Schellenberg Wittmer

(The following information was supplied by the firm)

Firm Overview:
Schellenberg Wittmer is one of the leading Swiss business law firms. Over 150 lawyers in Zurich, Geneva and Singapore advise domestic and international clients on all aspects of business law. The firm offers a comprehensive range of services from focused advice to project management, for local or foreign companies and high net worth individuals. Schellenberg Wittmer’s Singapore office covers key jurisdictions and markets in the Asia- Pacific region, assisting clients in both inbound and outbound investments as well as in international arbitration.

Main Areas of Practice:

Dispute Resolution & International Arbitration:
Advising in all aspects of commercial litigation and arbitration, including full representation in proceedings, pre-litigation case assessment and ADR solutions, provisional and interim measures, asset tracing, as well as enforcement of arbitral awards and court judgments. Members of the group frequently sit as arbitrator.

Banking & Finance:
Advising Swiss and foreign banks, borrowers, insurance companies, fund managers and other financial institutions on the full range of legal and regulatory matters, from syndicated lending and acquisition finance to OTC transactions, structured products and prudential rules.

Capital Markets:
As authorised representatives at the six Swiss Exchange, working with domestic and foreign issuers on all aspects of Swiss equity and debt capital markets transactions, including IPOs, rights offerings, convertibles, share buy-backs, derivatives programs, bond and note issues and public tender offers.

Corporate & Commercial:
Assisting companies in all corporate and commercial matters including the establishment of businesses and corporate governance; assisting clients in drafting/ negotiating all contracts related to their businesses.

Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity & Venture Capital:
Advising on public takeovers, private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, spin-offs and restructurings, assisting with seed/expansion capital, management buy-outs/buy-ins, pre-IPO investments and various aspects of asset management for private equity and venture capital.

Employment:
Assisting in all employment-related matters, i.e. employment documentation, labour litigation, residence and labour permits, employee participation schemes, severance packages, etc.

Taxation:
Advising companies and individuals on Swiss tax law, including double taxation treaties and VAT, acting as counsel in tax litigation, as well as extensive experience in tax enforcement matters.

Private Clients & Estates:
Working with individuals and families in the global planning and structuring of their private and business assets to ensure an efficient wealth structure and enable a smooth succession from one generation to the next; representing clients in estate and trust disputes.

Restructuring & Insolvency:
Assisting creditors and companies in restructuring, bankruptcy and reorganisation proceedings as well as complex insolvency matters; serving as court or FINMA-appointed trustees, liquidators and receivers.

Trade & Transport:
Providing support in all aspects of trade and transport, including sales and import/export contracts, trade finance, marine/cargo insurance, maritime/aviation/ land transportation and ship/aircraft finance.

Real Estate & Construction:
Assisting on all issues relating to real estate and environment, including finding the best financing and investment structure, negotiating/drafting contracts to lease, purchase or sell Swiss real estate, planning/developing construction projects, contract management.

Insurance:
Representation in insurance and reinsurance-related litigation and arbitration; advising on all aspects of insurance law, including the establishment, relocation, conduct and run-off of (re-)insurance relating to activities in and from Switzerland and regulatory issues.

Intellectual Property & IT:
Advising on all areas of intellectual property, including drafting/negotiating agreements and representing clients in litigation and arbitration; assisting in structuring/negotiating IT projects and in drafting all related contracts.

Competition & Antitrust:
Advising comprehensively on merger control and the impact of Swiss and EU competition law on client commercial practices and agreements; representing clients in administrative proceedings brought by the Swiss Competition Commission.

White-Collar Crime & Compliance:
Representing companies or officers unwillingly involved in criminal investigations and proceedings; leading large scale internal investigations; advice regarding international assistance between foreign and domestic law enforcement authorities and all aspects of compliance.

