Walder Wyss Ltd. > Lugano, Switzerland > Firm Profile
Walder Wyss Ltd. Offices
VIA F PELLI 12
PO BOX 5162
6901 LUGANO
Switzerland
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Walder Wyss Ltd. > The Legal 500 Rankings
Switzerland > Competition Tier 1
Fielding a broad competition offering across the media, banking and healthcare sectors, among others, ‘highly professional’ and ‘responsive’ Walder Wyss Ltd. has notable expertise in managing a variety of Phase II merger control proceedings. Its breadth of expertise also extends to other areas such as IT and telecoms, construction, and transport, to name a few. The practice is jointly led by Reto Jacobs, who excels in complex merger filings and distribution systems, and Monique Sturny, who is particularly adept in the healthcare sector, especially with regard to legal issues in the digital economy and the distribution of luxury and consumer goods.Practice head(s):
Reto Jacobs; Monique Sturny
Other key lawyers:
Gion Giger; Daniel Zimmerli
Testimonials
‘Monique Sturny specialised in anti-trust law especially in the field of medical healthcare. This is a very highly specialised field, requiring special knowledge and close cooperation between Dr Sturny and our company. We have an excellent standard and very confidential cooperation where we are even able to get information even on holidays and weekends. Speed, expertise and written documents are outstanding.’
‘I really like working with Walder Wyss Competition Law Team. They are very much interested in our business and are therefore ready to quickly find workable solutions. They explain competition law concepts based on simple examples. It’s in virtual meetings where we share ideas, discuss pro and contra, and I get conclusions on the spot. ’
‘Highly professional, responsive and above all a very specific knowledge of the competition challenges in our business. As consultants a very professional, but also pragmatic and risk-oriented approach.’
‘Reto Jacobs is outstanding. He is able to analyse highly complex situations.’
‘All of them work with a high engagement and comittment. Added value and costs are in line.’
‘They know our industry very well and present practical solutions that work.’
‘Reto Jacobs has a very good standing with competition authorities. Gion Giger is an excellent and diligent lawyer and goes beyond the expected in terms of commitment.’
‘Monique Sturny conducted her mandate with a very business-oriented approach.’
Key clients
Dovista/VKR
Daimler Truck Holding AG, TRATON SE and Aktiebolaget Volvo (publ)
Migros Group
Swisscom
TX Group (former Tamedia)
PostFinance
Aduno / Viseca
Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB (Swiss Federal Railway)
Saviva AG
Swisscom Directories AG
Work highlights
- Rrepresented Medbase AG in the merger control filing before the Swiss Competition Commission (ComCo) with respect to the acquisition of sole control over the Swiss business of Zur Rose Group AG, which is Europe’s largest online pharmacy and one of the leading medical wholesalers in Switzerland. Zur Rose Group AG also operates the leading marketplace for health and care products in Southern Europe. The merger was cleared by ComCo in April 2023 after a phase I investigation.
- Represented TX Group AG in the merger control proceedings before the Swiss Competition Commission (ComCo) related to the acquisition of the Swiss business of the internationally operating Clear Channel Group, i.e. Clear Channel Holding AG which operates as an out-of-home advertising company. The merger was cleared by ComCo in February 2023 after a phase I investigation.
- Represented TX Group AG in the merger control proceedings before the Swiss Competition Commission (ComCo) related to the acquisition of AdUnit AG, which operates a demand-side platform for advertisers (or their media agencies) and offers advertising inventory providers a software solution for selling and handling their advertising inventory. The merger was cleared by ComCo in December 2022 after a phase I investigation.
Switzerland > Data privacy and data protection Tier 1
Set within the broader TMT practice, the ‘outstanding’ data privacy team at Walder Wyss Ltd. is a strong choice for clients across a multitude of sectors, from technology and financial services to construction and real estate. Leading the practice is David Vasella, who enjoys a solid reputation across compliance implementation projects, data monetization and cloud outsourcing arrangements, among others. He is praised by clients as possessing a ‘business oriented mindset’ and ‘great communication skills’. Jürg Schneider leads the Lausanne office, bolstering the team with his cross-border and international expertise. Hannes Meyle handles matters pertaining to data protection and IT security matters and Martin Zobl is also recommended.Practice head(s):
David Vasella
Other key lawyers:
Jürg Schneider; Hannes Meyle; Martin Zobl
Testimonials
‘Outstanding and unique experience in data privacy within Switzerland.’
‘David Vasella is the most experienced privacy lawyer in Switzerland. His deep expertise combined with his business oriented mindset is unique in Switzerland. ’
‘Very high level of expertise and practical relevance’
‘David Vasella is very competent, practical and uncomplicated. Excellent response time.’
‘Profound knowledge adapted to start-up companies.’
‘David Vasella: responsive, detailed, precise, knowledgeable, great communication skills.’
‘The team handles even the most complex matters with the utmost precision, professionalism and care. Its work is of the highest legal standard, and it is focused on solving practical problems rather than focusing on theoretical work. The usage of new technology to support their clients is also a core benefit when engaging with them.’
‘David Vasella can summarise even the most complex issues in the simplest way to enable senior management to make the necessary decisions. He is able to work under pressure, always keeps an overview and is available to provide advice and support in urgent cases. He stands out for his ability to find solutions and negotiate contracts at the highest level, even on complex issues.’
Key clients
APG SGA
Argus
Atupri
AXA
Cembra
Credit Suisse
CSS
eBay
Emmi
Federal Roads Office
Galenica
gategroup
Helsana
Intrum
Kantar Media
KünzlerBachmann
Legartis
LGT Capital Partners
Leontec Securities AG
Loylogic
Microsoft
Migros
Mobiliar
MySmartHeart
Relio
Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG)
Sanitas
Santésuisse
SBB
Schweizerische Exportrisikoversicherung SERV
SpecPage
STOXX
Swisscard
Swisscom
Swisstransplant
Sygnum Bank
TX Group
Valiant Bank
Viseca
Zur Rose
Zurich Insurance
Zurich University
Work highlights
- Provided legal opinions to FEDRO, member of Cardossier, on a blockchain enabled platform for sharing vehicle data between public administration, insurance companies, leasing companies, and vehicle traders.
- Advising PostFinance, a leading and systemically relevant bank in Switzerland tasked with providing certain baseline services in the payment area, on a range of data protection matters.
- Advising Migros, the largest Swiss retailer (100’000+ employees, 40+bn in turnover) in their implementation of the current and draft revised Data Protection Act as well as the GDPR, and in a wide range of data protection matters.
Switzerland > Employment Tier 1
Walder Wyss Ltd. provides a full employment service to clients including support with litigation, negotiations and conflicts resolution, executive compensation, mass dismissals, international assignments of employees, and governmental support schemes. Basel practice head Philippe Nordmann supports companies and executive employees with setting up compensation schemes, employment contracts, and employee regulations. In Zurich, Irène Suter-Sieber, regularly represents clients in employment-related civil proceedings, and Simone Wetzstein, whose has extensive expertise in questions relating to employers of record and migration matters. Rayan Houdrouge, who advises Swiss and multinational companies, including disruptive technology companies, and international organisations on all employment-related matters, heads the Geneva office.Practice head(s):
Philippe Nordmann; Simone Wetzstein; Irène Suter-Sieber; Rayan Houdrouge
Other key lawyers:
Stefano Fornara; Fabian Looser; Sandrine Kreiner; Joy Malka
Testimonials
‘They are very responsive and know how to deal in a commercial manner, which is very important to the client. Also, they are very fluent in English, which is essential.’
