Banking and finance law is at the core of our practice

Banking and Finance
For over 30 years, banking and finance law has been at the core of our practice.
We advise financial intermediaries – including banks, insurance companies, securities firms, fund managers, wealth managers and trustees – on a full range of regulatory and contractual issues.

Team members

Banking and Finance

For over 30 years, banking and finance law has been at the core of our practice.
We advise financial intermediaries – including banks, insurance companies, securities firms, fund managers, wealth managers and trustees – on a full range of regulatory and contractual issues.

Our Banking & Finance team brings together seasoned lawyers with deep industry expertise and a constant focus on market and regulatory developments. The depth of experience of our Banking & Finance Group, combined with the sophistication and quality of the matters we handle, positions our firm among the leading players in Switzerland in this field. Our team is regularly recognized for its expertise and the excellence of its services.

We provide forward-thinking, strategic counsel grounded in in-depth regulatory knowledge, extensive practical experience, and a thorough command of market practice. Building long-term, trusted relationships with our clients is central to our approach. We are known for the dedication of our experienced lawyers, our responsiveness, and our ability to efficiently mobilize multidisciplinary teams and foreign counsels when matters require cross-border coordination.

Members of our team regularly speak at professional conferences and deliver training for the Swiss Bankers Association, the Swiss Association of Wealth Managers, and the Fund Academy.

Banking and Financial Regulation / Financial Services and Regulatory

We guide financial institutions and individuals through every stage of their regulatory journey – from initial structuring and licensing to ongoing compliance, restructurings and mergers.
Our services include:

Licensing and authorizations of banks, securities firms, fund managers, branches and representative offices of foreign groups, independent wealth managers and trustees
Structuring and registration of Swiss and foreign counsels
Anti-money laundering compliance
Regulatory advice and support in audit processes
International administrative assistance
Advice relating to the Berne Financial Service Agreement

Financing

We advise lenders and borrowers on securities-backed loans, trade finance, and commercial loans. Our expertise extends to syndicated loan transactions. We are particularly recognized for our in-depth knowledge of security interest-related issues and our ability to coordinate efficiently with foreign counsel in jurisdictions where the security interests are located.
Our services include:

Asset, commercial, and real estate financing
Syndicated loans transactions
Trade finance
Margin and Lombard lending
Structuring and enforcement of pledges and other security arrangements

FINMA Enforcement and Criminal Proceedings in Regulatory Matters

We advise financial institutions and individuals in FINMA enforcement proceedings as well as related criminal matters. Our firm is regularly appointed by cantonal and federal authorities in connection with investigations and prudential proceedings. We also act as CDB-appointed investigators, nominated by the Board of the Swiss Bankers Association.
Our expertise covers:

Advice in FINMA enforcement proceedings against banks, fund managers, wealth managers, trustees, and individuals
Regulatory compliance and organizational restructuring
Criminal proceedings in prudential matters
Market abuse and price manipulation cases

Financial Litigation

Financial disputes are increasingly complex, requiring deep knowledge of financial products, industry practice and regulatory framework. Our decades of experience, a track record of numerous judicial proceedings in which we have been involved, particularly before the Complex Cases Chambers, and our thorough understanding of the regulatory environment make our team a leading player in this field.

Our positioning regularly leads to appointments as counsel or Swiss law experts in high-profile financial disputes before international commercial courts, including the London High Court, the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts, the Irish High Court, and the Singapore International Commercial Court.
Our services include:

Financial disputes relating to asset management, wealth management, financial products, distribution, loans, and trade finance
Strategic pre-litigation advice and risk management
Enforcement of guarantees and security interests
Swiss law advice and expert opinions in foreign proceedings

Collective Investment Schemes and Similar Structures

We provide comprehensive advice on the structuring, authorization, distribution, and ongoing operation of collective investment schemes and similar vehicles, both in Switzerland and internationally.
Our services include:

Structuring, taxation, and registration of Swiss investment funds, and approval of foreign investment funds in Switzerland
Authorizations for custodian banks, fund management companies, fund managers, and representatives of collective investment schemes
Offering of collective investment schemes and structured products
Coordination in the structuring of foreign investment vehicles
Contractual structuring relating to distribution, asset management, custodian banking, representation, fund management, and SICAVs

Publications

AMLA and criminal liability of companies in cases of money laundering

Since its introduction into Swiss law on 1 October 2003, corporate criminal liability has given rise to little published case law, making its application uncertain.