyers‘ which advise on all real estate matters, including related issues such as taxes, contracts for work and services, public procurement, intellectual property and environmental law. The team, headed by Maxime Chollet and Roland Müller, has a ‘great deal of practical experience in supporting demanding real estate projects‘ and ‘is also extremely experienced and skilled in conducting difficult and complex negotiations‘. Andreas Albrecht and Beatrice Wagner Pfeifer are key contacts for planning and zoning law as well as environmental law. Litigation and arbitration specialist Raphael Butz made partner in 2021.

Switzerland > Transport Tier 2

VISCHER has a strong focus on advising airlines on a broad array of corporate matters. The advice encompasses contracts negotiations with service providers, such as travel offices, air-traffic authorities and airport operators, representation in damage and insurance cases as well as advice on leasing, buying and selling aircraft. Urs Haegi heads the practice and gives ‘very pragmatic‘ advice on various aviation-related contracts as well as on the setting up of airlines and corporate transactions regarding airline companies. The tax aspects of international transport matters are a focus area of Christoph Niederer.

Switzerland > Banking and finance: Zurich Tier 3

The banking and finance team at VISCHER specialises in advising borrowers and lenders in financings, regulatory queries as well as on matters at the intersection with insolvency, capital markets and IP/IT where the close collaboration with the firm’s other teams adds value. The practice also often acts for defendants in contentious cases. Practice head Adrian Dörig specialises in structured finance transactions and aviation finance. Markus Guggenbühl and managing associate David Weber are a ‘very competent team.‘ Jana Essebier impresses with FinTech and insolvency expertise in addition to her banking knowledge.

Switzerland > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 3

With ‘a very commercial and pragmatic approach’, VISCHER has continued its recent growth strategy with the early 2021 promotion of Raphael Butz to partner and the recruitment in late 2021 of corporate dispute expert Karin Graf from Wenger Plattner. While the group has a broad litigation practice, the team has notable expertise in asset-related matters, international litigation and the enforcement of foreign judgments. Daniele Favalli, Thomas Weibel and Gerald Virieux lead the team from Zurich, Basel and Geneva respectively. Managing partner Christian Oetiker, Felix C Meier-Dieterle and Lorenz Ehrler also contribute to the practice.

Switzerland > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 3

VISCHER has know-how in distressed M&A and corporate restructurings, as well as in liquidations, in particular in the finance sector. The team also covers insolvency-related litigation, corporate finance and voluntary liquidation and freezing debtor assets. The offering further includes enforcements on behalf of creditors. Benedict Christ combines corporate, M&A and insolvency experience. David Jenny can act as liquidator and Jana Essebier assists clients in pre-and post-insolvency situations.

Switzerland > Sports law Tier 3

VISCHER demonstrates know-how in questions regarding TV and online broadcasting rights, sports betting, sports marketing and merchandising, transfer agreements, corporate structures and association law. The group is active for a range of Swiss organisations, athletes and companies, often from the football and eSport space. Corporate practitioner Robert Bernet and the ‘highly skilled‘ managing associate Moritz Jäggy head the team.

Switzerland > Tax Tier 3

VISCHER‘s team is noted for being ‘extremely up to speed, very business-oriented and pragmatic.’ The offering includes tax support in M&A transactions, representation in tax litigation, including administrative assistance in international proceedings and the handling of cross-border restructuring. The group has a track record of advising clients from the TMT, aviation, financial services and life sciences sectors; Nadia Tarolli Schmidt is particularly experienced in the latter. She leads the practice together with Christoph Niederer whose skillset includes transfer pricing matters.

Switzerland > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 4

VISCHER’s ‘excellent and balanced team’ has been active in a broad range of mandates, acting as both counsel and arbitrator. The group is led by Daniele Favalli, Christian Oetiker and Gerald Virieux in Zurich, Basel and Geneva respectively. Other key individuals include Thomas Weibel, Raphael Butz and new recruit Karin Graf, who joined from Wenger Plattner in 2021.