‘Super-fast in answering phone calls and emails. Always 100% reliable.’
‘We feel a great team spirit and a real coordination among all the lawyers involved in the case. This is extremely important because you see the value of working with one of the biggest employment team of Switzerland. Also, all lawyers of the team are real experts and work with the same standard of quality.’
‘Rayan Houdrouge is an amazing leader; all the members of his team are fully dedicated, and it is clear that he has been able to transmit the same solution-oriented and pragmatic approach to the entire team. Also, Rayan Houdrouge is an exceptionally smart thinker and an incredible tactician.’
‘The team at Walder Wyss are responsive and helpful, diligent, and resourceful. They provide clear and cogent advice.’
‘Simone Wetzstein is extremely supportive and clear in her advice and assistance.’
‘Walder Wyss is a highly competent law firm and advises perfectly on complex matters and has given us best strategic advice. Walder Wyss is also a pleasure to work with and the way they handle difficult matters is unique. The team has a pragmatic approach and is very responsive.’
‘Philippe Nordmann is outstanding, and I admire his legal knowledge. His commitment is second to none. Furthermore, he has a very balanced and very pleasant personality. His way of working is extremely efficient. His responses are always fast and extremely accurate. What makes him in addition to one of the top employment lawyers in my opinion is his extremely quick responsiveness and his strategic and pragmatic approach as well as his excellent social skills.’
Key clients
Credit Suisse
Bayer Pharma
Bâloise
Equinix
Migros
Lonza
Bachem
Moody’s
Inditex
Manpower
Zur Rose / DocMorris
Work highlights
- Acted as Lead Counsel to Credit Suisse on the merger with UBS.
- Advised Gastro Zürich, the association of all gastronomy and hotel industry in the canton of Zürich, regarding three executives who allegedly spent hundreds of thousands of francs for private purposes, in particular Walder Wyss conducted the relevant internal investigation and is representing Gastro Zürich in the ongoing civil and criminal proceedings against the executives.
- Acts as Uber’s Swiss outside counsel with respect to a range of employment law, labour law, social security law, immigration law and other HR matters in Switzerland, and is representing Uber in the ongoing lawsuits.
Switzerland > Intellectual property Tier 1
‘One of the best group of IP experts in Switzerland’, Walder Wyss Ltd.‘s IP practice possesses vast experience representing clients before the Swiss Supreme Court, as well as advising clients on the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious IP rights. The group has undertaken an extensive range of work that encompasses R&D and licensing contracts, with a prominent focus on fashion, luxury, IT and life sciences sectors, to name a few. The practice is led by Markus Frick, who is recommended for his ‘great strategic foresight and expertise’, and Roger Staub, who is ‘one of the best IP attorneys’. Frick demonstrates significant prowess in handling complex cross-border litigations and Staub’s wide-ranging experience includes the negotiation of IP and technology-related contracts as well as the development of IP strategies.Practice head(s):
Markus Frick; Roger Staub
Other key lawyers:
Manuel Bigler; Stefano Codoni
Testimonials
‘One of the best group of IP experts in Switzerland.’
‘Roger Staub is one of the best IP attorneys available. His briefs are fantastic and he gives strategic advice that usually plays out exactly as predicted.’
‘Markus Frick is an excellent IP attorney, with great strategic foresight and expertise.’
‘Manuel Bigler is a awesome litigator. Highly recommended.’
‘Walder Wyss provided legal advice to the foundations in connection with the rebranding. The individuals were extremely experienced in this context and were able to provide excellent advice.’
‘The legal overview and also the effective time-critical implementation were carried out independently and extremely professionally. The team supported us where necessary, at all times and did everything to our complete satisfaction at the required time.’
‘We have relied on WalderWyss in the past and will continue to do so in the future.’
Key clients
ABB Ltd.
Actial Farmaceutica Srl
Alcon Inc.
Amazon
Amazon Web Services
Apple TV
Argus Data Insights
AT&T
Bystronic
Deutsche Börse/Qontigo
Easygroup, incl. EasyJet
FIBEP Swiss Chapter
Giorgio Armani SpA
Hitachi/ABB Power Grids
Inventio AG (IP management company of Schindler Group)
Jemie B.V.
Kendris
Lastminute.com Group
Merck KGaA
Microsoft
Migros
Morach-Technik AG
Nestlé
OTTO’S AG
Pret A Manger
Richemont (incl. Cartier, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Chloé, Baume & Mercier, Montblanc, Van Cleef & Arpels, Panerai, A. Lange & Söhne)
Rocket Film Productions
Servisa
Snap, Inc. (former Snapchat)
Storck
The Association of the Swiss Gas Industry
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Work highlights
- Represented Merck KGaA in a trade mark litigation against MSD before the Commercial Court of Zurich and the Federal Supreme Court regarding the use of “Merck” in domain names and social media addresses as well as on websites and social media presences, with a successful result achieved for the client.
- Advised Rocket Film Productions on IP aspects of a film production for Apple TV (Super League: The War for Football).
Switzerland > Leading firms: Italian-speaking Switzerland Tier 1
Led by Davide Jermini and Stefano Codoni, Walder Wyss Ltd.‘s Lugano office is capable of advising on a comprehensive range of issues, encompassing corporate and commercial mandates, M&A litigation and a full suite of IP, IT and family law matters. Its ‘dedication to efficiency, clarity, and effective support sets them apart in the legal industry’. Codoni specialises in IP, life sciences and technology transactions and litigation, while Jermini fields a strong practice across corporate and commerical matters, M&A and banking and finance issues. Arbitration expert Stefano Fornara routinely represents a significant spread of clients situated within the commercial and employment fields.Practice head(s):
Davide Jermini; Stefano Codoni
Other key lawyers:
Stefano Fornara; Marco Galli
Testimonials
‘For many years, the team in Lugano has supported us as the “extended arm” of our internal legal service in complex legal issues, litigation cases and wherever reliable expertise needs to be obtained quickly. The team knows our institute, our processes, the services and products we provide and all the important SMEs and decision-makers, which makes the cooperation all the more valuable.’
‘The lawyers at Walder Wyss are distinguished by their absolutely outstanding knowledge in their respective areas of specialisation. They understand how to grasp even extraordinarily complex issues in a sometimes “uncertain” regulatory environment, assess risks and propose workable solutions.’
‘The firm’s professionalism was immediately perceived.’
‘Good partners with great social competences and excellent skills.’
‘The firm enjoys the expertise of a multi-disciplinary team of highly skilled partners and associates from a broad range of disciplines covering all main areas of law. This allows the client to always find the ideal partner with the right expertise for the topic of interest within the same firm, which is crucial when you have established a relationship of trust.’
‘I always found the individuals I have dealt with extremely approachable, friendly yet serious, easy to reach and swift in their competent responses.’
‘The small yet highly responsive and competent team located in the Italian-speaking part in Switzerland left a lasting impression. Their support in handling local claims and litigation matters was prompt and invaluable. Overall, this law firm’s dedication to efficiency, clarity, and effective support sets them apart in the legal industry.’
