Nicola Benz’s practice is focused on technology and life sciences transactions. She assists technology companies of all sizes, from start-ups to established players, as well as investors, suppliers and customers across a broad range of industries and sectors. Nicola Benz’s expertise covers outsourcing, licensing, joint ventures and collaborations and associated intellectual property issues. She also has considerable experience advising on all types of commercial contracts, competition and regulatory issues and data protection. Nicola Benz is recognised as a globally leading patent and technology licensing lawyer, as well as a leading practitioner in the field of intellectual property. Chambers Europe (2018) ranked her as leader in the fields of Intellectual Property and Life Science, and she was recommended in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA for Intellectual Property as well as TMT matters. She has also been named as a thought leader for data law in the publication "Who's Who Legal 2018". Born in Scotland, Nicola obtained her law degree from the University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons) in 1997. She joined our firm as an associate in 2002 and became a partner in 2010. Since 2017 she has been the managing partner of our firm. Her working languages are English and German. Nicola is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the International Trademark Association (INTA), the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the International Technology Law Association (iTechLaw).
Ronald’s practice is focused on disruptive technologies. He advises Swiss and international clients as well as public entities in corporate and technology-related transactions. Ronald has in-depth knowledge of IP/IT law, in particular licensing of IP-rights, IP-transaction, financial market and contract law. He is an expert in the field of blockchain technology, crypto-currencies and crypto-tokens. Before he joined Froriep in 2017, he worked for a major global consulting firm. He was also part of the legal counsel team of a public listed pharmaceutical company at the headquarters in Switzerland and worked for its subsidiary in the United States. Ronald graduated in law from the University of Lucerne in 2011 and was admitted to the St. Gallen Bar in 2012. In 2016 he was awarded a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in business law from the Chapman University, California, United States. His working languages are German and English.
One of the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is that controllers of personal data have written contracts with each of their processors, meaning the people and entities processing personal data on the controller's behalf.
Topics: Data Protection
Read more
Nicola Benz’s practice is focused on technology and life sciences transactions. She assists technology companies of all sizes, from start-ups to established players, as well as investors, suppliers and customers across a broad range of industries and sectors. Nicola Benz’s expertise covers outsourcing, licensing, joint ventures and collaborations and associated intellectual property issues. She also has considerable experience advising on all types of commercial contracts, competition and regulatory issues and data protection. Nicola Benz is recognised as a globally leading patent and technology licensing lawyer, as well as a leading practitioner in the field of intellectual property. Chambers Europe (2018) ranked her as leader in the fields of Intellectual Property and Life Science, and she was recommended in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA for Intellectual Property as well as TMT matters. She has also been named as a thought leader for data law in the publication "Who's Who Legal 2018". Born in Scotland, Nicola obtained her law degree from the University of Edinburgh (LLB Hons) in 1997. She joined our firm as an associate in 2002 and became a partner in 2010. Since 2017 she has been the managing partner of our firm. Her working languages are English and German. Nicola is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the International Trademark Association (INTA), the Licensing Executives Society (LES) and the International Technology Law Association (iTechLaw).
Cornelia Mattig specialises in data protection and intellectual property law, as well as corporate and commercial law issues. Cornelia Mattig joined Froriep as an associate in 2018. Before joining Froriep, Cornelia Mattig trained with firms in Ireland, Germany and Switzerland as well as at the District Court of March in the Canton of Schwyz. After she passed the Bar exam in the Canton of Schwyz, she worked as a notary public and lawyer in an accounting and auditing firm. She graduated from the University of Zurich with a Master of Law (Business Law) in 2014 before obtaining her LL.M. in European Law at Queen Mary University of London in 2017. She was admitted to the Bar in 2018. She also holds a Data Protection Officer Certificate from the University of Maastricht. Her working languages are German and English.
Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), all websites that process personal data must have a link to a data privacy notice that explains what personal data is collected and processed and for what purposes.
