Operating in Bär & Karrer Ltd.‘s Geneva office, Saverio Lembo and Andrew Garbarski lead the white-collar crime group, which advises across the full spectrum of alleged business crimes. Zurich-based Eric Stupp, Joel Fischer and Andreas Länzlinger head the crisis management and internal investigations team, which demonstrates significant prowess in managing cross-border mandates. Basel-based Claudia Götz Staehelin and Oliver M. Brupbacher round out the team’s leadership, contributing their vast expertise in the life sciences and healthcare sector to the practice, having joined from Kellerhals Carrard in April 2023. Other key undertakings for the team, regarded as a ‘leader in Switzerland’, include corporate governance, compliance processes and regulatory issues, alongside a host of others.

Utilising its cross-border expertise, Homburger’s ‘very skilled’ practice provides considerable know-how to clients seeking assistance with criminal investigations and proceedings, extracting knowledge from other strong practice areas at the firm, including its banking, corporate and IP departments. Vastly experienced co-lead Flavio Romerio is a strong choice for large-scale internal investigations mandates, and fellow co-lead Claudio Bazzani incorporates a diverse multitude of internal and regulatory investigations as well as compliance issues in his arsenal of skills. Bazzani is praised for his provision of ‘tactically smart advice’ to clients. Alongside them, Marcel Dietrich’s commercial, public and administrative law experience is regularly capitalised on by Swiss and foreign governmental agencies.

Counting corporations, financial institutions and boards of directors in a diverse and impressive client roster, Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd advises on the full gamut of regulatory, compliance and investigations mandates. Notable work for the group includes criminal liability in insolvency situations, white-collar crime work and a variety of regulatory proceedings. Peter Burckhardt and Benjamin Borsodi co-helm the practice, with the former being noted for his business crime expertise and the latter bolstering the team with expansive experience in international legal assistance, corporate investigations and asset tracing. Clara Poglia, George Ayoub, Louis Burrus and Paul Gully-Hart are other key names in the team.

‘Very competent and experienced’ Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG advises clients on a full spectrum of regulatory, compliance and investigations matters, encompassing complex multijurisdictional mandates that entail anti-bribery, data privacy and regulatory enforcement issues. Zurich-based practice head Christoph Kurth contributes his wide-ranging experience across a host of cross-border criminal and regulatory issues to the team, and Geneva-based practice head Simon Ntah is esteemed in the white-collar crime realm. Philippe Reich principally focuses on trade compliance, international trade and regulatory and foreign investments.

Combining ‘legal excellence, client focus and ethical conduct’, Kellerhals Carrard maintains a strong presence in the banking and life sciences sectors, and is consistently instructed by a varied client roster to advise on white-collar crime, internal investigations and crisis management and compliance. Its comprehensive ESG desk adds further depth to the team’s diverse capabilities in this arena. Daniel Lengauer, Michael Daphinoff and François Micheli jointly steer the team. Lengauer is regularly entrusted by clients to advise on the implementation of compliance management systems, while Daphinoff specialises in white-collar crime, internal investigations and administrative investigations. Micheli is vastly experienced in managing international cases of criminal economic law. In April 2023, Claudia Götz Staehelin and Oliver Brupbacher departed the firm.

With an extensive client roster that encompasses corporations, senior managers, NGOs and ultra-high net worth individuals, ‘diligent, knowledgeable and experienced’ LALIVE demonstrates significant strengths in internal investigations such as money laundering and cybercrime as well as compliance and regulatory matters that include corporate governance, risk and compliance management systems. Alexander Troller’s comprehensive range of knowledge extends from financial matters to estate and inheritance disputes, while Daniel Lucien Bühr notably focuses on investigations, best practice risk and compliance management. White-collar crime expert Simone Nadelhofer and business and human rights Sandrine Giroud utilise their considerable experience in litigation to strengthen the practice. Further enhancing the litigative capabilities of the team is Matthias Gstoehl, who specialises in complex domestic and multi-jurisdictional proceedings.

With a core understanding of white-collar litigation, ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Lenz & Staehelin‘s regulatory practice has expanded to cover banking and regulatory compliance investigations and a significant range of antitrust issues. Marcel Meinhardt is a key contact for antitrust and competition investigations, with a wealth of experience in international and national investigations. Dominique Müller leads the investigation team in Zurich and is a prominent presence in the realm of banking and finance, while Valérie Menoud specialises in banking, financial services and corporate law. Hikmat Maleh is a strong choice for clients in the white-collar crime, asset recovery and investigations space, and Astrid Waser is well-versed in workplace misconduct and environmental investigations. Shelby R. du Pasquier is another key name to the practice.

With expertise in multi-jurisdictional and cross-border matters, Niederer Kraft Frey AG‘s wide-ranging experience encompasses the insurance, medical and fashion sectors, among others, with particular strengths in handling white-collar related mandates. The team’s capabilities have been strengthened by the firm’s new office in Geneva, with white-collar experts Myriam Fehr-Alaoui and Nicolas Kuonen joining the team in January 2023 from Python and Tavernier Tschanz respectively. ‘Fantastic’ joint practice head Juerg Bloch is entrusted by clients to manage white-collar criminal defence matters and internal investigations, with fellow practice head Philipp Candreia fielding a strong practice that includes various investigations as well as enforcement matters concerning prudentially regulated institutions.

With a varied multitude of governmental bodies, states, banks and financial institutions in its client roster, ‘exceptional’ Pestalozzi fuses its expertise across governmental investigations, corruption, financial fraud and liability claims to provide a comprehensive regulatory and investigations service that traverses multiple jurisdictions. ‘Standout’ Christophe Emonet spearheads the team with his notable experience in asset recovery and cross-border bankruptcies. Another key contact is Michael Kramer, who bolsters the practice with his considerable expertise in commercial litigation and arbitration. Nicolas Herren is noted for his in-depth capabilities surrounding banking and commercial disputes.

Routinely operating for a range of Swiss banks, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan (Schweiz) GmbH is particularly active in handling international white-collar crime investigations, leveraging its international network to do so. Managing partner Thomas Werlen and Jonas Hertner helm the practice, with the former possessing a strong presence in the financial sector and the latter’s capabilities including the full gamut of commercial litigation.

Recommended for its ‘profound understanding of the industry’s complex regulatory landscape’, Wenger Vieli Ltd utilises its interdisciplinary approach to assist clients with an extensive array of compliance and regulatory matters, as well as investigations. The practice frequently deploys its considerable knowledge in the financial services, energy, life sciences, and technology sectors. Co-lead Michael Mráz is vastly experienced in advising clients on criminal and investigative proceedings, while fellow co-lead Martin Peyer demonstrates prowess in financial sector related matters.