‘Davide Jermini is a very good lawyer. His proactive approach and unwavering commitment to staying on top of every case make him a standout professional. His pleasant demeanour and his profound knowledge of procedural law are relevant for us. He navigates the intricate maze of legal proceedings with ease, offering insightful solutions at every turn.’
Key clients
Actial Farmaceutica Srl, Rome, Italy
Jetpharma SA
Artisa Group
Akara Funds AG
Lifeware SA
Atnahs Pharma UK Ltd
Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale
RSI – Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana
Work highlights
- Acting as part of a team of lawyers entrusted by the Canton of Ticino with a politically-sensitive internal investigation at UNITAS, a large non-profit organisation that receives substantial public funding for its activity in favour of blind people, regarding alleged workplace harassment of various kinds.
- Assisted the shareholders of Assetmax AG in their exit from the company through a sale of all shares to Infront.
- Obtained a landmark decision from the Swiss Supreme in the long standing litigation his client lastminute.com against Ryanair. The Supreme Court confirmed that lastminute.com has been always acting lawfully and can continue to offer all its customers the possibility of comparing and booking Ryanair tickets through the lastminute.com’s websites.
Switzerland > Private client Tier 1
The ‘extremely knowledgeable team’ at Walder Wyss Ltd. is co-headed by Kinga Weiss and Philippe Pulfer. Weiss has experience advising on a broad range of issues such as anti-money laundering, inheritance law, estate planning, and tax. Praised by clients as ‘the number one private client professional in Switzerland’, Pulfer is a go-to advisor for clients seeking guidance for trusts and foundations. Robert Desax is recommended for wealth planning and offers his services in French, German, and English. Other essential members of the team include Olivier Sigg, Ayesha Curmally, and Fouad Sayegh.Practice head(s):
Kinga Weiss; Philippe Pulfer
Other key lawyers:
Olivier Sigg; Robert Desax; Fouad Sayegh; Philippe Kohler; Ayesha Curmally
Testimonials
‘My experience of Walder Wyss is that it’s truly world-class, with a very international outlook. The quality of their work is second to none.’
‘Philippe Pulfer is the number one private client professional in Switzerland. He’s impeccable in all aspects.’
‘They have an extremely knowledgeable team.’
‘Kinga Weiss is very experienced, easy to work with and extremely good with clients.’
‘The art law team at Walder Wyss have an excellent reputation amongst the private client community.’
‘Robert Desax is an excellent tax lawyer with focus on private clients, and Kinga Weiss is an excellent trust and estates planning lawyer.’
‘The people at Walder Wyss Ltd. are very knowledgeable in the field of high-net-worth individuals, and they always come up with high-level and practical solutions.’
‘Kinga Weiss is the go-to succession law expert in cross-border estate planning. She’s always very pragmatic in the way she approaches matters.’
Work highlights
Switzerland > Public law Tier 1
Walder Wyss Ltd. represents the Swiss Government, federal and cantonal entities, public sector clients, hospitals, and large pharmaceutical companies in a wide range of public law related matters including government procurement proceedings, expert opinions, administrative proceedings, and planning proceedings. Practice head Hans Rudolf Trüeb advises domestic and international clients on competition and procurement matters, and has experience in the technology, telecoms, and energy sectors. Daniel Staffelbach advises clients on all aspects relating to the healthcare and insurance industries. Transactions lawyer Ramona Wyss has extensive experience handling issues concerning regulated industries. Martin Zobl has a special focus on public procurement, healthcare and life sciences, energy, infrastructure, and transport.Practice head(s):
Hans Rudolf Trüeb
Other key lawyers:
Ramona Wyss; Martin Zobl; Daniel Zimmerli; Florian Roth; Lena Götzinger; Lucina Herzog; Felix Tuchschmid
Testimonials
‘When working with Walder Wyss, we feel a very high degree of commitment, responsiveness, and ownership. It has proven very helpful to us that they have a deep understanding of our business, and the energy market in general.’
‘Hans Rudolf Trüeb, Ramona Wyss and Martin Zobl all stand for excellence and seem to benefit from a great reputation on the market. Senior statesman H.R. Trüeb built up Walder Wyss public law practice some 20 years ago and has long-standing expertise. Both Ramona Wyss and Martin Zobl are extremely smart and knowledgeable in their areas of expertise, and at the same time very hands-on.’
‘Walder Wyss public law team provides high quality, easy-access, tailor-made and quick services.’
‘Hans Rudolf Trüeb is a top expert in public procurement law with many years of professional experience. His advice helps us to find good solutions. His industry and process experience helps us to find good and pragmatic solutions, and to carry out complex procurement projects safely. Lena Götzinger is a very competent lawyer and specialist in public procurement law.’
‘We truly appreciate the support by Hans Rudolf Trueb who is an outstanding professional and person, well known in the Swiss market. His longstanding experience and deep knowledge of the law has been invaluable for us. Plus, he is a successful litigator whom you want to see at your side in tight cases.’
‘Martin Zobl, a younger partner of the firm, has built an impressive track record in procurement cases. With his likeable personality and quick comprehension, he is a great asset for the firm.’
‘Extremely trustworthy, high level of reliability, integrity, excellent technical competence and understanding, consistently on-time delivery.’
‘This team has very profound knowledge in public law. In my view, it is the market leader in this field.’
Key clients
Swiss Confederation (with all its administrative branches)
Canton of Zurich – Office for Water, Energy and Air (AWEL)
Axpo Group (Axpo Holding, Axpo Power, Axpo Trading)
Energy 360 Grad AG
SBB – Swiss Federal Railways
SBB Cargo AG
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)
ENGIE (France)
University of Zurich
University Hospital of Zurich
University Children’s Hospital Zurich Eleonora Foundation
Hirslanden AG
Cantonal Hospital of Zug
Hospital Thurgau AG
Helsana insurance AG
Tertianum Group
Swiss Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (BBL)
Armasuisse (federal agency for military resources)
SERV Swiss Export Risk Insurance
AEW Energie AG
EON
Work highlights
- Advising and representing privately held hospitals of the Hirslanden Group in hospital planning proceedings in numerous Swiss Cantons.
- Advising and representing Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) as defendant and procuring entity in a dozen public procurement proceedings in front of the Federal Administrative Court.
- Advised and represented the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in numerous proceedings in front of ETH’s Appeals Commission, Federal Administrative Court and the Federal Supreme Court.
Switzerland > Real estate and construction Tier 1
Walder Wyss Ltd.‘s expanding team advises all types of real estate investors and high-profile international corporations in complex transactions. The Basel, Berne, and Lugano offices also provide notarial services to their clients. The team is headed by Francis Nordmann, who handles transactional issues as well as leases, and litigation and arbitration; Johannes A. Bürgi, who regularly advises foreign wealth management funds on real estate matters; and Christian Eichenberger, who has a focus on real estate development.Practice head(s):
Francis Nordmann; Johannes Bürgi; Christian Eichenberger
Other key lawyers:
Davide Jeremi; Thomas Muller; Luc Pittet; Thomas Meister; Nicolas Iynedijian; Katja Schott-Morgenroth; Albane Selimi
Testimonials
‘Leading legal practice in the Swiss real estate industry. Knowledgeable and responsive partners.’
‘Francis Nordmann, our lead real estate partner. Amazingly responsive and access to a wide network of real estate stakeholders.’