Sports, Arts & Entertainment:
Advising collectors, museums, auction houses, galleries, artists, insurers, etc. in all matters relating to art works or entire collections, including sale, loan and consignment, import/export, copyrights, insurance as well as litigation; advising sports organisations, athletes and sponsors as well as media companies in all matters related to their businesses. The firm also represents clients both in prosecution and defence, in high-stake cross-border arbitration matters before various adjudicatory bodies of many sports federations, as well as before CAS. This includes violations of the WADA code, issues with media rights and sponsorship agreements, unfair competition and dismissal claims, large-scale corruption investigations, and highly disputed bids for hosting major sports events.

Life Sciences:
Advising in all aspects of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and food law, including regulatory and contractual matters such as licensing and R&D agreements; assisting clients in health law, medical malpractice and product liability matters.

Blockchain Technologies & Fintech:
Multidisciplinary and integrated team advising clients looking to take full advantage of the high potential of blockchain technology, Areas advised on include crowd-funding (preliminary analysis and set-up), incorporation of legal entities in Switzerland, initial coin offering setup, smart contracts, data protection and transaction security, tax implications, dispute resolution.

Hotels & Leisure:
Counsel to hotel chains and investors on all legal matters in the hospitality industry including acquisitions, disposals, developments, construction, litigation and M&A, leasing and operation.

International Work:
Schellenberg Wittmer has long-standing international experience in all of the practice areas. The firm advises on large-scale international M&A and finance transactions, and handles international litigation and arbitration. It has recently advised international clients on various cross-border acquisitions and recapitalisations, debt and equity capital market transactions, on establishing internationally active investment funds and on the structuring of relocations of corporate world headquarters to Switzerland.

Clients:
The firm’s clients include large and medium sized domestic and international businesses from a wide range of sectors including public and private, banks and financial institutions, industries, insurances, IT and telecommunications, life sciences, etc. The firm also advises private individuals and wealthy families from all over the world.

Managing Partner: Philipp Bärtsch
Number of partners worldwide: 44 Number of other lawyers worldwide: 116
Languages: Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish

Key Contacts

Philipp Bärtsch, LL.M., Managing Partner 

Firm Rankings

Administrative & Public Law
Band 3

6.0

Arbitration
Band 1

Banking & Finance
Band 2

8.7

Capital Markets
Band 2

8.0

Capital Markets: Debt
Band 2

8.0

Capital markets: Equity
Band 3

6.0

Capital Markets: Structured Finance
Band 3

6.0

Competition/Antitrust
Band 2

8.0

Corporate/M&A
Band 2

8.0

Data Protection
Band 2

8.0

FinTech
Band 2

8.0

Funds
Band 2

8.0

Insurance
Band 1

IP
Band 2

8.0

IP: Patents
Band 3

6.0

IP: Patents: Contentious
Band 3

7.0

IP: Patents: Transactions
Band 3

7.0

IP: Trademarks
Band 3

6.0

IP: trademarks: Contentious
Band 3

7.0

Labour & Employment
Band 2

8.0

Life Sciences
Band 3

7.0

Litigation
Band 1

Private Client
Band 1

Private Wealth Law
Band 1

Real Estate
Band 1

Restructuring & Insolvency
Band 1

9.3

Sports Law
Band 2

8.0

Tax
Band 2

8.0

TMT
Band 2

8.0

Transport
Band 1

White-Collar Crime
Band 1

Articles

New Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration

The Arbitration Committee of the International Bar Association has published revised Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest in International Arbitration (“IBA Guidelines”). The new text modernizes the previous version of the Guidelines (2014) without fundamentally amending them and will continue to be widely applied in all types of arbitrations (commercial, investment, sports, maritime, etc.). The IBA […]

Environmental, Social & Governance Law

Swiss companies and investors are navigating a rapidly changing legislative and regulatory landscape. Environment/Climate Change The Climate and Innovation Act: In June 2023, the Swiss people approved the Federal Act on Climate Protection Targets, Innovation and the Strengthening of Energy Security (the “Climate & Innovation Act”). The Climate & Innovation Act anchors a legally binding […]

