Thomas Kälin
Partner, Zurich
Schiffbaustrasse 2 | P.O. Box | CH-8031 Zurich | Switzerland
Schiffbaustrasse 2 | P.O. Box | CH-8031 Zurich | Switzerland
T +41 58 552 06 50
thomas.kaelin@mll-legal.com
T +41 58 552 06 50
thomas.kaelin@mll-legal.com
Profile
Thomas Kälin heads the firm’s employment law & social security group in Zurich. As a Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law and Qualified Expert in Social Security Law, he is able to advise clients on a full range of HR related matters, including representation in front of courts and authorities. Thomas Kälin has extensive experience in cross-border employment relationships, terminations of employment, employment litigation and employment aspects of restructurings. He lectures on employment law and regularly holds seminars, presentations and workshops in his fields of expertise. His clients praise him for having a professional approach and for being efficient, pragmatic and authentic. Thomas is fluent in German and English and is conversational in French and Spanish.
Practice Areas
Industry Groups
Rankings & Awards
- “Thomas Kälin is a stand-out partner. Very fast response times, very competent with special knowledge in different areas within labour law. A lot of experience, open with advice and potential solutions” – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment, 2024
- “Thomas Kälin developed a solid legal opinion and strategy for a very complex international pension contract dispute and spent copious time with me to ensure I understood each step of the way” – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment, 2024
- “I very much appreciate Thomas for his personality, client focus and always giving the feeling of being an important client” – Chambers and Partners Europe, Employment, 2024
- “Thomas Kälin has huge know-how and he knows how to transfer it to others. He also shows different potential solutions with clear pros and cons. He is quick in responding, always delivers on time and ensures a smooth handover or takeover when he is away. Thomas is very friendly, open, professional, trustworthy and he has a good humour and great personality” – Chambers and Partners Europe, Employment, 2023
- “Thomas Kälin’s advice is always legally sound, enabling non-experts to navigate Swiss law. It is always a pleasure and fruitful to discuss with him to develop practical approaches that work for us” – Chambers and Partners Europe, Employment, 2023
- “Thomas Kälin enjoys our full confidence. He is very quick, professional and with a very high service orientation. He is a very valuable practitioner who gives us security” – Chambers and Partners Europe, Employment, 2023
- “Thomas is a really great employment lawyer who consistently delivers first-class advice” – Who’s Who Legal, Global Leader Labour & Employment, 2022
- “He is brilliant” – Who’s Who Legal, Global Leader Labour & Employment, 2022
- “Thomas Kälin continues to impress us with his skills in employment law, both as an expert in employment law as well as his experience as a litigator” – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment, 2022
- “Thomas Kälin: Very pragmatic approach, subject matter expert, broad knowledge” – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment, 2022
- “Very flexible, pragmatic, fast, with a sense of humour” – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment, 2022
- “Thomas Kälin: very responsive, can easily adapt to his audience, clear and practical advice which focuses on the relevant topics and does not get lost in minor legal topics. He clearly has experience with cross-border topics and the need of clients who are not familiar with the Swiss legal system” – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment, 2022
- “When Thomas gives advice, you can follow it,” states one client, with another one adding that he “has a very broad knowledge and is able to come up with creative solutions” – Chambers and Partners Europe, Employment, 2022
- Thomas Kälin is ranked by Leaders League in Labor Advisory and Labor Litigation, Switzerland 2022
- “Thomas Kälin is highly experienced, very smart, reliable, transparent and clear” – Chambers and Partners, Employment, 2021
Deals & Cases
- Successfully represented Allianz in proceedings before the Commercial Court of the Canton of Zurich and the Swiss Federal Supreme Court against two former general agents who asserted claims for goodwill indemnity
- Advising and representing an internationally renowned Swiss private bank in a bonus dispute in front of the Federal Supreme Court
- Advised Zalando SE, Europe’s leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle, in the acquisition of Zurich based start-up Fision AG
- Thomas advises Tesla Motors in all aspects of employment law on a regular basis and also represents the electric car producer in court proceedings
- Thomas advises and represents travel companies and clients from the insurance sector in employment and social security matters on a regular basis
- Thomas recently supported a large international corporation in a transaction involving the transfer of more than two thousand employees in Switzerland
Education & Admission
- Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law (2021)
- Qualified Expert in Social Insurance with Federal Diploma (Dipl. Sozialversicherungsexperte) (2015)
- Specialist in Social Insurance with Federal Certificate (2011)
- Admitted to the bar in Switzerland (2007)
- University of Zurich, lic. iur. (2004)
Memberships and public offices
- Swiss Bar Association (SAV)
- Zurich Bar Association (ZAV)
- Schweizerischer Verband der Sozialversicherungs-Fachleute (Region Nord-/Ostschweiz)
- International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA)
Languages
- German
- English
- French
- Spanish
Publications
Assistant
Publications
Firm News
“Thomas Kälin is a stand-out partner. Very fast response times, very competent with special knowledge in different areas within labour law. A lot of experience, open with advice and potential solutions”