‘Very efficient and knowledgeable team that covers all relevant aspects and with an excellent coverage of all markets in Switzerland.’
‘Highly dedicated partners and associates with an excellent knowledge and good understanding of investors needs. Specific mention of Francis Nordmann.’
‘The team at Walder Wyss has a very broad expertise relevant to our industry. Our issues range from rental law to construction and zoning law to tax or data protection issues.’
‘We mostly deal with Albane Selimi (MLaw, Attorney at Law & senior associate). She is an excellent lawyer with a highly developed sense of justice and buckets of intrinsic motivation. Her expertise covers a wide range of legal issues, she works very diligently and holds herself (and others) to very high standards.’
‘Wide range of themes. Responsive. Swisswide.’
Key clients
Artisa Group
Raiffeisen Futura Immo Fonds
Immofonds
Gold Tree
Swiss Finance & Property
Akara Funds
Immozins
Helvetica
Rhystadt Ltd (consortium of Swiss Pensions Funds)
Zuriba
F. Aeschbach
Brickvalue 2
Raststätte Knonaueramt
Biella Schweiz Ltd
VERIT Investment Management Ltd
LHI Immobilien Schweiz Ltd
Pfizer Ltd
PURE Funds Ltd
Work highlights
- Advised IPI Partners, LLC, a global investment firm that specializes in investing in critical digital infrastructure assets, on the acquisition of Safe Host, a Switzerland-based data center owner and operator.
- Advising NBIM Sàrl on the sale of the Uetlihof Campus, one of the largest office buildings in Switzerland for a purchase price of roughly CHF 1 billion.
- Advised PKRE on the sale of a large office campus within Zurich to Swiss Prime Site Investment Foundation.
Switzerland > Tax Tier 1
Walder Wyss Ltd. advises on all areas of domestic and international tax law, with strength across the capital markets, real estate, and private equity sectors. The group regularly advises on tax aspects of M&A, IPOs, wealth and inheritance planning, and employment issues. Maurus Winzap, who heads the practice, has extensive experience advising on tax aspects of M&A and private equity transactions, as well as financings and corporate restructurings. Thomas Meister covers structured finance, real estate, and tax controversy in finance-related matters. Tax audit expert Martin Busenhart and real estate tax specialist Samuel Dürr are key names within the team. Fouad Sayegh advises on matters relating to high net-worth families, double tax treaty applications, and criminal tax proceedings.Practice head(s):
Maurus Winzap
Other key lawyers:
Thomas Meister; Martin Busenhart; Fouad G. Sayegh; Samuel Dürr; Robert Desax; Fabienne Limacher; Jan Ole Luuk; Marius Breier
Testimonials
‘Fabienne Limacher is outstanding.’
‘Solution focused and creative, not limited to “reading” the law, beyond the academician or pure technical legal mindset, entrepreneurial and loyal, confident but not arrogant.’
‘Fouad Sayegh, is trustworthy, has a warm attitude, and is professional and extremely competent, yet knows to recognise the limits of the law.��
Key clients
Astorg Partners
Bavarian NordicA/S
Clariant Ltd.
Cornèr Banca SA
Credit Suisse Ltd.
DPE Deutsche Private Equity (DPE)
DSM
Elvaston Capital Management LLC
IPI Partners, LLC
Planted Foods Ltd.
Sagard NewGen
Swiss Life Ltd./Swiss Life Holding Ltd.
Union Bancaire Privée/The Risk Management Group (Suisse) S.A.
Work highlights
- Advised DSM, a global leader in health, nutrition and biosciences, on its merger with Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance and taste company, for an undisclosed amount.
- Advised Porsche Automobile Holding SE on its participation in the second round of ABB E-mobility Holding AG’s pre-IPO private placement.
- Advised Sagard NewGen on its acquisition of a minority stake in Unit8 SA.
Switzerland > TMT Tier 1
Walder Wyss Ltd. has ‘profound knowledge’ in advising high-profile clients on a wide range of TMT-related matters including cloud migration projects for regulated industries, multi-stream projects, and litigation. David Vasella, who advises domestic and international clients on compliance implementation projects, data monetization, cloud outsourcing arrangements, and IT projects, heads the team. Hans Rudolf Trüeb specialises in technology transfer, licensing, distribution, cooperation and outsourcing projects, while Mark Reutter supports corporate and private clients in matters relating to technology and digitalisation. Jürg Schneider has expertise in comprehensive licensing, system integration, and global outsourcing projects. Michael Isler has a particular focus on regulated sectors such as life sciences and fintech.Practice head(s):
David Vasella
Other key lawyers:
Hans Rudolf Trüeb; Mark Reutter; Jürg Schneider; Michael Isler; Martin Zobl; Monique Sturny; Hugh Reeves; Annemarie Lagger; Lena Götzinger
Testimonials
‘Profound knowledge adapted to start-up companies.’
‘David Vasella: responsive, detailed, precise, knowledgeable, great communication skills.’
‘The team handles even the most complex matters with the utmost precision, professionalism and care. Its work is of the highest legal standard compared to its peers, and it is focused on solving practical problems rather than focusing on theoretical work.’
‘The usage of new technology to support their clients is also a core benefit when engaging with them.’
‘Walder Wyss is one of the leading firms in the field of technology. They are very responsive and always have a very business-oriented and practical approach.’
‘David Vasella is a very tech-savvy lawyer with a good understanding of business models and the data flows/technology involved. He is particularly strong in data protection and AI regulation, but is very knowledgeable across the board.’
‘Not only is David Vasella knowledgeable about the newest regulatory developments, but is also always informed about the latest technological trends. Being ahead of the curve in knowing about the latest tech developments is a key differentiator today, and David does this exceptionally well.’
Key clients
ABB
Avaloq
AXA
Bobst
Cembra
Citrix
Credit Suisse
CSS
Emmi
FIFA
Galenica
gategroup
Helsana
Helvetia
Hitachi Energy
Intrum
Kantar Media
Kuoni
Legartis
Leonteq
LGT Capital Partners
Loylogic
Microsoft
Migros
Mobiliar
MySmartHeart
OTTO’S
Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG)
Sanitas
Santesuisse
SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA
SBB
STOXX
Swiss Federation
Swisscard
Swisscom
Swissmedic
Sygnum Bank
TX Group
Viseca
Zur Rose
Zurich Insurance
Zurich University
Work highlights
- Advised SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA on their IT-outsourcing to Accenture.
- Advised Swissmedic in the procurement of cloud solutions including compliance with official secrecy, data protection, use of the cloud services, and negotiation of agreements with hyperscalers.
- Advise Sygnum, a pioneering Swiss digital asset bank, offering a range of financial services related to cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology, on a range of data protection matters in these regards as well as with general data protection compliance.