Revised Rules on Management Transactions & Ad Hoc Publicity

On 1 February 2024, a revision of SIX Exchange Regulation (“SER”) regulations on ad hoc publicity and management transactions will enter into force. The amendments relate mainly to the disclosure of management transactions with related parties and to a change to the ad hoc publicity per se practice. This Newsflash highlights the most important changes […]

Custody and Staking of Crypto Assets

In its recent guidance on staking services, FINMA clarified the applicable license requirements and defined safe harbor rules for regulated staking services providers that must be met in order not to trigger regulatory capital requirements applicable to deposits. Our newsletter summarizes the regulatory environment for providing safekeeping and staking services in respect of crypto assets […]

Retrocessions and execution-only – Geneva courts deny restitution

The leading decisions of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court on restitution of retrocessions are well known (cf. notably 137 III 393 and 4A_355/2019). They have in particular clarified the following points: Firstly, the fact that the retrocessions must be returned in the case of an asset management mandate pursuant to Art. 400 of the Swiss […]

Prepared for the Foundation Board?

Recent Legal Changes and their Implications In recent years, administering foundations has grown more complex. There have been increasing regulatory requirements, the tightening of AML legislation and new developments in data protection law. This newsletter aims to provide foundations and board members with an overview of the key updates. Authors Andrea Dorjee-Good, Géraldine Ineichen PDF […]

The Added Value Levy on Real Estate

Key Take-aways The cantonal and communal provisions on the added value levy vary greatly from canton to canton. The added value levy is due not only upon the sale of a property, but also upon the realization of an added value in case of realization of a project. The collection of the added value levy […]

Implementing Reform of Swiss Insurance Supervision Laws

Untied insurance intermediaries will be subject to prudential supervision by FINMA and, as regards existing untied intermediaries, they must submit top-up documentation by 30 June 2024 at the latest. 2. The revised insurance intermediary regulation will prohibit a dual business model as insurance broker and agent by the same legal entity, which leads to a […]

New Swiss Corporate Law – First Experiences

The new Swiss Corporate Law entered into force on 1 January 2023. After the first season of shareholder meetings, many companies have amended their articles of association to comply with and make use of the new law. In this newsletter, we assess the status of the new law’s implementation. For an overview of the new […]

Green Claims: Proceedings in Switzerland

“Make taste not waste” or “the greenest way to an excellent cup of coffee” – Already in 2012, the Zurich Commercial Court assessed whether advertising with these general environmental claims (Green Claims) proves admissible under unfair competition law. Cross-sector advertising with such Green Claims is increasingly under scrutiny, with the Swiss Foundation for Consumer Protection […]

New Swiss Data Protection Law

Switzerland welcomes its new data protection law. The Federal Act on Data Protection has become effective on 1 September 2023. The new law will be more aligned with EU General Data Protection Regulation. In a nutshell, key amendments to the previous law include: No protection for legal entities any longer; Extended information obligations; Additional data […]

Partial Revision of the Cartel Act: an Overview of the Main Innovations

On May 24, 2023, the Federal Council adopted the dispatch on the partial revision of the Swiss Cartel Act (CartA). The aim is to modernize merger control, strengthen civil antitrust law and improve the opposition procedure. In addition, the examination of impact criteria will be reintroduced for hard cartels. The revision modernizes merger control. The […]

Arbitration of Patent Disputes and the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court

On 1 June 2023, the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) will enter into force, to which Switzerland is not a signatory. The UPCA not only creates the Unified Patent Court (UPC), but also establishes a Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC). This triggers the question as to the PMAC’s impact on international patent-related arbitration in […]

Court refuses to set aside award containing no reasons issued by rabbinical arbitral tribunal

In Decision 4A_41/2023, the Swiss Supreme Court refused to set aside an award issued by a rabbinical arbitral tribunal which did not contain findings of fact or reasons. The Swiss Supreme Court held that it was de facto not in a position to assess whether the alleged grounds for setting-aside were met. Anya George (Partner) […]

Arbitration of Patent Disputes and the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court

