Ms Michèle Burnier > Pestalozzi > Geneva, Switzerland > Lawyer Profile
Pestalozzi Offices
Cours de Rive 13
1204 Geneva
Switzerland
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Ms Michèle Burnier
Work Department
IP&TMT
Position
Michèle Burnier is a partner and member of Pestalozzi’s IP&TMT group as well as Litigation and Arbitration group in Geneva. Her fields of expertise include intellectual property, including geographical indications, unfair competition, data protection, advertising and e-commerce law, IT and telecommunication law and contract law. She regularly represents clients before Swiss civil, administrative and/or criminal courts. In addition, Michèle Burnier frequently lectures in seminars in the fields of intellectual property law and unfair competition, also in cooperation with the Swiss Intellectual Property Institute. She also regularly acts as arbitral secretary under the ICC Rules or Swiss Rules.
Career
University of Lausanne (lic.iur., 1990). Bar admission (1995). Legal Counsel at Swiss Consumer Organization (1995). Legal Counsel at Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (1998). Joined Swiss law firm (2004). Joined Pestalozzi (2015). Partner at Pestalozzi (2017).
Languages
French, German, English, Italian.
Memberships
International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), International Trademark Association (INTA), Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), Association romande de propriété intellectuelle (AROPI), Licensing Executives Society (LES, member of the board of the Swiss national group), Chairman of the first Chamber of the Swiss Commission for Fair Advertising (CSL), Geneva Bar Association.
Lawyer Rankings
Switzerland > Competition
‘Highly professional’ Pestalozzi utilises its international network to advise on issues such as merger controls and numerous other transactions, bolstered by the firm’s move to a new Zurich office in July 2023. Christoph Lang leads the practice with his corporate and antitrust capabilities, while Michèle Burnier contributes IP expertise to the team. Fabian Martens is another name to note in the practice.
Switzerland > TMT
The practice at Pestalozzi is known for providing legal advice and representation to leading domestic and international clients in various TMT areas such as IT services, online distribution and advertising, outsourcing, privacy, e-commerce, and e-discovery. The expanding team is headed by Lara Dorigo, whose practice focuses on IP enforcement and defence, technology transfer, new technologies, e-commerce, entertainment law, advertising, licensing, personality rights issues, and branding strategies. IP experts Michèle Burnier and Thomas Legler both represent clients before the Swiss courts and in arbitral proceedings, respectively.
Switzerland > Data privacy and data protection
Acting for international and national blue chip and service companies, Pestalozzi’s wide-ranging expertise is comprised of disputes involving data protection issues, cyber criminality issues and use of digital data on ICT platforms. The team increasingly handles legal issues arising from digital medical data and their relevance for research and development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Michèle Burnier leads the practice and is prominent within the Swiss civil and criminal courts. Arbitration expert Thomas Legler and Sarah Drukarch, who specialises in both life sciences and corporate areas, bolster the practice. Markus Winkler is another name to note.
Switzerland > Intellectual property
Accomplished in a broad array of industries that includes life sciences, beverages and cosmetics, Pestalozzi‘s expansive practice encompasses the enforcement of IP rights, technology transfer agreements and portfolio management, alongside a host of other issues. The team is noted for being ‘adept at understanding client needs and delivering targeted solutions that exceed expectations’. ‘Exceptional’ and ‘client driven’ practice head Lara Dorigo is well regarded for her skills in advising clients on pharma, biologics and med tech patent litigation. IP arbitration expert Thomas Legler and Michèle Burnier are also recommended.
Lawyer Rankings
- Intellectual property Switzerland
- Data privacy and data protection Switzerland
- TMT Switzerland
- Competition Switzerland
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Banking and finance: Geneva
- Banking and finance: Zurich
- Capital markets
- Commercial, corporate and M&A
- Fintech
- Healthcare and life sciences
- Insolvency and corporate recovery
- Insurance
- Intellectual property
- Private client
- Real estate and construction
- Tax
- Data privacy and data protection
- Regulatory, compliance and investigations
- TMT
- Competition