Switzerland > Banking and finance: Geneva Tier 2
Walder Wyss Ltd. advises domestic and international banks, securities firms, financial institutions, and fintechs on high-profile financial transactions and regulatory compliance. The team also excels at banking litigation. The team is headed by Patrick W. Vogel who leads large banking cross-border M&A transactions which involve financing, regulatory and banking matters and require cooperation with local counsel in various jurisdictions. Hubertus Hillerström, who specialises in national and international financing, has supported several oil and gas, metals and soft commodities and trade finance operations. Adriano Antonietti has a key focus on regulatory and compliance matters, including obtaining FINMA authorisations and drafting contractual documentation to ensure compliance. Liburn Mehmetaj, who joined from Lenz & Staehelin in January 2023, has expertise in a broad range of specialized services in the banking and finance field, such as licensing, compliance, litigation, and crisis management. Valentine Schnyder, who advises banks and financial institutions on regulatory aspects related to their activities, is a further name to note.Practice head(s):
Patrick W. Vogel
Other key lawyers:
Hubertus Hillerström; Adriano Antonietti; Liburn Mehmetaj; Valentine Schnyder
Testimonials
‘Liburn Mehmetaj has immense experience and is very efficient. He is my go-to lawyer in Geneva.’
‘The team is highly organized and experts in their field.’
‘The entire Walder Wyss team was highly professional and collaborative in their approach. We had an extraordinarily complex and tight acquisition (2-week timeline), and the team completed it. ’
‘We had Patrick Vogel as our deal team lead, who set the example for his entire team. Patrick had keen insight to the heart of the issue. His ability to understand the core business issues and blend them with the legal documentation really stood out.’
‘Walder Wyss’ Geneva team has an excellent understanding of the business and needs of the banking sector, which renders the structuring and implementation of transactions very efficient.’
‘Hubertus Hillerström is a partner with outstanding knowledge of banking, finance, and corporate law.’
‘The team has in-depth knowledge of the broad lending topic, coped with a capacity to adapt for the innovation thought.’
‘Hubertus Hillerström was great in leading the legal framework of our product. As we were launching a new solution, we were pushing the boundaries of the traditional framework.’
Key clients
Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG
Bank Vontobel AG
Bank Zweiplus AG
Banque Cantonale Vaudoise
Bobst Group SA
Cequr SA
Credit Suisse
Deutsche Bank
Endeavour Vision SA
Ichnos Sciences Inc.
Infrascreen SA
ING Bank N.V., Amsterdam, Lancy/Geneva Branch
JBF Finance SA
KomGo SA
RMG The Risk Management Group (Suisse) SA
Société Générale
Swisscom Ventures AG
Token flow Insights SA
Union Bancaire Privée, UBP SA
UBS Switzerland AG
Work highlights
- Advised UBP and RMG on the CHF 500 million sale and leaseback transaction relating to the real property of Hôpital de La Tour.
- Advised JBF Finance SA and Bobst Group SA on a CHF 419.5 million term loan and revolving credit facilities with UBS Switzerland AG and Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd.
- Provided assistance to Komgo SA on the acquisition of Canada-based GlobalTrade Corporation (GTC).
Switzerland > Banking and finance: Zurich Tier 2
Switzerland > Capital markets Tier 2
Switzerland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2
A ‘professional and goal-oriented team’, Walder Wyss Ltd.’s capabilities encompass the full suite of corporate matters, ranging from private and public M&A to due diligence tasks, while utilising its strengths in the capital markets sphere. Alex Nikitine and Stefan Knobloch jointly lead the practice; the former’s wide-ranging experience includes public tender offers, IPOs and venture capital transactions, while the latter is particularly well versed in M&A, public takeovers and corporate governance issues, among others. Urs Gnos demonstrates proficiency across areas including public tender offers, buy-outs and stock exchange regulations, while Luc Defferrard is noted for his expertise in private equity and venture capital transactions. Ramona Wyss stands out for her expertise in transactions in regulated industries and the energy sector. The team was also strengthened significantly at senior level in September 2023 with the arrival of Hans-Jakob Diem, an expert in M&A, corporate and securities law, from Lenz & Staehelin.Practice head(s):
Alex Nikitine; Stefan Knobloch
Other key lawyers:
Urs Gnos; Luc Defferrard; Alexandre Both; Ramona Wyss; Markus Vischer; Hans-Jakob Diem
Testimonials
‘Luc Defferrard has a very commercial approach and is not too legalistic.’
‘Very reliable. High quality. Hands-on approach.’
‘Urs Gnos produces high-quality work. Markus Vischer is great for complex scenarios.’
‘Walder Wyss’s team delivers pragmatic advice, enabling us to capitalise quickly on business opportunities.’
‘Very professional and goal-oriented team.’
‘Great team that is accurate as a Swiss watch, even in complicated matters, delivering legal solutions of the highest quality and considering every possible aspect of the matter.’
‘The team is composed of diverse and motivated professionals with a strong sense of priorities and values.’
‘Alexandre Both has the knack of explaining complex situations in an easy manner to his clients. Very detail oriented and solutions focused.’
Key clients
Koninklijke DSM N.V.
TX Group AG
Energy Infrastructure Partners
Montana Aerospace AG
Komax Holding AG
Cougar
The Boston Consulting Group, Inc.
Porsche
+ND Capital
Hakan Koç and Pyrros Koussios
Switzerland > Dispute resolution: arbitration Tier 2
Active across a range of industry sectors including commodities, trading and pharma, the ‘agile, creative and strategic’ team at Walder Wyss Ltd. retains a strong market position in relation to construction, plant and equipment engineering disputes, with a practice that comprises a diverse array of sectors. Dieter Hofmann spearheads the practice, specialising in construction, joint venture, shareholders and post M&A disputes, while Micha Bühler maintains an active presence in the Zurich Commercial Court. Commercial and investment arbitrator Michael Feit further enhances the group’s expertise, alongside Andrea Meier and Diana Akikol, who often represent parties in disputes relating to large industrial and infrastructure projects.Practice head(s):
Dieter Hofmann
Other key lawyers:
Micha Bühler; Michael Feit; Diana Akikol; Andrea Meier; Michael Cartier
Testimonials
‘Professional approach, vast knowledge of local laws’
‘Provide a personal, hand on approach.’
‘Very good workload distribution and excellent knowledge of arbitration proceedings.’
‘Their capacity to learn and get deep knowledge on technical subjects associated with the case and their ability to explain legal procedural terms related to arbitration in a down-to-earth manner. Also, their ability to stay on top of the matters and availability to always connect to the client is impressive.’
‘The team is very responsive, agile, creative and strategic.’
‘Michael Feit is very analytical and sound. Always provides very solid pieces of advice.’
‘Walder Wyss not only deliver stellar results, but also can forge long term relationships with clients.’
‘Michael is THE lawyer in the field of arbitration and there is no greater expert. Furthermore, he is very relatable and modest; that makes him the perfect lawyer for any client being under pressure in an arbitration.’
Key clients
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Johnson & Johnson
Roche
Greiner AG
Ali Gohar & Company (Private) Limited
Sharma Fabrictors and Erectors Private Limited
AFRILAND First Group
Idorsia Ltd (listed on SIX stock exchange)
Switzerland > Dispute resolution: litigation Tier 2
Leveraging its six-office national network, ‘available, solution-oriented and very pragmatic’ Walder Wyss Ltd. is a notable figure on the landscape in the spheres of commercial and white-collar crime disputes, and notably in respect to injunctive relief matters. Practice head Dieter Hofmann primarily focuses on construction, joint venture, shareholders and post M&A disputes, while Micha Bühler is particularly active in the Zurich Commercial Court. Maurice Courvoisier’s expertise in engineering and construction matters is notable, with Rodolphe Gautier further bolstering the practice in the white-collar crime arena. Andrea Meier possesses considerable experience handling large-scale industrial and infrastructure matters.Practice head(s):
Dieter Hofmann
Other key lawyers:
Micha Bühler; Maurice Courvoisier; Rodolphe Gautier; Andrea Meier; Oliver Kunz; Antonio Carbonara
Testimonials
‘Very detailed and diligent work. Highest clarity on how arguments are presented. Strategic and tactical thinking on how to prepare for a trial, on what submissions need to be done ahead of the trial and what submissions and arguments must be presented at the trial.’