On 1 June 2023, the Unified Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) will enter into force, to which Switzerland is not a signatory. The UPCA not only creates the Unified Patent Court (UPC), but also establishes a Patent Mediation and Arbitration Centre (PMAC). This triggers the question as to the PMAC’s impact on international patent-related arbitration in […]

The Role of Attribution Science in Climate Litigation Against Companies

Attribution science is a relatively new field of research which seeks to establish a link between human-induced climate change and its impact on human or natural systems. In this report, we explore the role of attribution science in civil liability actions against companies – particularly in relation to the plaintiffs’ burden of establishing causation in […]

Tax Implications of the Corporate Law Reform

On 1 January 2023, the new Swiss company law became effective. In particular, the newly introduced capital band as well as the possibility of keeping equity in a foreign currency create tax structuring opportunities that need to be considered before any implementation. Read more Downloads PDF English PDF German PDF French

Cybersecurity – Ten Legal Commandments for Prevention

Cyberattacks are perceived as one of the biggest risks from a business perspective. With the growing threat, awareness of technical and organisational preventive measures has also increased. Legal precautions, on the other hand, are still hardly taken – wrongly, because here, too, one must be prepared for cyberattacks. Read more PDF English PDF German PDF […]

Singapore Arbitration Update

Choice of SICC and the Law Governing the Arbitration Agreement Two recent developments in Singapore may require parties seeking to arbitrate in Singapore to look even more closely at their arbitration agreements. The first relates to a November 2022 decision by the Singapore Court of Appeal in Senda International v Kiri Industries, in which the Court […]

Tax Implications of the Corporate Law Reform

On 1 January 2023, the new Swiss company law became effective. In particular, the newly introduced capital band as well as the possibility of keeping equity in a foreign currency create tax structuring opportunities that need to be considered before any implementation. Authors Michael Nordin, Tabea Elmer, Roland Wild Downloads  PDF English PDF German PDF French

Swiss Federal Council’s position on prevention of greenwashing in financial sector

On 16 December 2022, the Swiss Federal Council published its position paper on next steps to be expected regarding the prevention of greenwashing in the financial sector. Greenwashing commonly refers to any practices of knowingly or unknowingly deceiving or misleading clients or investors about the sustainable characteristics of financial products and advisory processes. We are referring for further details to […]

Ukraine – Switzerland’s adoption of EU’s eighth package of sanctions

On 23 November 2022, the Federal Council adopted the remaining measures set out in the European Union (EU)’s eighth package of sanctions against Russia which entered into force on the same day at 6 PM. The main amendments to the Ordinance instituting measures in connection with the situation in Ukraine (the “Ordinance”) may be summarised […]

Swiss Arbitration Centre Introduces Supplemental Swiss Rules for Corporate Law Disputes

On 1 January 2023, a new Article 697n of the Swiss Code of Obligations (“CO”) will enter into force, expressly allowing Swiss companies to include arbitration clauses for corporate law disputes in their articles of association. The articles of association may regulate the specifics of the arbitration proceedings, in particular by referring to institutional rules […]

Request for revision of arbitral award that dismissed corruption allegations rejected

In a French-language decision of 23 September 2022, the Swiss Supreme Court rejected a request for the revision of an arbitral award rendered in a Swiss-seated arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules. The underlying dispute arose out of several agreements transferring management control of a Croatian energy company, INA.. Read more

BIM Contracts: The Devil is in the Details

With its vast potential, BIM (Building Information Modeling) is likely to become a standard tool in planning and construction in Switzerland. The increasing interest in the use of BIM raises questions regarding how to handle the related issues in construction contracts. To address this, a number of actors in the Swiss construction industry have published […]

Legal Aspects of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

More and more electric vehicles circulate on Swiss roads. Pursuant to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of newly registered electric cars increased by over 62% in 2021 compared to 2020. Electric cars are usually charged at home at a private electric vehicle charging station. This raises various legal questions for owners of residential and […]

Regulation of Cannabis Products in Switzerland – New Developments

The increasing liberalization of the market for cannabis products in Switzerland opens new opportunities for companies. With the prohibition on the traffic of cannabis for medicinal purposes being lifted, cannabis medicinal products are likely to play a greater role in the future. Read more

