Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG offers a full service with a particular strength in regulatory matters. The team advised various financial institutions on the new economic sanctions connected to the current war in Ukraine and has played an active role in advising industry players in the implementation of the new Finance Services Act and the Financial Institutions Act. Other practice areas include acquisition finance, asset finance, and financial restructuring. Samuel Marbacher, who specialises in syndicated lending and real estate financing, and Markus Wolf, who has extensive experience in advising on multijurisdictional leveraged acquisition, both head the team. Another key team member is Lukas Glanzmann who plays an active role in advising financial creditors on complex financings.

Bär & Karrer Ltd. advises high-profile national and international clients including banks, asset managers, fintech companies, and other financial institutions. The team is active across a range of issues including regulation of distributed ledger technology and enforcement proceedings for shareholding disclosure rules, anti-money laundering, and unauthorised banking. Eric Stupp heads the team and regularly advises clients on regulatory matters, enforcement proceedings, and financial transactions. Other core names within the team include Ralph Malacrida who specialises in M&A and corporate financial transactions and Peter Hsu who regularly advises domestic and international banks and fintech businesses on cross-border regulatory and contractual matters. With a special focus on fintech, Daniel Flühmann is a key contact who regularly advises financial innovators and established market participants. Capital markets and finance expert Lukas Roesler specialises in advising various actors involved in financial transactions.

Homburger advises several high-profile clients on financial transaction matters and takes an active role in the development of new legislative acts such as the new Swiss Financial Services Act and the new Swiss blockchain legislation. Benedikt Maurenbrecher heads the team and has expertise in a broad range of transactions such as bonds, secured and unsecured lending. Jürg Frick heads the financing and investment products team and focuses on international high-yield bond offerings and structured financing. Daniel Haeberli’s practice focuses on secured lending, syndicated debt, and structured financing. Other core team members include Stefan Kramer, whose focus is on asset-based and structured finance, René Bösch who regularly acts as senior advisor to banks and was involved in the crafting of the new Swiss Financial Services Act and Benjamin Leisinger, who specialises in financing transactions.

Full-service firm Lenz & Staehelin  ‘boasts a wealth of experience’ in all banking and finance matters including refinancing transactions, sustainability-linked financings, acquisition financings, growth company financings, and financial restructurings as well as regulatory matters, fintech work, and issuing legal opinions. Practice head Marcel Tranchet has extensive expertise in syndicated financings, bond offerings, and derivatives. Structured and lease finance specialist Patrick Hünerwadel has a broad regulatory practice with a focus on financial institutions and financial market infrastructures. Patrick Schleiffer has a special focus on financial market law and financial services regulation. Martin Burkhardt is an expert on banking-related disputes.

Niederer Kraft Frey AG advises high-profile clients on a broad range of banking and finance matters such as regulatory compliance and enforcement, banking litigation, banking insolvency, and financing transactions. The practice is headed by the ‘renowned and well-respected’ Sandro Abegglen whose practice covers bank and financial service regulatory law, complex contractual work, blocking statutes and KYC/AML regulations, and civil contentious matters. Marco Häusermann specialises in international financing transactions whilst Bertrand Schott focuses on financial services regulations. Philipp Candreia handles investigation and enforcement matters and Thomas A Frick has a key focus on syndicated finance. Other key team members include Adrian Koller and Philip Spoerlé.

Corporate law firm Advestra has extensive expertise in finance, M&A matters, capital markets, financial services, and tax. The firm often collaborates with specialists from other firms. Rashid Bahar has in-depth knowledge of the regulation of financial services whilst Alexander von Jeinsen handles complex financing transactions. Sandro Fehlmann advises domestic and foreign insurance companies, banks, securities dealers and other financial intermediaries on a wide range of regulatory and corporate matters. Annina Hammer advises on financing transactions, including syndicated credit agreements and cash pooling arrangements.

Kellerhals Carrard’s expanding team advises high-profile domestic and international clients, including banks, securities firms, asset managers and insurance companies with asset management entities on a wide range of banking and finance-related areas such as financial regulation, investment banking, complex financing transactions, and asset management. The team assists various fintech projects from advising start-ups on the digitalisation of processes to supporting large banks with the structuring of their NFT offerings. Team head Luca Bianchi has a special focus on capital market transactions and the regulation of financial services. Cornelia Stengel has extensive expertise in fintech and regularly advises innovation projects on digitalisation issues. Dominik Oberholzer specialises in financial markets, capital markets, and anti-money laundering matters. Armin Kühne advises clients on asset management, insurance matters, and anti-money laundering matters.