‘Very hard working, diligent, very pleasant to interact with and very nice human beings.’
‘The firm always strive to get the best, more efficient result including a benefit/cost analysis’
‘Rodolphe Gautier is sharp, quick and always reachable. Same for his team.’
‘Available, solution-oriented and very pragmatic.’
‘Rodolphe Gaultier is a truly valued partner for our business.’
‘Excellent strategic advice and preparation for tactical points in dispute resolution.’
‘They attribute lot of value towards their clients’ preferences.’
Key clients
Afriland
Nestlé
Credit Suisse
Ferring
Hitachi Zosen Inova AG
University Hospital Zurich
Hinduja Automotive Limited
Eurobank Ergasias (fka Proton Bank)
Ernst & Young
Roche
Bergos Bank
Ralph Lauren
Richemont
Migros
Microsoft
Nespresso
Petrosaudi
Work highlights
Switzerland > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 2
The team at Walder Wyss Ltd. have been actively involved in several high-profile bankruptcy and creditors’ composition cases that involve cross-border implications. The practice group advise big stake creditors or debtors, typically Swiss companies with the head company being subject to a US Chapter 11 proceeding. The team is co-led by Dominik Hohler, Dieter Hofmann, and Mark A. Reutter. Considered a ‘brilliant mind and strategic thinker’, Hohler advises national and international companies regarding their restructuring, financing, reorganisation measures and insolvency. Hofmann is an experienced litigator often handling cases concerning insolvency, directors’ liability, and shareholders’ agreements, whilst Reutter advises clients active in the IT field on insolvency and restructuring matters. Urs Schenker supports the team.Practice head(s):
Dominik Hohler; Dieter Hofmann; Mark A. Reutter
Other key lawyers:
Urs Schenker; Thiemo Sturny
Testimonials
‘Dynamism and responsiveness. Listening to their clients with a perfect mastery of the issues and problems they face, allowing them to be confident in the solutions they deliver.’
‘Dominik Hohler is one of the best lawyers to work with in Switzerland. Very responsive and pro-active.’
‘The Walder Wyss restructuring, and insolvency team is outstanding and well-placed at the top of the market.’
‘Dominik Hohler is a brilliant mind and strategic thinker. He will certainly be a leading name on the market over the coming years. Also, the rest of the team is outstanding.’
‘Dominik Hohler and his team are very responsive, and the quality of their work is outstanding. It seems that they are well experienced not only for international but also for domestic Swiss work.’
‘Walder Wyss reorganisation team understands the needs of clients exceptionally well and quickly recognizes their problems. Their many years of experience and the way of working also make them the right choice for complex cross-border cases.’
‘Dominik Hohler is a very experienced partner in the Walder Wyss restructuring team. He responds extremely quickly, and his advice is tailor-made. He immediately gets into the middle of the issue and getting the deal done is paramount for him.’
Key clients
Credit Suisse / UBS
DTEK Energy
Aryzta
Arthouse Cinemas
Meyer Burger Group
STA Travel
Paracelsus
Candrian Catering Group
Nestlé Nespresso
Apollo International Management LLP
Esprit Europe GmbH
gategroup Holding AG
The former CEO of one of the largest Swiss concert organizers
Work highlights
- Acted as Lead Counsel to Credit Suisse on the merger with UBS following the intervention of the Swiss Federal Department of Justice, the Swiss National Bank and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA.
Switzerland > Healthcare and life sciences Tier 3
Primarily based in Zurich, Walder Wyss Ltd. is noted for assisting healthcare and life sciences associations, healthcare insurance companies, and large hospitals. Practice co-head Michael Isler handles a broad range of technology related issues, including outsourcing, platform, and transfer projects. Working from both the Zurich and Bern offices, co-head Andreas Wildi primarily assists clients with domestic and international reimbursement and pricing mandates. Martin Zobl has deep expertise in public procurement matters, having handled a range of disputes before administrative bodies.Practice head(s):
Michael Isler; Andreas Wildi
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent team, superb dedication to projects, very fast response time, great friendliness, they bring valuable input and ideas, very open for feedback, easy going, worked on a number of contracts with them and they really understand the business’
‘Deep insights in the system. Agile adaption to new situations. Very quick reaction times.’
‘Walder Swiss has a deep knowledge of reimbursement in the Swiss health care system. This was very useful for us.’
‘High level of engagement, high level of expertise, structured approach to problem solving. ’
‘Employees have a very in-depth and outstanding technical expertise. Due to the size of the team, the most diverse needs can be delivered with the best quality.’
‘Very well coordinated team, which solves tasks together according to the needs and requests of clients. A wide variety of technical specialists are available.’
‘Andreas Wildi has a huge experience knows the hurdles of the Swiss healthcare market, extremely good, quick response time, very competent.’
Key clients
Pfizer AG
Sanofi-Aventis (Schweiz) AG
Recordati AG
Swiss Medical Association
Hirslanden AG
ExcellGene SA
Neuraxpharm Switzerland AG
MediService AG
Vereinigung Pharmafirmen in der Schweiz
OrPha Swiss GmbH
Merz Pharma (Schweiz) AG
BeiGene Switzerland GmbH
Verein Berufliche Grundbildung Augenoptik
OPTIKSCHWEIZ
Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel (IOB)
Exact Sciences International GmbH
Daiichi Sankyo (Schweiz) AG
Johner Institut Schweiz GmbH
Biogen Switzerland AG
Ufenau Capital Partners AG
Emeda AG
Lundbeck GmbH
KKS Ultraschall AG
Work highlights
- Advised and represented Pfizer in various price reduction and access to confidential pricing models proceedings before the Federal Administrative Court and advised Sanofi-Aventis (Schweiz) AG on various market access (pricing & reimbursement) inquiries.
- Advising and representing various privately held hospitals of the Hirslanden Group in hospital planning proceedings in numerous Swiss Cantons (regular hospital planning being a cantonal matter, aiming at awarding public performance mandates for certain medical disciplines of public interest), and in 13 inter-cantonal planning proceedings in the field of highly specialized medical services before the inter-cantonal planning body in charge and the Federal Administrative Court.
- Represented Neuraxpharm Switzerland AG before Swissmedic resulting in a change of practice on the part of Swissmedic, advised OptikSchweiz to initiate and successfully realize a change in the implementation provisions of the law, advised the leading pharma association VIPS in the preparation of statements towards the Swiss Government and provided a legal opinion to Swiss Medical Association (FMH) on the impact of the new medical device regulation for healthcare providers using medical device software.
Walder Wyss Ltd. > Firm Profile
The firm: Around 290 legal experts make Walder Wyss one of the most successful and fastest growing Swiss commercial law firms. The firm specialises in corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, intellectual property and competition law, dispute resolution and tax law. Its clients include national and international companies, publicly held corporations and family businesses as well as public law institutions and private clients.