Effects of the Energy Crisis on Commercial Contracts

On 5 August 2022, to increase the EU’s security of energy supply, the European Council adopted COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2022/1369 on coordinated demand reduction measures, aimed at reducing gas demand by 15% ahead of the 2022-23 winter season (the “Regulation”). The purpose of the Regulation is to contribute to the filling of storage capacities, help […]

Regulatory developments in “Sustainable Finance”

On 7 July 2022, the consultation period on the ordinance on climate reporting for large companies in Switzerland ended. The ordinance implements the recommendations of the TCFD in Switzerland and obliges the reporting of climate matters by certain Swiss listed companies and regulated market participants. Read more

Preliminary Draft on Swiss Foreign Investment Control

In May 2022, the Swiss Federal Council initiated the consultation procedure on a new legislation to screen foreign direct investment (“FDI”) in Switzerland. The proposed FDI control regulation seeks to prevent threats to public order and security as a potential consequence of foreign investors acquiring control of Swiss companies. The consultation runs until 9 September […]

Unexpected Severe Events – Learnings from the Pandemic for Swiss Law M&A Transactions

The pandemic had various impacts on M&A practitioners, one being that attorneys quickly updated their transactional documents to consider the new “normal” – a more volatile business environment. The typical general areas of concern are the definitions of the material adverse change (MAC) or material adverse event (MAE) clause (which would provide the buyer with […]

Facilitation of Withholding Tax and Securities Transfer Tax

As of 1 January 2023, there will be facilitations with regard to withholding tax and securities transfer tax. Among other things, the withholding tax on interest payments on bonds and the securities transfer tax on trading in domestic bonds will be abolished. Read more

Challenge to formal and substantive validity of arbitration agreement dismissed

In a recently published German-language decision, the Swiss Supreme Court (SSC) rejected a motion to set aside a partial award on jurisdiction based on article 190(2)(b) of the Swiss Private International Law Act (PILA). Downloads  Challenge to formal and substantive validity of arbitration agreement dismissed

Relative Market Power and Geo-Blocking: Behavioural Adjustments are Necessary

On 1 January 2022 changes in Swiss antitrust and fair-trading law has entered into force. New rules of conduct are established for companies with so-called “relative market power”, which have far-reaching effects. Also, a geo-blocking ban was introduced, which is intended to prevent discrimination. Download full PDF PDF English  PDF German  PDF French  

Swiss Federal Supreme Court Case Law of 2021 on Selected Procedural Law Issues

In this newsletter, we discuss four selected decisions of the past year, in which the Federal Supreme Court dealt with the impact of Brexit on the applicability of the Lugano Convention, the effects of the withdrawal of an action for negative declaratory relief, the appeal procedure in mutual assistance in criminal matters and the protection […]

A decision ex aequo et bono without authority may be incompatible with public policy

In a recently published French-language decision, the Swiss Supreme Court rejected a motion to set aside an ICC partial award made under article 190(2)(e) of the Swiss Private International Law Act (PILA), which allows parties to challenge awards that are incompatible with public policy. The underlying dispute concerned a share purchase agreement (SPA) governed by […]

Violations of Swiss Constitution or EU Convention on Human Rights do not amount to a violation of substantive public policy

In a recently published French-language decision, the Swiss Supreme Court dismissed an application to set aside an ICC award for alleged violation of substantive public policy. In Decision 4A_453/2021, the Swiss Supreme Court dismissed an application to set aside an award based on alleged violations of substantive public policy. The court found, among other things, […]

Why the Revised Swiss Data Protection Act Matters for International Companies

The revised DPA brings Swiss data protection law closer to the GDPR. But some differences will remain and will have to be complied with by international companies with entities or business in Switzerland, due to the revised DPA’s extraterritorial applicability. Our newsletter provides an overview and suggestions on how to ensure compliance. Authors Samuel Klaus, Roland […]