MLL Legal is well placed to advise on complex financing structures, financial market infrastructures, securities and asset management, fintech, real estate investment products, anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and structured products. The team is led by Catrina Luchsinger Gähwiler, who advises clients including banks, investment funds, and payment systems operators on regulatory matters, and Daniel Schoch, who has a special focus on complex syndicated loans, structured finance, and acquisition finance. Dunja Koch has expertise in all aspects of corporate and finance law whilst Alexander Vogel is specialised in banking and finance, financial regulatory, and M&A relating to financial market participants. Karin Oberlin, Samuel Ljubicic, and Reto Luthiger are further key team members.

Pestalozzi ‘has an excellent and comprehensive understanding of banking and finance’ assisting clients with domestic and cross-border finance matters, commodities trade financing, and regulatory enforcement. Team lead Oliver Widmer advises domestic and international banks, financial institutions, wealth managers on banking, finance and capital markets matters, while Urs Kloeti focuses on regulatory, anti-money laundering, compliance, and finance. Andrea Huber specialises in asset management, fintech, internal and regulatory investigations, and enforcement proceedings. Markus Winkler advises financial services providers on reviewing existing or setting up new processes and investment techniques while Niku Gholamalizadeh handles an array of regulatory and licencing matters.

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd advises on regulatory matters, such as the establishment and licensing of financial institutions as well as supporting clients on transactional matters, including syndicated loan facilities and structured finance transactions. The practice is headed by Philippe Borens whose main practice areas are the regulation of financial intermediaries, equity, and debt capital markets. Anita Schläpfer advises finance institutions and corporate clients on domestic and cross-border acquisition finance whilst Caroline Clemetson handles requests with FINMA for securities firms and fintech banking licenses. Olivier Favre focuses on derivatives, structured finance, and capital markets transactions.

VISCHER‘s ‘pragmatic, intellectually rigorous and strategic’ team advises on a broad range of banking and finance issues including general debt finance, corporate financing transactions, regulatory matters, fintech, and banking litigation. The team is headed by Adrian Dörig who is experienced in advising life sciences enterprises and debt fund lenders on debt financing transactions and other structured finance transactions. Markus Guggenbühl specialises in capital market transactions related to debt, equity, and hybrid financial instruments as well as debt financing and financial services regulations. Jana Essebier has extensive expertise handling derivatives, structured instruments, and other financial instruments. Stefan Grieder advises banks, securities traders, and asset managers on supervisory law matters.

Wenger Vieli Ltd is highly active in both financing matters and financial services regulation. Advising on complex regulatory matters and licensing procedures, the team has a deep understanding of the Swiss financial regulatory landscape as well as extensive experience in cross-border situations. Andreas Hünerwadel is head of financing and has a focus on cross-border financing transactions and advising financial institutions on regulatory matters. Martin Peyer heads the financial services practice group and is equipped to advise on digital asset-related matters. Bignia Vieli has expertise in advising financial service providers on supervisory and contractual matters. Other key team members include Alessa Waibel who focuses on regulatory advice to banks and other financial services providers. Daniel S. Weber moved to Barandun AG.

Wenger Plattner advises banks, asset managers, and securities dealers on regulatory issues and acts on their behalf in dealings with Swiss regulatory bodies and self-regulatory organisations, such as FINMA and SIX Swiss Exchange. The team also assists clients with the setting up of investment funds, drafting agreements, licenses and permits, and financing transactions. Practice head Filippo Th. Beck regularly advises entrepreneurs, companies and individuals on contract law, asset structuring, and compliance as well as acting as an investigating agent for banks and financial institutions. Oliver Künzler has expertise in private equity and venture capital transactions and financings.

