Baker McKenzie’s ‘very reliable and proavtive’ real estate transaction group has a strong focus on real estate M&A, corporate real estate, and real estate investment schemes. Head of the Geneva practice, Charles Gschwind advises domestic and international clients on asset deals, large-scale portfolio transactions, and the acquisition of real estate. The Zurich team is led by Samuel Marbacher who has a key focus on real estate transactions, including environmental matters, Lex Koller issues, and real estate financing. Other key team members include Alexander Wyss, who also advises domestic and international clients on cross-border and national real estate and corporate transactions, and Martin Furrer, who has special expertise in advising international clients on large real estate.

Bär & Karrer Ltd. advises on all areas within real estate and construction, including on traditional real estate transactions, public and private construction law, environment law, and permits. Practice head Corrado Rampini has ‘profound market and legal knowledge of the Swiss real estate market’ with a specialisation in asset deals, capital market transactions of listed real estate companies, and the acquisition of real estate companies as well as IPOs. Daniel Bader has extensive experience in international and intercantonal real estate matters, while Daniel Leu advises private and family offices on the handling of estates, and in connection with foundations and trusts. Rocco Rigozzi focuses on real estate transactions.

Bratschi Ltd’s practice offers regional coverage and profound expertise in a variety of real estate matters including transactions, litigation, arbitration, and public and administrative matters. The team is co-led by Markus Aeschbacher, who has longstanding consultancy and litigation experience in the field of construction and real estate law, and Thomas Schönenberger, who focuses on real estate transactions and contractor agreements. The team was strengthened with the expertise of eight new hires in 2023, six of which are partners. Notable team members include Ion Eglin, Ulrich Keusen, and Marco Colombini.

Lenz & Staehelin advises private and institutional investors, developers, public authorities, contractors and financial institutions on a wide range of project development matters. The team is involved in both advisory and contentious construction-related work including contract and project structuring, public procurement strategies, and operation and maintenance agreements. The Geneva office is headed by Cécile Berger Meyer, who has extensive experience advising clients on the purchase, sale, and structuring of real estate as well as administrative law matters. Beat Kühni, who handles all real estate related issues such as transactional work, financing, and complex international industrial revamping projects, co-heads the Zurich team.

MLL Legal’s expanding team regularly advises its high-profile clients on a wide range of real estate matters including the acquisition and sale of properties, project development, financing, construction, and real estate litigation. The Zurich team is headed by Wolfgang Müller who has extensive expertise advising non-swiss investors on the acquisition and sale of real estate and real estate portfolios. The Geneva team is headed by Philippe Prost who specialises in construction projects and real estate litigation. The team also benefits from Cosima Trabichet-Castan’s rental law expertise. Other key team members include Walter Häberling  and Catrina Luchsinger Gähwiler.

Niederer Kraft Frey AG’s real estate group advises on property acquisition and investment, construction projects, and the management and leasing of property. Andreas F Vögeli, who heads the Zurich team, has a key focus on real estate transactions, sale and lease back transactions, and hotel and leisure projects. The new Geneva real estate team is led by Marc Iynedjian, who joined from Python in January 2023. Iynedjian has significant experience in advising various private and institutional investors in asset or share deals. The Zurich team is supported by Annina Fey who has extensive expertise handling construction disputes and queries, and Oliver Zbinden who has a special focus in tenancy law and public construction and zoning law.

Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd’s practice group has extensive experience in both the commercial and residential property markets, advising on construction law, environmental law, tax, and administrative law matters. The team has niche expertise in serving the hotel industry, often handling complex international purchasing and the sale of property. Geneva-based team head, Yves Jeanrenaud, has considerable know-how advising domestic and international clients on drafting and negotiating property contracts. Josef Caleff, who heads the Zurich team, advises clients on all types of complex real estate transactions, including large commercial leases, contractor agreements, and development projects.

Walder Wyss Ltd.‘s expanding team advises all types of real estate investors and high-profile international corporations in complex transactions. The Basel, Berne, and Lugano offices also provide notarial services to their clients. The team is headed by Francis Nordmann, who handles transactional issues as well as leases, and litigation and arbitration; Johannes A. Bürgi, who regularly advises foreign wealth management funds on real estate matters; and Christian Eichenberger, who has a focus on real estate development.

BianchiSchwald LLC acts on a wide range of real estate matters including the management of assets, urban and mobility planning, and the preservation of historical monuments. The Geneva team is headed by Yves de Coulon, who has extensive expertise in the hotel industry and regularly advises and represents institutional and private clients on civil and administrative issues. Marc Metzger, who heads the Zurich team, has expertise as counsel to private real estate investors and construction companies.

CMS von Erlach Partners Ltd. provides legal advice to both domestic and international clients on all aspects of real estate transactions, from acquisition and development to financing the sale of properties. The Zurich team is headed by Stefan Gerster, who has extensive experience in hotel and entertainment centre investments, and Sibylle Schnyder, who has a particular focus on real estate acquisitions and divestments. Olivier Carrard advises clients on commercial real estate transactions and co-heads the Geneva team together with Sidonie Morvan, who has expertise in tenancy law and real estate-related litigation. At the associate level, Thomas Zweifel and Delphine Di Nolfi are names to watch.

Kellerhals Carrard’s team provides comprehensive advice on construction-related disputes and regularly uses its experience with the federal, state, and local level governments to develop and structure its major construction projects. Team head, Bernd Hauck, focuses on private construction law, namely contractual agreements and related disputes, and often litigates in Swiss court cases governed by German law. The team benefits from the particular expertise of its members; for example, Isabelle Romy uses her extensive expertise in environmental law and ESG considerations and Christoph Jäger has a focus on public procurement and public law in the construction sector. Livio Marelli supports the team on construction matters in the education and transport sectors.