Swiss Rules of International Arbitration (Swiss Rules) 2021

1. The institution is rebranded the “Swiss Arbitration Centre” – arbitration agreements referring to SCAI or the chambers of commerce remain valid and binding. 2. The revised Rules entered into force on 1 June 2021 and apply to all arbitration proceedings which are initiated on or after that date, unless the parties have agreed otherwise. 3. […]

Press Releases

Schellenberg Wittmer is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Partners and one new Counsel

We are very happy to announce that Charles Goumaz has been appointed Partner in our Dispute Resolution and White-Collar Crime practices, Roland Wild has been appointed Partner in our Taxation practice, and Sebastian Coulon Bauer has been named Counsel in our International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution practices. Click here to browse their profiles and find […]

02 Feb 2024
Schellenberg Wittmer announces new Partners and Counsel

Please join us in congratulating our new Partners and Counsel: We are very happy to announce that Charles Goumaz has been appointed Partner in our Dispute Resolution and White-Collar Crime practices, Roland Wild has been appointed Partner in our Taxation practice, and Sebastian Coulon Bauer has been named Counsel in our International Arbitration and Dispute […]

26 Jan 2024
Schellenberg Wittmer advises Teylor AG on its cooperation with Taurus SA

Schellenberg Wittmer acted as Swiss counsel to Zurich-based Teylor AG (Teylor) on its cooperation with Taurus SA (Taurus) regarding the issuance of privately placed structured notes (the Notes) to be used to finance SME private debt. The Notes shall be issued via an issuance vehicle incorporated in Luxembourg in the form of ledger-based instruments in […]

02 Jan 2024
Schellenberg Wittmer advised ams-OSRAM AG

On 11 December 2023, SIX Swiss Exchange-listed ams-OSRAM AG, Premstätten, Austria, a worldwide leader in intelligent sensors and emitters, completed a capital increase by way of a rights offering, raising gross proceeds of approximately CHF 781 million. The new shares have been listed and admitted to trading on SIX Swiss Exchange. The banking syndicate was […]

02 Jan 2024
Advised Santhera on the sale of its Raxone®/Idebenone business

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG on the sale of its Raxone®/idebenone business for all indications worldwide to Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. The transaction replaces the existing license agreement between the two companies entered into in 2019. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Chiesi acquired all assets and certain liabilities related to idebenone in […]

13 Oct 2023
Advises BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA on Equinix’ bonds issuance

Schellenberg Wittmer advises BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA in the placement of Equinix’ debut Swiss bond issuance. BNP Paribas (Suisse) SA acted as Swiss paying agent and, together with Deutsche Bank AG London Branch, acting through Deutsche Bank AG Zurich Branch, as joint lead managers in the successful placement of CHF 300 million 2.875% bonds due 2028 issued by Equinix Europe 1 Financing Corporation LLC. […]

13 Oct 2023
Schellenberg Wittmer Marks 10 Years In Singapore

Continues to grow international arbitration services in Singapore, Asian markets Top-tier Swiss law firm Schellenberg Wittmer announced that its Singapore office – which also functions as a regional hub – marked 10 years of presence in Singapore. Over this period, it has grown its international arbitration business while assisting clients with inbound and outbound investments. […]

18 Sep 2023
Caster Semenya successful before European Court of Human Rights

In Semenya v Switzerland, App No 10934/21(ECtHR), the European Court of Human Rights issued a Chamber judgment in which it held, by a narrow majority, that Switzerland had failed to afford former Olympic champion, Caster Semenya, sufficient procedural safeguards when she unsuccessfully challenged an award of the Court of Arbitration for Sport before the Swiss Supreme […]

11 Aug 2023
Further challenge in long-running Palestinian casino project dispute dismissed

In Decision 4A_446/2022, the Swiss Supreme Court refused to set aside an award in a long-running dispute regarding a casino project in Palestine, finding that the arbitral tribunal did not disregard the res judicata effect of a prior award and therefore did not violate procedural public policy. Downloads  Further challenge in long-running Palestinian casino project […]