Topics: Data Protection
Read more
Oliver Arter’s practice focuses on private clients and their advisers (banks, family offices, foreign advisers) in all aspects of domestic and international wealth planning. He also specialises in banking, asset management and regulatory matters. Oliver became of counsel in June 2009. His work involves representing and advising private clients on the structuring of assets (trusts, foundations, international business corporations), domestic and international estate planning, division of estates, execution of wills, matrimonial property rights, advance care directives and living wills, taking up residence and taxation. In addition he advises Swiss and international banks, asset managers, investment advisers and family offices on regulatory and contractual matters and represents them in proceedings. He publishes extensively in all his fields of practice. Oliver is an academic consultant with the Institute for Legal Theory and Legal Practice at the University of St Gallen, and is frequently invited to give lectures and chair conferences. Oliver Arter graduated with a law degree from the University of St Gallen in 1996 and was admitted to the Zurich Bar in 2000. His working languages are German, English and French. He is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the Swiss Bar Association, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA), the Banking Law Association (“Bankenrechtliche Vereinigung e.V,”), the Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC) and the International Bar Association. Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Chambers High Net Worth and Legal500 have ranked him for many years in a row as a leader in the field of private client.
To date, independent trustees in Switzerland are regularly not recognised as such on a supervisory basis. This will change with the implementation of a new supervisory legislation, presumably from 1 January 2020.
Topics: Private Clients , Banking & Finance , Capital Markets
Read more
Oliver Arter’s practice focuses on private clients and their advisers (banks, family offices, foreign advisers) in all aspects of domestic and international wealth planning. He also specialises in banking, asset management and regulatory matters. Oliver became of counsel in June 2009. His work involves representing and advising private clients on the structuring of assets (trusts, foundations, international business corporations), domestic and international estate planning, division of estates, execution of wills, matrimonial property rights, advance care directives and living wills, taking up residence and taxation. In addition he advises Swiss and international banks, asset managers, investment advisers and family offices on regulatory and contractual matters and represents them in proceedings. He publishes extensively in all his fields of practice. Oliver is an academic consultant with the Institute for Legal Theory and Legal Practice at the University of St Gallen, and is frequently invited to give lectures and chair conferences. Oliver Arter graduated with a law degree from the University of St Gallen in 1996 and was admitted to the Zurich Bar in 2000. His working languages are German, English and French. He is a member of the Zurich Bar Association, the Swiss Bar Association, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA), the Banking Law Association (“Bankenrechtliche Vereinigung e.V,”), the Swiss-Japanese Chamber of Commerce (SJCC) and the International Bar Association. Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Chambers High Net Worth and Legal500 have ranked him for many years in a row as a leader in the field of private client.
Daisy Vacher's work focuses on matters of Swiss immigration and the procurement of work permits for companies wanting to employ foreign nationals in Switzerland. Before joining Froriep as an attorney, Daisy Vacher spent three years working for Fragomen Global Immigration Services in Zurich. Before that she was an associate attorney with Izaguirre Law in Colorado Springs, USA. In 2006 she completed her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Arizona followed by her Juris Doctor degree from the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver in 2011. Later that same year she was admitted to the Colorado Bar. She is a native English speaker and has a good command of German, Spanish, French and Italian.
On 16 April 2018 (4A_586/2017), the Swiss Federal Supreme Court issued a decision regarding investment advice. This judgment provides us with the opportunity to present some key aspects of investment advisory contracts.
Topics: Private Clients , Banking & Finance , Litigation
Read more
Dimitri joined our firm as an associate in 2003 and became a partner in 2013. Dimitri is a very experienced tax lawyer based at the Zug office but heads also the Geneva tax practice of the firm. He has a long standing practice of corporate tax due to his background with the Big Four accounting firms. He represents clients in tax litigation cases in the Swiss Courts up to the Supreme Court. Dimitri focuses on domestic and cross border tax, including tax optimisation, and selected aspects of VAT notably for private client and their investment structures where he assists clients with regard to all related legal aspects. Special domains of expertise are aviation tax and syndicated loans. He obtained his law degree from the University of Geneva (lic. iur.) in 1990 and was admitted to the Lucerne Bar in 1993. He qualified as a Swiss Certified Tax Expert in 2002. His working languages are German, French and English. Dimitri is a member of the Zug Bar Association, the Swiss Bar Association, the International Fiscal Association, EXPERTSuisse (Swiss Institute of Certified Accountants and Tax Counsels) and of the International Tax Planning Association (ITPA).
An amended VAT brochure about aviation published on the 3rd of July 2018 by the Swiss tax administration highlights several changes concerning VAT registration in case of cross border activities with ties to Switzerland. This may affect foreign or Swiss parties to lease and purchase agreements mainly if the aircraft is located in Switzerland at some stage.
Topics: Private Clients , Tax , Aviation & Shipping
Read more
