Law firm Zurich - Schwärzler Rechtsanwälte

At our Zurich office, we advise our national and international clients in a comprehensive manner and we are happy to work for you primarily in the following areas:

Process management

An important part of our practice is litigation, particularly in cross-border proceedings. This applies to claims, commercial and labour law proceedings as well as other proceedings before Swiss courts and authorities, but also to disputes between financial service providers and their clients.

Furthermore, we take over the litigation of disputes in areas of corporate law (e.g., M&A litigation, liability under company law, special audits, joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements, etc.).

Other areas of Schwärzler Attorneys at Law’s practice include providing planning and strategic advice on national and international dispute resolution proceedings, as well as assisting with litigation in other countries and the coordination of disputes in multiple jurisdictions.

We also support you in avoiding litigation, in out-of-court dispute resolution and in drafting contracts to avoid disputes.

Corporate and commercial law

In the area of corporate and commercial law, we are happy to support you in the formation of companies. In addition, we take care of family estate planning for you.

As well as this, we structure (sales) acquisitions of companies and also carry them out. In the case of (cross-border) mergers and acquisitions of companies, we act in an advisory capacity and support you in the legal due diligence.

Other areas in which we can work for you are

support for capital changes (capital increase and capital reduction) and
advice on private equity, venture capital transactions and joint ventures.

Criminal law (white collar crime, asset recovery and international mutual legal assistance)

We represent and support injured parties, draft criminal complaints and enforce claims or ensure the recovery of seized assets (asset recovery). We are also active in the field of international legal assistance in criminal matters (account freezes, threatened confiscation of assets and requests for information or file redactions).

Retrocessions

Retrocessions (retros or kickbacks) are payments that mandated financial service providers (e.g. asset managers, banks or trustees) receive from a third party (e.g. issuers or banks). As a commission model, retrocessions are controversial because they can create false incentives for the commissioned parties (e.g., banks or asset managers) that are not in the interest of the client.

In principle, retrocessions belong to the client, unless they waive them. However, this can only be done if the client is fully and truthfully informed about what they are waiving.

Schwärzler Attorneys at Law has assisted and continues to assist clients in Switzerland and Liechtenstein in numerous cases against banks and asset managers, which often end with substantial pay-outs for the clients.

Contract law

In the area of contract law, we take care of drafting, concluding, adapting and terminating contracts for you, as well as regulating renegotiations and representing you in disputes. We also represent you in the assignment of claims and advice you in international transactions.

Sanctions law

We advise you in the event of embargoes and sanctions (e.g., restrictions on the export and import of goods, services and in the financial sector). In addition to dealing with terrorism and sanctions lists, we also act for you in the case of performance and provision prohibitions vis-à-vis listed persons and companies, investment, payment and financing restrictions as well as in the topic of compliance.