The ‘experienced, commercially-minded’ team at Bratschi Ltd assists clients with regulatory matters, applications for licenses, internal investigations, structuring financing transactions, and DLT-related work. Team co-head Reto Arpagaus advises and represents banks, insurance companies, and financial intermediaries in all banking and finance-related matters. Ivo Hungerbühler, who also co-heads the team, has extensive expertise in banking litigation which includes cross-border cases and investigations by regulatory bodies. Barbara Jecklin regularly advises domestic and international banks on acquisition finance, structured finance, and syndications.

Considered a ‘true banking and banking litigation boutique firm’, Buis Bürgi AG advises and represents companies, private individuals, financial service providers, banks, and asset managers with all banking, finance, and corporate related matters. Practice head Eric Buis has extensive experience representing clients in high-value disputes arising from private equity transactions, bank transfers, and securities deliveries before the Swiss federal courts. Other key team members include Jeremias Widmer, Daniel Juri, and Luca Angstmann.

CMS von Erlach Partners Ltd.‘s ‘responsive and experienced’ team advises Switzerland-based and global financial institutions, funds, industrial enterprises and other companies on the full range of banking & finance matters. Kaspar Landolt, who heads the team, is experienced in acquisition finance, corporate lending, real estate finance, project finance and asset finance, the issuance and offering of financial instruments, and applying for regulatory licenses. Fintech expert Tina Balzli specialises in banking and financial markets. Matthias Kuert and Dominique Gemperli are further recommended.

Litigation firm LALIVE represents ‘top tier clients’ in disputes related to structured or derivative products, mismanagement of assets, improper execution, and fraud. the team also advises and represents banks on issues relating to compliance and regulatory matters, financial transactions, securitisation, and new technologies. The practice is led by André Brunschweiler and Dominik Elmiger. Christian Exner is also a key team member. Simone Nadelhofer and Matthias Gstoehl joined Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd in September 2024.

Loyens & Loeff has considerable experience advising multinational enterprises, investment managers, private equity funds, and listed companies on finance matters, including acquisition finance, asset-based finance, and structured finance, as well as regulatory compliance, cross-border financial services, and asset management. The team utilises its international network to assist clients with cross-border matters and is headed by Judith Raijmakers and Christine Hohl, who both specialise in financing transactions and debt issuances.

Prager Dreifuss AG advises investors and companies on financing structures, in particular cross-border project and transaction financing. In addition, the team also represents lenders and borrowers in the negotiations of credit facilities regarding leveraged finance and project finance transactions in the agrochemical, communication, and transport industries. The team is led by Daniel Hayek, who has experience advising major US and German banks in acquisition finance transactions and in the recovery of distressed debt, and Andreas Moll, who specialises in corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. Urs Bertschinger is an expert in financial market regulation and financial products.

Staiger Attorneys at Law Ltd act as an outsourced legal department for several Swiss banks, foreign bank subsidiaries, and asset managers, with particular strengths in regulatory compliance, establishing financial service providers, and liquidation of financial institutions. The team is headed by Désirée Wiesendanger, who specialises in banking and financial markets law. Philipp Känzig represents clients in complex international disputes, in particular in the areas of insurance law, banking law and insolvency.

Boutique firm burckhardt Ltd has a special focus on finance and is well versed in all aspects of a financing transaction, from the legal implications, tax issues, and notarial requirements. The team is co-headed by Janusz Marty, who specialises in structured finance transactions, seed, venture and growth equity financings, and Stéphane Konkoly, who has extensive expertise in asset finance and the financing of movable assets through cross-border leasing.

Eversheds Sutherland AG has strengths in cross-border regulatory matters, enforcement proceedings, internal investigation, anti-money laundering, and classic banking law. The team regularly advises banks, securities dealers, collective investment schemes, asset managers, and financial market infrastructures on various issues such as establishment, licensing, and compliance. Team co-head Ludovic Duarte advises financial institutions on regulatory, contractual issues, enforcement proceedings and internal investigations. Sibil Melliger, who also co-heads the team, has a special focus on the intersection of traditional finance and emerging technologies, such as cryptocurrency and blockchain.

Künzi Hess MacNab provides ‘cooperative, uncomplicated and very professional’ legal, regulatory, and compliance advice for players in the financial services industry such as banks, asset managers, and financial services platforms. The team is headed by Eva Künzi Peditto, My Chau Bachelard, and Martin Hess with Jillian MacNab and Saskia Cruchon being key team members.