Growth and a close relationship to its clients are the factors that determine the firm’s success. Walder Wyss was established in Zurich in 1972 and has since grown continuously. With offices in Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Berne, Lausanne and Lugano, it provides its clients with seamless one-stop-shop, personalised and high-quality services in all language regions of Switzerland.
Its strong national and international network of correspondents and partners from a broad range of disciplines are selected according to the highest standards of professional competence.
Areas of practice
Banking, finance and insurance: Walder Wyss handles domestic and international banking, securitisations, infrastructure and project finance, domestic and cross-border leasing, and structured financial instruments, as well as over-the-counter and exchange-traded derivatives. Walder Wyss advises on all aspects of Swiss securities laws and regulations.
IT, telecommunications and multimedia: Walder Wyss focuses on the interlinked and converging areas of information technology, internet, multimedia, as well as media and telecommunications law. It advises on software protection, licensing issues, systems integration contracts, and data processing contracts.
Intellectual property: the firm has a wide range of experience in protecting intellectual property rights, as well as exploiting such rights by way of licensing, franchising and merchandising.
Corporate and commercial: Walder Wyss advises on and assists in the incorporation and organisation of business activities in Switzerland, including the establishment of corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, joint ventures and non-profit organisations.
M&A, restructuring, joint ventures, IPOs and private equity: Walder Wyss handles the structuring and implementation of corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, outsourcings, shareholder agreements, takeovers, demergers, capital restructurings, repurchases of shares, management buyouts, joint ventures, reorganisations, cross-border business arrangements and other direct investment transactions. Walder Wyss advises on seed, early stage and growth financing.
Litigation, arbitration and ADR: Walder Wyss is renowned for its international arbitration and litigation practice. This is reflected both by a high number of arbitration cases, both with respect to party representation and arbitrator appointments, and a well-established commercial court practice leading to an important number of pending cases before the Zurich Commercial Court and other relevant courts throughout Switzerland.
Tax: Walder Wyss’ tax specialists advise on private and public M&A, capital market transactions, IPOs, real estate, structured finance, tax-optimised financial products and investment funds.
Competition/antitrust: Walder Wyss is proficient in all aspects of the regulation of competition. The competition team regularly handles complex merger filings in Switzerland and co-ordinates them with filings in other jurisdictions. The team is routinely involved in questions of market dominance and the design of agreements that do not violate competition law.
Private clients: Walder Wyss advises high-net-worth individuals regarding domestic and international estate planning and provides tailor-made succession solutions. Its services include drafting of wills, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, particularly matrimonial property agreements, and inheritance contracts, as well as any related contractual arrangements, all of which are drawn up in close collaboration with Walder Wyss’ experienced notaries. The firm supports relocations and taking up residence in Switzerland and the planning and setting up of appropriate structures.
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Prof Dr Davide Cerutti | Counsel | View Profile | |
lic iur Stefano Codoni | Partner | View Profile | |
lic iur Stefano Fornara | Partner | View Profile | |
lic oec Marco Galli | Managing Associate | View Profile | |
lic iur Davide Jermini | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 290Languages
Croatian Dutch English Farsi French German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Italian Persian Polish Rhaeto-Romanic Russian Serbian Spanish SwedishOther
Contacts : S Codoni Contacts : D Jermini Other offices : Basel Other offices : Berne Other offices : Geneva Other offices : Lausanne Other offices : Zurich (main office)Walder Wyss Ltd. > Firm Profile
The firm: Around 290 legal experts make Walder Wyss one of the most successful and fastest growing Swiss commercial law firms. The firm specialises in corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, intellectual property and competition law, dispute resolution and tax law. Its clients include national and international companies, publicly held corporations and family businesses as well as public law institutions and private clients.
Growth and a close relationship to its clients are the factors that determine the firm’s success. Walder Wyss was established in Zurich in 1972 and has since grown continuously. With offices in Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Berne, Lausanne and Lugano, it provides its clients with seamless one-stop-shop, personalised and high-quality services in all language regions of Switzerland.
Its strong national and international network of correspondents and partners from a broad range of disciplines are selected according to the highest standards of professional competence.
Areas of practice
Banking, finance and insurance: Walder Wyss handles domestic and international banking, securitisations, infrastructure and project finance, domestic and cross-border leasing, and structured financial instruments, as well as over-the-counter and exchange-traded derivatives. Walder Wyss advises on all aspects of Swiss securities laws and regulations.
IT, telecommunications and multimedia: Walder Wyss focuses on the interlinked and converging areas of information technology, internet, multimedia, as well as media and telecommunications law. It advises on software protection, licensing issues, systems integration contracts, and data processing contracts.
Intellectual property: the firm has a wide range of experience in protecting intellectual property rights, as well as exploiting such rights by way of licensing, franchising and merchandising.
Corporate and commercial: Walder Wyss advises on and assists in the incorporation and organisation of business activities in Switzerland, including the establishment of corporations, partnerships, limited partnerships, joint ventures and non-profit organisations.
M&A, restructuring, joint ventures, IPOs and private equity: Walder Wyss handles the structuring and implementation of corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, outsourcings, shareholder agreements, takeovers, demergers, capital restructurings, repurchases of shares, management buyouts, joint ventures, reorganisations, cross-border business arrangements and other direct investment transactions. Walder Wyss advises on seed, early stage and growth financing.
Litigation, arbitration and ADR: Walder Wyss is renowned for its international arbitration and litigation practice. This is reflected both by a high number of arbitration cases, both with respect to party representation and arbitrator appointments, and a well-established commercial court practice leading to an important number of pending cases before the Zurich Commercial Court and other relevant courts throughout Switzerland.
Tax: Walder Wyss’ tax specialists advise on private and public M&A, capital market transactions, IPOs, real estate, structured finance, tax-optimised financial products and investment funds.
Competition/antitrust: Walder Wyss is proficient in all aspects of the regulation of competition. The competition team regularly handles complex merger filings in Switzerland and co-ordinates them with filings in other jurisdictions. The team is routinely involved in questions of market dominance and the design of agreements that do not violate competition law.
Private clients: Walder Wyss advises high-net-worth individuals regarding domestic and international estate planning and provides tailor-made succession solutions. Its services include drafting of wills, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, particularly matrimonial property agreements, and inheritance contracts, as well as any related contractual arrangements, all of which are drawn up in close collaboration with Walder Wyss’ experienced notaries. The firm supports relocations and taking up residence in Switzerland and the planning and setting up of appropriate structures.
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 290Languages
Croatian Dutch English Farsi French German Greek Hebrew Hindi Hungarian Italian Persian Polish Rhaeto-Romanic Russian Serbian Spanish SwedishOther
Contacts : F Gunz Niedermann (management board) Contacts : P Guillaume (management board) Contacts : M Isler (management board) Contacts : K Schott-Morgenroth (management board) Other offices : Basel Other offices : Berne Other offices : Geneva Other offices : Lausanne Other offices : LuganoLegal Developments
17 February 2017: Auris Medical’s Public Equity Offering
27th February 2017Auris Medical Holding AG (NASDAQ: EARS) issued and priced its public offering of 10,000,000 common shares and 10,000,000 warrants, each warrant entitling its holder to purchase 0.70 of a common share. The common shares and warrants are being sold in units comprised of one common share and one warrant at the public offering price of USD 1.00 per unit. The warrants will be immediately exercisable at a price of USD 1.20 per common share and are exercisable for five years. In connection with the offering, the Company has granted the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,500,000 additional common shares and/or 1,500,000 additional warrants at the public offering price less underwriting discounts. The offering is expected to close on or about February 21, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. Roth Capital Partners is acting as sole book-running manager in the offering. Maxim Group LLC is acting as a financial advisor in the offering.
Auris Medical is a Swiss biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing therapeutics that address important unmet medical needs in otolaryngology. The shares of Auris Medical trade on the NASDAQ Global Market.
Walder Wyss advises Auris Medical on Swiss law aspects of the transaction. The team is being led by Alex Nikitine (Partner, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A) and further includes Sarah Schulthess (Associate, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A), Janine Corti (Counsel, Tax) and Ayesha Curmally (Partner, Notary). Davis Polk & Wardwell advises Auris Medical on US law aspects. Cooley (as to US law) and Pestalozzi (as to Swiss law) act as legal advisors to Roth Capital Partners.
16 February 2017: Credit Suisse successfully launched its new subsidiary Credit Suisse (Switzerland)
24th February 2017Credit Suisse (Switzerland) Ltd. was incorporated with the purpose to be organized as a Swiss bank. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Credit Suisse AG. The transfer of assets and liabilities according to Swiss merger law became effective on 20 November 2016. The transfer was aimed to evolve the legal entity structure of the Credit Suisse Group to meet regulatory requirements for systematically important banks.
15 February 2017: gategroup CHF 300 mio. bond issuance
22nd February 2017gategroup successfully raised CHF 300 million through the issuance of a fixed rate 5-year senior bond with a final maturity on February 28, 2022. The bond with a coupon of 3% p.a. has been issued by gategroup Finance (Luxembourg) S.A. and is guaranteed by its parent company gategroup Holding AG. gategroup will apply for the listing of the new bond on the SIX Swiss Exchange.
14 February 2017: BASF acquires Rolic Group
22nd February 2017BASF acquires Rolic, a Swiss based group offering innovative and forward-thinking solutions, particularly in the display and security industries as well as the optical film business.
17 February 2017: RWS acquires LUZ, Inc.
22nd February 2017RWS Holdings plc, a world leading provider of intellectual property support services (patent translations, international patent filing solutions and searches), commercial translations and linguistic validation, has completed the acquisition of 100% of LUZ, Inc., a market leading Life Sciences language services provider based in San Francisco, for a cash consideration of USD82.5m.
17 February 2017: Cembra Money Bank acquires invoice financing provider SWISSBILLING SA
22nd February 2017Cembra Money Bank has reached an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of SWISSBILLING. The transaction is expected to close within the first quarter of 2017. The transaction consideration was below CHF 10 million and is expected to have a negative impact of 0.1% on the Group’s CET1 ratio as at closing.
7 February 2017: TPF closes private offering and bank financing
17th February 2017Transports publics fribourgeois Trafic (TPF TRAFIC) SA closed the financing of its maintenance and exploitation centre in the canton of Fribourg. The financing was partly made through a CHF 40 mio. private placement, a CHF 32 mio. secured bank loan and a CHF 55 mio. unsecured bank loan.
3 February 2017: Migros acquires Tipesca
7th February 2017The Migros Group, through Mérat & Cie. SA, has acquired Tipesca SA, a company incorporated in the canton of Tessin. Tipesca offers a wide range of fish products.
26 January 2017: Migros acquires majority interest in Sushi Mania
1st February 2017Bischofszell Nahrungsmittel AG, a company of the Migros Group, has acquired a majority interest in Sushi Mania SA, a company incorporated in the canton of Fribourg. Sushi Mania specialises in Japanese cuisine and Asian gastronomy.
24 January 2017: Sharp Corporation and Skytec Group Limited enter into strategic business alliance
1st February 2017Japan-based Sharp Corporation, part of Taiwan’s Foxconn Group, enters into a strategic business alliance with Skytec Group Limited (“Skytec”) regarding the manufacture and sale of Sharp branded products and services in Europe. For that purpose, Sharp acquires a majority stake of 56.7% in the newly incorporated joint venture Skytec UMC Ltd.
25 January 2017: Zug Estates CHF 100 mio. Bond
1st February 2017Zug Estates Holding AG (SIX: ZUGN) has successfully issued its first CHF 100 mio. fixed-interest bond with a 0.7% coupon and a 5-year maturity.
5 January 2017: Takeover of Pax Anlage AG by Baloîse
23rd January 2017Baloîse (SIX: BALN) is to acquire a majority stake in publicly listed real-estate company Pax Anlage AG (SIX: PAXN). By entering into agreements with majority shareholders Pax Holding (Genossenschaft), Pax, Schweizerische Lebensversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG and Nürnberger Lebensversicherung AG, Baloîse Life Ltd will acquire around 70 per cent of the share capital and voting rights. Today, Baloîse published the pre-announcement of a public takeover offer for the remaining approx. 30 per cent of shares in free float at a price of CHF 1,600 per share (subject to dilution effects). The aggregate transaction value amounts to approx. CHF 288 mio. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.
13 November 2016: Intershop acquires World Trade Center Lausanne
19th December 2016Intershop has acquired the World Trade Center Lausanne as per 1 December 2016 for a purchase price of CHF 105.5 million. The acquisition represents one of the largest real estate M&A transactions in Switzerland during 2016.
11 November 2016: Mercury acquires CES
16th November 2016Mercury Systems, a NASDAQ listed leading commercial provider of secure processing subsystems, acquires the Swiss mission computing company Creative Electronic Systems (CES).
11 November 2016: FinanceFox successfully completes Series A financing round
16th November 2016Swiss insurtech startup FinanceFox has successfully completed its Series A financing round with Target Global and Horizons Ventures as lead investors. The financing round also included the conversion of existing venture loan investments from, amongst others, Salesforce Ventures. Idinvest, Speedinvest and AngelList.
18 October 2016: Dr. Michael Cartier elected officer of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA)
11th November 2016Dr. Michael Cartier was elected as an officer of the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) for the years 2016 to 2022. Dr. Michael Cartier has previously been Chair of the IPBA TMT Committee from 2013 to 2016. The IPBA is an international association of business and commercial lawyers with a strong interest in the Asia-Pacific Region. It was established in April 1991 and has over 1400 members from over 65 national jurisdictions throughout the world.
1 November 2016: Ardian will acquire lighting Group SLV from Cinven
11th November 2016The independent private investment company Ardian has won the bidding for the Germany based lighting maker SLV. Ardian entered into an agreement with Cinven to acquire SLV. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval of the applicable anti-trust authorities.
8 November 2016: Next Generation takes over Lunchgate
11th November 2016Simultaneously with a capital increase a group of investors led by Nikolaus Wein and Yves Latour has acquired a majority stake in Lunchgate AG from its founders. Lunchgate, Switzerland’s leading restaurant platform, was founded in 2009 as ICT startup and has developed a comprehensive product portfolio for restaurateurs and gastronomy groups.
2 November 2016: Victory before the Supreme Court
11th November 2016With decision dated 6 October 2016, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court fully rejected a motion to set aside an arbitral award. The decision resulted from a dispute in the amount of about USD 35 million concerning the aviation industry.
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Changing legislation in Switzerland: The new Swiss Federal Data Protection Act and updates on cybersecurity
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