Homburger

Firm overview: Homburger is one of the largest Swiss law firms, with more than 160 experts. Homburger acts as trusted advisor to companies and entrepreneurs based or doing business in Switzerland in all aspects of commercial law, including on the full spectrum of corporate and financing transactions, antitrust in-court litigation and arbitration, regulatory proceedings and investigations, and tax law.

Main areas of practice
Arbitration: The firm’s multinational arbitration team has extensive experience representing clients in the field of international commercial and investment arbitration as well as with other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

Capital markets: Homburger’s capital markets practice is ranked second to none in Switzerland, advising leading domestic and international issuers on the most complex and innovative capital markets transactions, including equity, investment-grade and high-yield debt, hybrid instruments, convertible instruments, regulatory capital instruments, derivatives, structured products and securitisations. The firm has an extensive interaction and trusted relationship with regulators, providing it with in-depth expertise on regulatory issues to the benefit its clients.

Competition: The competition team advises clients on Swiss and EU competition. Homburger helps to ensure that Swiss companies remain best in class in an international context and represents clients before administrative authorities and courts, as well as in civil antitrust litigation.

Compliance: Compliance with applicable laws and regulations, as well as with ongoing reporting duties and disclosure requirements, such as relating to ESG, has become a top priority for corporations. The firm’s compliance team boasts a wealth of expertise in anti-money laundering, sanctions, anti-corruption and competition compliance.

Corporate/M&A: Drawing from a wealth of expertise acquired in the most complex takeover transactions, the corporate and M&A team offers domestic and global enterprises and entrepreneurs expert advice and support with mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity capital market transactions, private equity and venture capital.

Corporate governance: The firm has been instrumental in shaping Swiss-based and Swiss-listed companies’ best practice in the field of corporate organisation and corporate governance, including board independence, executive compensation and say-on-pay. Homburger advises more than half of the top 20 Swiss listed companies on corporate governance matters, and two partners of the firm have authored the standard-setting publication in the field of say-on-pay. Many of the governance principles developed by the firm have become best practice in Switzerland. The firm has also actively participated in the crafting of the corporate law reform that will enter into force in 2023.

Crisis management: No company is safe from unforeseeable events that could seriously affect its objectives, reputation and financial situation. Crises can arise in various forms, through employee misconduct, technical failures, sudden economic downturns, fraud, government action or leaks. The crisis management team provides immediate assistance and develops comprehensive strategies to manage crises.

Data protection: Personal data becomes exponentially more important. At the same time, the protection requirements are being tightened. As experienced partner, the firm facilitates innovative and efficient solutions. Thanks to its interdisciplinary organisation it has the necessary industry expertise always within reach.

Employment and executive compensation: The firm’s multidisciplinary employment and executive compensation team is made up of recognised specialists who advise on all areas of employment law, including regulatory issues, executive compensation, pensions, as well as taxes and social security. In addition, the firm represents companies and entrepreneurs in litigation.

Financial market regulation: Homburger’s financial market regulation team represents the interests of the Swiss market and its participants in an even more strictly regulated market, also by acting as an important voice in the drafting of new legislation. As a result, they are established experts in the field of financial market regulation and transactions, interest for complex structures and proceedings.

Financing and investment products: The firm’s financing and investment products team structures transactions, develops investment products and is familiar with national and international documentations. It takes an integrated approach – it develops tailored solutions and brings in experts from various disciplines as necessary.

Healthcare/life science: Legal advice in the healthcare/life science sector requires sector-specific expertise and an interdisciplinary set-up. The firm has both, and it advises its clients on all aspects: from legal protection and financing of a business proposition to development, production and distribution and strategic transactions.

Insurance: The firm provides dedicated advice in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and risk transfer transactions as well as in insurance and regulatory matters. The team offers client centric expertise in the insurance sector, providing dedicated advice in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and risk transfer transactions as well as in insurance and regulatory matters. This practice also focuses on insurance disputes.

Investigations: Drawing from the firm’s longtime experience in conducting investigations for client benefit, the investigations and enforcement team regularly leads complex investigations, both in international matters and in focused domestic inquiries.

IP/IT: Homburger is fascinated by technology, supporting enterprises and entrepreneurs within all aspects of technological change. The IP and IT team provides support in litigation, prosecution proceedings and transactions in all areas of intellectual property, media, IT and privacy/data protection.

Litigation: The litigation team is one of the largest and most effective in Switzerland. The firm supports its clients in the avoidance of disputes and it represents enterprises, entrepreneurs, foundations and private persons in civil and commercial matters before all Swiss courts and in administrative proceedings before Swiss authorities. Furthermore, the firm supports its clients in their litigation matters in other countries and coordinates parallel contentious matters in various jurisdictions.

Private client: The private client team offers comprehensive and bespoke advice to entrepreneurs and families. Clients include family offices, trustees, financial institutions and other service providers, foundations, members of management, as well as board of directors and foundation council members.

Real estate: The real estate team has extensive knowledge and experience in all real estate related legal matters. Thanks to the firm’s interdisciplinary approach it is able to provide comprehensive legal services to domestic and foreign real estate investors, real estate departments in all industry sectors, real estate developers and real estate investment funds, among others.

Regulatory: The increasing regulation of the markets presents a challenge for the economic growth of companies. Homburger combines its law firm’s expertise in all aspects of commercial public and administrative law to advise its clients on the legal frameworks in regulated markets in Switzerland.

Restructuring/insolvency: The restructuring/insolvency team advises clients in connection with solvent restructurings and all aspects of insolvency law. Lawyers have vast experience in representing Swiss and international clients in domestic and cross-border insolvency proceedings.

Tax: The tax team advises clients on national and international tax law, on M&A and capital markets transactions, reorganisations, corporate financings, structured finance (asset-backed, investment and property funds), re-domestications, private equity and employee participations.

Technology and digital economy: With an interdisciplinary team of tech-savvy and experienced lawyers, the firm supports clients who digitise their business models in a global and competitive environment, implement new technology and prepare their offerings for the future.

White-collar crime: The white-collar team advises and represents companies in white collar crime matters, typically involving breaches of capital market rules, fraud, insider trading, money laundering and corruption.

Managing partner: Flavio Romerio
Number of partners: 41
Number of other lawyers: Over 120
Languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Russian