Pestalozzi handles real estate matters in various industry sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, and consumer goods. It has expertise in due diligence reviews, contract negotiations and drafting, obtaining construction permits, and zoning law matters. Michael Lips heads up the ‘excellent’ team with his extensive knowledge in leases, sales, pledges, and building contract rights. Paola Wullschleger’s main areas cover litigation, tenancy law, and environmental law. Larissa Rickenbacher has a particular focus on public law issues in the real estate market.

VISCHER is a full-service law firm that provides advice on all Swiss legal and tax matters in the real estate market. The team has extensive knowledge in handling the development of urban housing projects, including zoning, parceling, land register matters, and notarial matters. Roland M Müller , who focuses on advising complex real estate transactions and investments, co-heads the practice group with Maxime Chollet, who has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating agreements for real estate-related issues. Andreas C Albrecht supports complex real estate projects with special expertise in planning and zoning law. Raphael Butz leads the team in litigating planning and construction disputes, conflicts in connection with real estate transactions as well as landlord-tenant disputes.

Wenger Plattner’s full-service practice is active in the whole life cycle of real estate property, from development and permit disputes to the sale or lease of the property. Placidus Plattner heads the team and has extensive expertise in representing investors and developers as well as entrepreneurs, landlords, and tenants in both public and private proceedings. Beat Stalder’s focus is on advising clients on planning, construction, and business administration matters. Other key team members include Gaudenz Schwitter, Thomas Wetzel, and Fritz Rothenbühler.

Homburger offers a full-service real estate practice covering transactional work, contractual and regulatory aspects of property development, construction, and leases. The team draws on the expertise of its regulatory, financing, capital market, and tax groups. The practice is headed by Daniel Hasler, who has a focus on transactional and corporate work in the real estate market, and Stefan Gäumann, who has extensive knowledge in real estate and construction matters. A notable team member is Marcel Dietrich, who specialises in advising and representing his real estate clients in administrative and public procurement matters. At associate level, Olivier Bühlmann focuses purely on transactional real estate matters.

LALIVE’s practice combines its advisory and dispute resolution experience in real estate, construction, and infrastructure projects to best support its domestic and international clients. Both with a focus on complex infrastructure and construction project disputes, Bernd Ehle and Joachim Knoll co-head the Geneva team. Sam Moss, who regularly assists clients with the management of construction claims and contracts, heads the Zurich team. Michael Schneider’s main areas of practice are disputes involving states and corporations in construction, industrial engineering, and infrastructure projects.

Mangeat Attorneys at Law LLC advises developers, real estate companies, investors, architects and private clients on various real estate and constructions issues including real estate development, financing and securitisation, permits for acquisitions of real estate, and sale and leaseback transactions. Pierre Rüttimann, team co-head, focuses on securitisation and development of residential portfolios. Joël Chevallaz, who also leads the team, has expertise in sale and leaseback transactions and construction projects.

Prager Dreifuss AG’s broad field of expertise includes real estate transactions and financing, service contracts for major construction projects, and commercial leases. The team is headed by Hans-Ulrich Brunner, who has extensive knowledge in construction business operations and architecture and engineering practices. Raphael Keller supports the team in advising domestic and foreign clients in litigation and enforcement matters. Other key team members include Bernhard C. Lauterburg  and Lydia Patrizia Buchser.

Wenger Vieli Ltd offers a broad range of advice in all phases of real estate and construction project development including transactions, administrative disputes and proceedings, development, planning, and commercial lease. The practice continues to develop its regulatory and technical knowledge in the construction and architecture fields. Practice head, Roman Heiz has extensive expertise in real estate transactions, including property purchase contracts and sale and lease backs. Sophia Hartwig, who represents clients in tenancy law and construction and real estate law, and Nadine Zanetti, who advises both domestic and international companies in private and public construction matters, both support the team.

Blum & Grob Attorneys at Law Ltd’s team has extensive experience advising on real estate acquisition and financing transactions, complex sale and lease-back transactions, construction projects for all stakeholders, and tenancy law for owners and tenants of business premises. David Schwaninger, who has a focus on real estate transactions and building projects, co-heads the team with Gian Marchet Kasper, who specialises in real estate acquisition and financing transactions. Construction and real estate litigation specialists, Hans-Ulrich Kupsch and Adrian Hirzel also co-head the practice.

burckhardt Ltd’s real estate practice, which also includes three civil law notaries, is headed by Mark Eichner, who has notable expertise in establishing, managing, and liquidating structures for transnational trusts and estate and succession planning, and Daniel Tobler, who advises private clients on matrimonial property and inheritance law matters, and supports clients in private and foreclosure law matters relating to real estate. Jacqueline Burckhardt has extensive experience handling succession issues, and international trust and estate planning. The team often draws on the expertise of specialists in different departments within the firm.

Chabrier Avocats acts for clients in the full range of real estate and construction matters from pre-development transactions to the financing and final sale of the project. The team’s practice also covers lease agreements, public procurement proceedings, and construction. Mathieu Simona, who joined in October 2022 from BianchiSchwald LLC, has expertise in real estate acquisitions by foreign clients as well as in public procurement and is involved in several projects carried out as public-private partnerships. Commercial contracts and transactions specialists Marc Gillieron and Corinne Antille support the real estate team.