Whilst fielding a particularly strong banking and finance, commodity trading, life sciences and construction litigation practice, Pestalozzi is capable of advising clients across a broad range of sectors. The team, regarded as ‘creative and full of insight’, is routinely entrusted by major Swiss banks, trading, commercial and other companies in high-profile and cross-border banking disputes. Christophe Emonet, who focuses on banking and commercial disputes as well as regulatory and white-collar crime matters, and Thomas Rohner, who is notably proficient in commercial disputes and asset tracing, jointly steer the practice. Laurent Killias’s experience encompasses civil engineering, R&D and distribution matters, while Nicolas Herren strengthens the practice with his extensive contractual and regulatory knowledge. Lukas Rusch’s wide-ranging expertise includes construction, energy and post-M&A disputes.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Creative and full of insight into the difficulties that their clients face. Always concerned to consider all the options and difficulties that a case raises.’

  • ‘Christophe Emonet is a superstar who thinks through all the issues and leaves no stone unturned in finding an answer.'

  • ‘Collaborates with the client using the latest software and tools. ’

  • ‘Laurent Killias is an astute individual and a team leader. He is very business-focused. Judges like him and his reasonable approach.’

  • ‘Reliability, focus on detail, practical solutions.’

  • ‘Michael Kramer has an acute legal mind; he is able to navigate complex cases providing efficient tactical advice and practical solutions.’

  • ‘The Pestalozzi team is notable for the quality of the lawyers, at all levels, and their ability to coordinate and manage complex cross border issues.'

  • 'The firm has exceptional academic and strategic capability and consistently produces impressive results in difficult cases.'

Key clients

  • Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. and Conde Nast Publications SA
  • Bank of America
  • Banque Cantonale de Genève
  • City of Almaty
  • Coop
  • Credit Suisse
  • Deutsche Bank
  • Glencore
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • National Oil Corporation of Libya
  • Swiss Life AG
  • Turkmengas

Work highlights

  • Representing the estate of Fahad Al Rajaan in on cross-border investigations and civil claims in Switzerland and in England and Wales related to his work as CEO of the Public Institution of Social Security of Kuwait.
  • Representing Johnson & Johnson in a Swiss court brought by a leading Saudi company for alleged breach of contracts in connection with the delivery of medical goods to hospitals in Saudi Arabia.
  • Representing the City of Almaty in a very large cross-border investigation and recovery claims against the Khrapunov family.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Christophe Emonet, Thomas Rohner

Other key lawyers

Laurent Killas, Nicolas Herren, Lukas Rusch