09 Aug 2023
Award set aside for admitting a time-barred request for disqualification of an arbitrator

In Decision 4A_100/2023, the Swiss Supreme Court set aside a CAS award for having wrongly admitted a time-barred disqualification request based on article 190(2)(a) of the Private International Law Act. Downloads  CAS award set aside for admitting a time-barred request for disqualification of an arbitrator

09 Aug 2023
Acted as co-counsel for Sosei Heptares

Schellenberg Wittmer acted as co-counsel for Sosei Heptares on its acquisition of Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd’s pharmaceuticals business in Japan and APAC. Sosei Group acquired all shares of Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Japan Ltd and Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Korea Co., Ltd. The Transaction also included the assignment of the license on the lead product PIVLAZ® (clazosentan), and all territorial […]

07 Aug 2023
Advised Santhera on the sale of its Raxone®/Idebenone business

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG on the sale of its Raxone®/idebenone business for all indications worldwide to Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. The transaction replaces the existing license agreement between the two companies entered into in 2019. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Chiesi acquired all assets and certain liabilities related to idebenone in […]

07 Aug 2023
Advises Sentinal Group on financing of European helicopter leasing platform

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Sentinal Leasing AG on its latest ordinary capital increase with a total issue amount of CHF 20 million as well as on the financing of investments by its two Irish subsidiaries, Sentinal Leasing One Ltd and Sentinal Leasing Two Ltd, aimed at establishing a European helicopter leasing platform. The platform focuses on […]

10 Jul 2023
Advised Swisscanto Private Equity on the Series B financing of Distran

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Swisscanto Private Equity in the CHF 8.3 million Series B financing of the leading innovator in ultrasonic camera technology Distran. The funding will be deployed to fuel the company’s growth and advance its cutting-edge ultrasonic camera technology, as well as diversify its product portfolio and tap into new markets. The Schellenberg Wittmer […]

10 Jul 2023
Advises OC Oerlikon on bond issuance

Schellenberg Wittmer advised OC Oerlikon on its placement of CHF 340 million dual-tranche senior unsecured bonds. OC Oerlikon, a global leader in surface engineering, polymer processing and additive manufacturing, has successfully placed two series of senior unsecured bonds consisting of CHF 220 million 2.875% bonds due in 2026 and CHF 120 million 3.250% bonds due […]

06 Jun 2023
Advised Geneva based Thematica SA in obtaining its FINMA license

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Geneva based Thematica SA in obtaining its FINMA license as manager of collective assets with the Swiss Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (FINMA). The team of Schellenberg Wittmer was led by Caroline Clemetson and included Joane Etienne (Banking and Finance – Investment Management), Kevin Laurent and Sophie Bastardoz (Corporate).

06 Jun 2023
Advises CargoRoll in a secured EUR 135 million financing transaction

On 3 March 2023, CargoRoll AG, Lucerne, a freight wagon portfolio company managed by Reichmuth & Co Investment Management, closed a EUR 135 million facilities agreement with a syndicate of renowned financial institutions led by UBS Switzerland AG acting as original lender, arranger, agent and security agent. Schellenberg Wittmer acted as Swiss legal counsel to […]

06 Apr 2023
Schellenberg Wittmer advises Credit Suisse on its strategic partnership with Taurus

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Credit Suisse on its strategic partnership with Taurus and on its investment as lead investor in Taurus’ Series B financing round. Taurus is the leading digital asset infrastructure provider for financial institutions in Europe. The strategic partnership with Taurus is a cornerstone of the Swiss Bank division’s digital assets strategy with the […]

28 Feb 2023
Schellenberg Wittmer advises Axpo on the sale of its stake in Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Axpo Solutions AG on the sale of its 5% stake in Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) to TAP’s shareholders Enagás and Fluxys for EUR 210 million. Fluxys acquires 1% and Enagás 4%. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and closing is expected in the second half of 2023. TAP operates the natural […]

