CMS von Erlach Partners Ltd.

Competition & EU, Public Procurement, Compliance

Partner

Marquard Christen specializes in commercial public and administrative law, with a particular focus on competition (antitrust) and public procurement law, as well as regulated markets, compliance and ESG (Environmental Social Governance) matters. He heads the firm's competition and public procurement practice groups, and is a member of the global CMS competition group's steering committee.

Marquard advises Swiss and international companies on all aspects of Swiss and EU competition law (horizontal and vertical agreements, dominance abuse and economic dependence, merger control and civil antitrust law) and represents them in proceedings before competition authorities and courts. Over the past 20 years, he has gained special knowledge in various industries including automotive, construction, consumer goods, energy, IT services, payment solutions, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. In public procurement, Marquard advises on all aspects of procurement law on both a federal and cantonal level. He supports and represents bidders and procuring entities in the tender process and in appeal proceedings and advises purchasing bodies in the design and management of their tenders. Marquard also advises on other administrative law and regulatory topics, e.g. related to the energy sector or in proceedings under the Federal Act on Freedom of Information in the Administration, as well as on compliance (compliance programs, audits, internal investigations and trainings) and ESG matters (including sustainable supply chains).

Marquard joined our firm as a trainee in 2001 and continued working for CMS as an associate after being admitted to the bar in 2003. From 2009 to 2010 he worked as a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross before returning to CMS in 2011. Marquard is also an investigator appointed by the Swiss Bankers Association with regard to the enforcement of the Swiss Code of Conduct on the Due Diligence of Banks (CDB) and a member of the Expert Committee on Digitalisation of the Swiss Bar Association. He regularly lectures and publishes in his fields of expertise.

Apart from commercial law, Marquard is committed to the advancement of human rights and international humanitarian law. He is also active in the firm's pro bono engagements.

German, English, French, Spanish, Dutch

Zurich Bar Association (ZAV) Practise Group Competition Law of Zurich Bar Association Swiss Bar Association (SAV) Expert Group on Digitalisation of Swiss Bar Association Swiss Association on Public Procurement (SVöB) Antitrust Law Association (Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht)

2011 – Master of Advanced Studies (MAS), Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEI) and University of Geneva 2007 – Master of Laws (LL.M.), University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia) 2003 – Bar Admission (partial remission for excellence in written exam) 2000 – Law degree (lic. iur., summa cum laude), University of Fribourg and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium)