Private Clients
Our private clients practice provides comprehensive legal and tax advice to individuals and their families in Switzerland and around the world on all aspects that can be relevant to their personal and financial affairs. Our team has recognized expertise and vast experience in complex asset structuring and restructuring, estate planning and matrimonial agreements, international inheritance litigation and matrimonial property disputes, family governance, relocations including work and residence permits and philanthropy. Our clients appreciate our pragmatic, creative and solution-oriented advice. Beyond our several working languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian), our multicultural mindset and empathic approach allows us to understand the issues of our clients. We efficiently communicate in various jurisdictions and successfully collaborate with advisors worldwide. We offer a talented and intergenerational team and a first class global referral network of private client lawyers and other advisors.
Our team offers you access to experts in the following areas:
Our lawyers, public notaries and tax experts have broad experience earned through working cross-border with affluent families over many generations.
“A family is more than its members, it is their meaningful connection.”
MoreWe recognize that for our clients wealth preservation and asset protection are paramount. We endeavour to help them achieve this and regularly work on structuring and re-structuring of their worldwide assets and the protection of their interests in a clear, transparent and efficient manner.
“Be creative, be modern and stay one step ahead.”
MoreOur team supports clients in all matters concerning marriage, matrimonial property, divorce and issues involving children.
“The past is given; the future is yet in your power.”
MoreOur team assists families with family governance and the implementation of tools for the efficient transfer of wealth and control of family businesses.
“If you understand your values, you are likely to make the right decisions.”
MoreWe deeply care for philanthropy and understand its importance to further human development and protect our planet. Several team members serve on a pro bono basis on the board of Swiss charitable foundations supporting international and domestic charitable projects.
Our umbrella foundation “Sombrilla”, a tax exempted Swiss charitable foundation subject to the supervision of the Federal Foundations’ Supervisory Authority, offers our clients the possibility of channeling their philanthropic endeavors in a cost and tax efficient manner.
“Philanthropy is not about money, it is about the privilege of giving back and humanity.”
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Team
- Frédéric Cottier
- Walter Häberling
- Marcel R. Jung
- Thomas Nabholz
- Reinhard Oertli
- Dmitry A. Pentsov
- Philippe Prost
- Dimitri M. Rotter
- Julien Tron
- Maud Udry-Alhanko
- Julie Wynne
- Martin Ammann
- Oliver Arter
- Eric Haymann
- Nicolas Junod
- Bernard Lachenal
- Jean-Marie Vulliemin
- Daniel Bloch
- Tomás Navarro Blakemore
- Catherine Kavadze
- Melanie Müller
- Noemi Bünter
- Imane Kacem
- Thaís Obrist-Bdine
- Alexandre Fokiadès
- Maryam Hassan
- Fabienne Häusermann
- Lisa Margot
“I do not hesitate to recommend them to my clients as the level of service and expertise is second to none”
Publications
Covid-19 crisis – Succession planning and planning for incapacity
MLL-News, 17 March 2021- EN
- Patricia Guerra
- Maud Udry-Alhanko
- Joanna Metaxas
The impact of Brexit for UK nationals considering moving to Switzerland
MLL News, February 2021- EN
- Julien Tron
- Joanna Metaxas
Organtätigkeit in Sitz- und Holdinggesellschaften, EXPERT FOCUS (02/2021), p. 66-71
- DE
- Oliver Arter
- Benjamin Dürig
Impact of the pandemic on perceptions of wealth across several jurisdictions with a focus on wealth tax
Panelist at the Private Client Global Elite membinar, 10.2.2021- EN
Firm News
Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2022 recommends MLL Legal
Patricia Guerra and Julie Wynne will be speaking at the Private Client Forum Americas 2022 in Mexico on 13 and 14 July 2022
Cornelia Mattig and Imane Kacem have been promoted to senior associate
“Fiducie, trust et gestion de patrimoine” conference | 12th May 2022
BILANZ and Le Temps 2022: MLL continues to feature as a highly recommended law firm in Switzerland
News Portal
Entry Into Force of “Marriage for All” on 1 July 2022: What Changes?
26 September 2021 marks a historical turning point in terms of rights for the LGBTIQ+ community. On that day, Swiss citizens said yes to “marriage for all”, following developments in neighboring countries in recent years.
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New Swiss Inheritance Law: Entry into force planned for 1 January 2023
The Swiss parliamentary chambers approved the new inheritance law on 18 December 2020. No referendum has been requested for the proposed amendment[1] within the referendum deadline, which expired on 12 April 2021, the Federal Council has accordingly decided at its meeting on 19 May 2021 that it would enter into force on 1 January 2023.
MoreCovid-19 Crisis – Succession Planning and Planning for Incapacity
The second wave of Covid-19 in the fall of 2020 and the resurgence of the virus in several places in Europe and the world at present, as well as the slow vaccination process, has shown that the virus is not yet under control and that it may still take us a long time to go back to a new normality. The pandemic has given us time to reflect, prioritize and take up projects that were on stand-by because of our busy lives. Many clients have had time to dedicate to solving family matters and have approached us to set up or review their estate planning and to establish mechanisms to protect them and their families in case of incapacity. Broadly speaking, this includes last wills, durable powers of attorney, patient decrees or living wills and any practical or legal measures which can be set up to organise one’s affairs in the event of death or durable incapacity.
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The Impact of Brexit for UK Nationals Considering Moving to Switzerland
One of the consequences of Brexit is that the bilateral Agreement on the Free Movements of Persons between Switzerland and the EU no longer applies to the UK as from 1st January 2021. UK nationals are as a result no longer regarded as EU/EFTA nationals but as “third-country” citizens, who are subject to stricter admission requirements for residence purposes in Switzerland.
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Amendment of Inheritance Law – Must I Adapt My Existing Will or My Contract of Inheritance?
On 29 August 2018, the Swiss Federal Council presented a proposal for a first partial amendment of Swiss inheritance law. The purpose of drafting the law is the adjustment of inheritance law to new societal forms of cohabitation and making corporate succession regulations easier. Of great practical relevance in the case of estate planning is that the previous mandatory portion claims of the descendants are reduced.
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