03 Feb 2023
Julie Raneda becomes Managing Director of Schellenberg Wittmer Pte Ltd in Singapore

Schellenberg Wittmer is pleased to announce Julie Raneda as the new Managing Director of the firm’s Singapore office. Julie, a leading arbitration practitioner, takes over this role from Christopher Boog, who has been the Managing Director in Singapore for the past six years. Christopher will continue to split his time between the Singapore and Zurich […]

03 Feb 2023
Schellenberg Wittmer advised IFF on the sale of its savory solutions business to PAI Partners

Schellenberg Wittmer acted as Swiss legal counsel to International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF) on the sale of its savory solutions business to PAI Partners (PAI). The transaction values the business at approximately $900 million which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. […]

03 Jan 2023
Schellenberg Wittmer advised 50% shareholders of Schätzle Group on sale of their share

The Alfred Schätzle family sold its 50% participation in the Schätzle Group, a local group of energy companies and part of the AVIA network, to the Robert Schätzle family, now holding 100% of the Schätzle Group. Schellenberg Wittmer advised the Alfred Schätzle family in this transaction. The team was led by Oliver Triebold (overall lead, Corporate/M&A) and […]

03 Jan 2023
Schellenberg Wittmer advised the sellers in the tie-up of sustainability consultancy leader Quantis with BCG

Schellenberg Wittmer acted as lead counsel to the shareholders in the cross-border sale of sustainability consultancy leader Quantis International SA to The Boston Consulting Group, Inc. Quantis was founded in 2006 and has since grown to more than 250 environmental experts and transformation specialists primarily based in Europe and the U.S. Our team consisted of Christoph Vonlanthen (overall […]

03 Oct 2022
Schellenberg Wittmer launches ESG Practice Group and ESG Disputes Reporter

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) considerations are becoming a top priority for businesses across all sectors, and are on the agenda of every board member, executive, in-house counsel and compliance officer. As a leading Swiss business law firm, Schellenberg Wittmer has been following this trend closely. Our lawyers have extensive experience in helping businesses navigate […]

01 Sep 2022
Schellenberg Wittmer advises Julius Baer Group Ltd on its sale of Fransad Gestion SA

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Julius Baer Group Ltd on its sale of Fransad Gestion SA, a major Swiss independent wealth manager, to the management team of the independent wealth manager (MBO) and an industrial partner. The transaction, which was executed on 1 June 2022, follows the decision of Julius Baer to reduce the complexity of its […]

28 Jun 2022
Schellenberg Wittmer advises Credaris AG on its acquisition of credit intermediary Milenia SA

Schellenberg Wittmer advised Credaris AG on its purchase of credit intermediary Milenia SA. The acquisition will create a new player in the consumer loan market with around 80 employees in Zurich and Lausanne arranging an annual loan volume of approximately CHF 400 million Read more

28 Jun 2022
Switzerland – Schellenberg Wittmer wins “Law Firm of the Year

Schellenberg Wittmer has been recognized as law firm of the year: Switzerland, at The Lawyer European Awards 2021 for the second year in a row. This marks a prestigious win and a wonderful conclusion to the firm’s 20 years celebrations. Schellenberg Wittmer was awarded by the jury for its market position and constant striving for […]

22 Dec 2021
Schellenberg Wittmer New Partner and Counsel

We are extremely pleased and proud to announce Grégoire Tribolet as Partner in our Banking & Finance practice, Giulia Marchettini as Counsel in our Dispute Resolution practice, and Katherine Bell as Counsel in our Dispute Resolution and Construction practices, as of 1 January 2021. Grégoire Tribolet specializes in banking & finance, and advises banks, asset managers […]

18 Jan 2021
Schellenberg Wittmer wins “Law Firm of the Year – Switzerland” at The Lawyer European Awards 2020

Schellenberg Wittmer has been recognized as law firm of the year: Switzerland, at The Lawyer European Awards 2020. This marks a prestigious win, accompanying the firm also celebrating its 20 year anniversary of high-standing in the legal market , – consistent with the awards that celebrate excellence across the European legal market. Leading firms across […]

18 Jan 2021

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