Marcel has over 20 years of litigation and trail experience in a variety of mainly international but also domestic commercial and corporate cases including representing individuals and companies in regulatory enforcement proceedings. His practice also includes representing clients in criminal matters, mainly white-collar crime cases. He has in-depth experiences in cross-border litigation and international judicial assistance issues in civil and criminal matters, particularly in asset recovery, repatriation of assets and being expert in foreign proceedings. Many of Marcel's clients have required his assistance regarding compliance, particularly anti-corruption and anti-money laundering issues, and other corporate, commercial or regulatory concerns. Long-term mandates as a board member including one of a bank provide him with the practical experiences on strategical and entrepreneurial topics. Marcel has been a partner since 2001 and obtained his law degree from the University of Zurich in 1988 and his post-graduate degree from the University of San Diego (LLM) in 1998. His working languages are German and English. Marcel is a member of the Zurich Bar Association.
Dunja Koch has expertise in all aspects of corporate and finance law, advising mainly UK and US clients with regard to Switzerland. She is the managing partner of the London office. She joined the firm in 1998 and became a partner in 2003. She regularly works on corporate and M&A deals, as well as leveraged and acquisition finance transactions, but also project, commodity and asset finance matters, including aircraft finance. Here, she acts on behalf of aircraft manufacturers, banks and leasing companies in relation to the Swiss aspects of acquisition of aircraft and engines. Her practice further covers regulatory matters, where she advises asset managers, funds, securities dealers and other financial institutions in relation to their cross-border activities in Switzerland. The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2018 recommended her as a top foreign lawyer in London. Chambers Global (2019) ranked her as leader in the fields of Banking & Finance (Switzerland) and Banking & Finance (UK). She was also specifically recommended in the 2018 edition of the Legal 500 EMEA for Transport Law matters and named one of IFLR1000’s Women Leaders- an elite cohort of the 300 leading female transactional experts in local markets globally. She is the only practitioner from Switzerland to be featured in the guide. Dunja Koch holds a law degree from the University of Zurich and a LL.M. from Queen Mary, University of London. She qualified in Geneva in 1997 and in England and Wales in 1999. She speaks German, French, English and Italian. She is registered on the roll of attorneys in Zurich and a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), Association Suisse de Droit Aérien et Spatial and the Aviation Club of the UK.
Andrea Trost's practice focuses on banking & finance and on corporate and commercial transactions. She also advises on employment law and data protection matters. She joined our London office as an associate in 2017. Prior to joining Froriep she trained with a business law firm in Zurich and worked in the compliance department of a commercial bank. She graduated from the University of Zurich and earned an LL.M. in international finance law from King's College London in 2015. She was admitted to the Zurich bar in 2017 and qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2019. Her working languages are German and English and she has a good command of French.
The 2007 Lugano Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters currently forms the basis for the reciprocal enforcement of judgments between the member states of the European Union and three countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (Switzerland, Norway and Iceland). The Lugano Convention is in essence the equivalent of the Brussels I Regulation of 2001.
Topics: Litigation
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Sabina Schellenberg joined our firm as an associate in 2009 and became a partner in 2016. She is an experienced litigator and represents domestic and foreign companies and individuals in commercial disputes before state courts of all instances and in enforcement and legal assistance matters. She is also a specialist in the fields of directors' and officers' liability law and national and international restructuring and insolvency law. After her studies at the University of Zurich, Sabina worked as a law clerk at the District Court of Zurich and was admitted to the bar in 2006. Prior to joining Froriep she was with the restructuring and insolvency department of a leading audit firm in Zurich and Basel. Sabina is a member of INSOL Europe, the International Bar Association, the Swiss SchKG Association and the Zurich Bar Association. Her working languages are German and English.
Yannik Hässig's practice focuses on international and domestic commercial litigation and arbitration as well as national and cross-border insolvency and restructuring law. Before joining Froriep, Yannik Hässig was a junior associate with a business law firm in Zurich and worked at the district court of Hinwil. Yannik Hässig studied at the University of Lucerne and graduated with a Master of Law in 2015. He was admitted to the Bar in 2018. His working languages are German and English.
On 1 January 2019, the revised Section of the Swiss Private International Law Act (PILA) regarding cross-border insolvencies entered into force. The revision became necessary as the previous regulation was criticised in particular for its protectionist elements, which also were a recurring topic in discussions with foreign colleagues and insolvency practitioners. Particularly compared to other European countries, Switzerland had apparent modernisation potential.
Topics: Insolvency & Restructuring , Litigation
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Alice Brunner is head of marketing and business development at Froriep. She is responsible for overseeing all the firm’s PR, marketing, sponsoring and events. Alice Brunner joined Froriep in 2012 and became head of marketing and business development in 2017 with 5 years’ marketing and communications experience behind her. She has worked for a global network for French trade shows and for a company that markets and represents advertising in private electronic media in the areas of television, radio, online, search engine and mobile marketing. She has a Swiss Federal Diploma in Marketing and Communications, and continuously follows courses about Social Media Marketing. Her working languages are German, English and French – and she speaks Italian as well.
We are pleased to announce that several practice groups and attorneys have been ranked by Chambers Global 2019.
Topics: Froriep Firm News EN
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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).
Thomas Zellweger is specialised in all areas of domestic and international, individual and corporate taxation. He has developed expertise in tax planning and relocation of high net worth individuals as well as on M&A transactions, reorganisations and relocations. Before joining Froriep, he worked as manager in a trust company in Zurich. Before joining the trust company he was part of the Corporate Tax Financial Service team of a large accounting firm in Zurich. Thomas Zellweger studied at the University of Zurich and graduated with a Master of Laws in 2012. He was admitted to the Bar in 2015. His working languages are German and English.
Interest rates on intra group loans are a recurring topic. The Swiss Federal Tax Administration (FTA) publishes safe harbour interest rates on an annual basis in advance. Their application will usually prevent unwelcome surprises. But there is more to be considered.
Topics: Tax
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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).
Daniela Wälchli's practise focuses on intellectual property law, commercial contracts and data protection. She has particular expertise in the negotiation and drafting of agreements in the life sciences sector and other contracts relating to intellectual property. Prior to joining Froriep, Daniela Wälchli worked for several years as a legal counsel in a leading global healthcare company in Basel and thereafter as an associate in an international law firm in Zurich. Daniela Wälchli studied at the Universities of Freiburg i.Ue, Copenhagen (Denmark) and Berne, and graduated with a Master of Law degree in 2008. She was admitted to the Berne Bar in 2011. In 2014 she obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in EU Competition Law from King's College, London. Her working languages are German and English.
Even if a contract designates "Swiss law" as the governing law, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (the "Vienna Convention" or "CISG") could in principle apply. Where it applies, the CISG takes precedence over the ordinary national laws. This is often overlooked by the parties at the time they negotiate and sign the contract, and at the point they find themselves in dispute.
Topics: Corporate & Commercial , TMT , Intellectual Property
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