Lenz & Staehelin
The roots of Lenz & Staehelin go back almost a century: the Zurich firm was founded by Conrad Staehelin in 1917, while the Geneva office was formed in 1951 by Raoul Lenz. Willy Staehelin, the son of the founder of the Zurich office, positioned the firm to attract clients who wanted to invest in post-war Europe. In the 1960s, Willy Staehelin opened his law firm to younger partners who helped him develop and successfully grow the practice.Raoul Lenz was a gifted tax lawyer, and his firm in Geneva specialised in tax matters – at the time an unusual concept. Like Willy Staehelin, Raoul Lenz recognized Switzerland's potential as a platform for pan-European investments, and he tailored his legal services to the needs of an international clientele. He, too, saw the benefits of a larger partnership, and in 1964 he joined forces with four younger partners.By the end of the 1980s, the firms in Geneva and Zurich had developed to become leaders in their respective local markets, with a focus on business law, including tax law. As local markets became more international, the two firms started discussing a possible merger to create a national Swiss law firm. They soon realized that they were a good match in terms of client base and culture, and on January 1, 1991, the new firm opened its doors under the name of Lenz & Staehelin.Since the merger, Lenz & Staehelin has built a national identity whilst maintaining the local autonomy of its offices in Geneva and Zurich. At the same time, the firm managed to ensure a smooth transition from the firm's founding generation to the next generation of partners.Corporate, banking and finance as well as litigation and arbitration have always been the main pillars of the firm's legal practice. Since the early 1990s, Lenz & Staehelin has developed new areas of competence such as antitrust law, IT, real estate, private equity, charitable foundations and, most notably, mergers and acquisitions. In recent years the firm has advised on many of Switzerland's most important M&A deals. In 2005, it advised Bank Julius Baer on the purchase of UBS's private label banking business; in 2006 it was retained by Credit Suisse to advise on the sale of Winterthur to Axa, and in the same year it advised the Bertarelli family on its sale of Serono to Merck. In 2006, Lenz & Staehelin was named Swiss Law Firm of the Year by four different organizations.The private client group is an integral part of the firm's business, and one which has a very long tradition of advising corporate and individual clients. The group gives advice on estate and tax planning for the purpose of preserving and protecting privately held assets. The team includes foreign lawyers who are internationally recognized experts in the area of trust law.Lenz & Staehelin's values have remained unchanged over the years and decades. Above all, it is dedicated to delivering work of the highest quality, and its lawyers are determined to achieve this goal through hard work. Clients find partners and associates to be understanding, straightforward and easy-going. The aim is always to provide pragmatic solutions for their clients' problems. The firm is proud of its unique and long-standing corporate culture, and is dedicated to maintaining a balanced working environment. The firm has successfully integrated three generations of lawyers, and it continues to invest in the development of its young lawyers and its staff – for the benefit of its clients.Today, Lenz & Staehelin is the largest law firm in Switzerland. But it is not just its size that makes the firm special. Thanks to its organization, the breadth and depth of its expertise and skills, and the fact that it has offices of equal size and standing in both Geneva and Zurich, few other Swiss firms can compete with Lenz & Staehelin when it comes to delivering a comprehensive range of advice on matters of Swiss business law. Lenz & Staehelin provides companies and individuals with expert advice and a full range of services in all areas of law. For each project, we bring together our specialists to create a powerful, efficient team committed to delivering the highest possible quality.Our practice groups are familiar with all aspects relating to their field of expertise and they provide a specialist focus without losing sight of our client's goal. Close cooperation between practice groups as well as frequent exchange of information and know-how form the basis of our interdisciplinary approach.The Corporate and M&A, Banking and Finance, and Litigation and Arbitration practice groups are a key component of Lenz & Staehelin’s legal practice. Together with the complementary expertise of the other practice groups, they provide a comprehensive and seamless range of legal services.The practice groups are headed by one or more partners. They consist of experienced attorneys and, depending on the area concerned, solicitors and specialists with additional qualifications. In each case, the contact for our clients is a partner who knows their needs and understands their objectives.Practice areas:- Banking and Finance - Competition - Contract and Commercial - Corporate and M&A  - Employment and Pensions - Insolvency and Restructuring - Intellectual Property - International Foundations - IT, Telecoms & Media - Litigation and Arbitration - Private Clients - Real Estate and Environment - Sports - Tax

practice areas

ArbitrationBanking LawCommercial LawCommunications and MediaContractsCorporate LawEmployee BenefitsEmployment ContractsFinanceImmigrationIntellectual PropertyIntellectual Property LicensingLabor and EmploymentLitigationMergers and Acquisitions and DivestituresPension and Profit Sharing PlansReal EstateTaxationTechnology and ScienceTelecommunications LawUnfair Competition

Reviews (0)

Log In to write a review or Sign Up if you don't have an account yet.
Describe your legal issue!