ADB Altorfer Duss & Beilstein
Altorfer Duss & Beilstein is recommended for its established focus on tax advisory services. The tax team advises firms in various sectors, such as FMCG, mining, technology, sports, and energy. Moreover, the team has extensive experience advising banks, asset managers, and family offices. Services cover all tax areas, including dispute resolution, VAT, and structuring. M&A specialist Pascal Taddei, indirect director Britta Rehfisch, and controversy practitioner Andreas Helbing are key contacts.
The firm coordinated an asset relocation pending tax residency relocation. It also created Special Purpose Vehicles in cross-border context. Separate transfer pricing engagements included benchmarking.
Client feedback
“ADB is pragmatic and street smart in their approach. They are able to think commercially and provide concrete and tangible advises without too much ifs and buts.”
“Street smart and constructive in their approach. Always looking for the solution rather than reiterating on the problem/issue.”
Baker McKenzie
Baker McKenzie is an international law firm with a full-service presence in the Swiss market. It is reputed for its cross-border transactional services. Multi-jurisdictional expertise enables the practice to provide supply-chain reorganisations and post-acquisition integration. Wealth planning, controversy, and ICOs are complementary services for the cryptocurrency sector, alongside capital market, and pharmaceutical focus. Partner Kilian Perroulaz leads the Zurich office. Co-head Hans Koch and counsel Andrea Bolliger are notable practitioners.
The firm represented a technology multinational in a tax inquiry pertaining to corporate income and dividend withholding tax exposure. It also advised PSP Swiss Property on the conversion of its CHF 1.8 billion bond portfolio to green bonds.
Client feedback
“Baker McKenzie (Zurich office) are the leading firm for real estate transactions and tax (notably RE development projects). No other Tier 1 firm comes close to their expertise in deal structuring and tax planning for RE.”
“Can do attitude, but technical based - different to some other advisors who rather rely on the relation between client and tax administration.”
“Understand our business and the legal/tax framework very well. Proactive and to the point.”
Bär & Karrer
Bär & Karrer is an esteemed tax practice with a cross-border orientation. Its team is renowned for exceptional transactional, M&A, and capital market capabilities. Tax litigation, transfer pricing, VAT, and pensions are complementary focus areas. Co-heads Susanne Schreiber and Daniel Bader lead the practice from the Zurich office. Transactions specialist Ruth Bloch-Riemer and structuring expert Daniel U. Lehmann are fellow practitioners.
The firm advised a Swiss subsidiary in litigation against the tax authorities for a logistics company. It also provided structuring for a European investment fund.
Homburger
Homburger is a coveted international law firm with a pedigree in cross-border transactions, VAT, tax compliance, and disputes. Capital markets, blue-chip companies, and HNWI families are recurrent clients. Tax advisory service lines work collaboratively with financing teams to deliver holistic advice. Leading practitioners include Stefan Oesterhelt, Reto Heuberger, Claudia Suter, and Dieter Grünblatt.
The firm advised a UHNWI entrepreneur as international lead counsel on wealth and succession planning. It also advised on company reorganisation and succession planning in a cross-border context. Transfer pricing engagements included benchmarking, intragroup transactions, and litigation.
Client feedback
“One of the best in the market.”
Lenz & Staehelin
Lenz & Staehelin is a full-service law firm that is highly recommended for its tax practise. It covers all areas of taxation, such as tax planning, indirect tax, tax disputes, and litigation. It is a stand-alone practice and acts as support for other departments within the firm. Its senior team encompasses practice lead Jean-Blaise Eckert, restructuring specialist Pascal Hinny, and indirect partner Daniel Schafer.
The firm acted as a tax advisor to Drivetek in the sale of shares to BorgWarner. It also advised Chequers Capital and its co-investors on the acquisition of the Riri Group and subsequent add-on transactions.
Client feedback
“Lenz & Staehelin has an excellent technical level, very pragmatic approach and well explain issues and solutions.”
“Availability and professionalism.”
Loyens & Loeff
Loyens & Loeff is recommended for its tax legal services, provided by a team of lawyers and tax advisers. The firm has offices in Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg and Zurich. It focuses on international tax, transactions, private client, real estate and transfer pricing. Key contacts are partners Beat Baumgartner and Fabian Sutter.
The firm advised the North American Private Equity Group on the reconfiguration of its European holding structure with Swiss and Benelux subsidiaries. It also acted for a European chemicals group on efficient structuring, pertaining to management incentive planning.
Associates Seraina Graf, Selina Many and Pascal Hammerer joined the firm in 2022.
Client feedback
“Beat Baumgartner is incredibly responsive, extremely knowledgeable and approaches tax issues with a creative mindset, but always mindful of the client's business and commercial objectives. Selina Many is also an impressive tax attorney.”
“Technical expert with excellent knowledge of our business.”
“Extremely knowledgeable, strong pragmatism, very well organised and effective results. Team at personal level were outstanding, down to earth and always willing to help.”
“Responsiveness and high technical quality.”
“Expertise in the cross-border M&A, experiences working with companies based in Canada with foreign operations. Loyens' tax and corporate groups working collaboratively on our file, one single point of contact is also very appreciated as that organize the flow of information back and forth more efficiently. responsive and flexible to accompany client's ask. always have the right personnel and continuity on our file.”
“Very professional, involved, and creative.”
“They are extremely knowledgeable about Swiss tax and how to work the tax authorities at the cantonal level.”
“Tax knowledge, easy access, provide high quality services, proactive.”
“They are reactive, creative, they think outside of the box, always within the boundaries of what is acceptable not only from a regulatory perspective but also taking into account public perception.”
