FBT Attorneys at Law

Firm Details 

Partners: Michel Abt, Stéphanie Barreira, Frédérique Bensahel, Jérôme Bissardon, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Olivia de Weck, Serge Fasel, Alain Moreau, Jean-Louis Tsimaratos, Marco Villa
Counsel: Jean-Marie Kiener
Number of partners: 10
Number of other lawyers/counsels: 21
Languages: English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Spanish

Firm Overview:
Founded in 1993, FBT is a business law firm with offices in Geneva and Paris. FBT is a dynamic law firm with an undisputed reputation. It advises private and corporate clients in Switzerland and abroad with a special focus on France. FBT assists its clients with domestic and cross-border transactions in banking, tax, corporate and litigation matters.

Main Areas of Practice: 

Banking & Finance:
■ FBT has considerable experience in advising and assisting both foreign and Swiss financial institutions and in particular in helping banks and financial companies in their setting up and registration, advising clients on regulation issues, as well as drafting documentation and agreements.The B&F team is also involved in internal investigations, enforcement, financial litigation and sanctions. Its investment fund dedicated team advises Swiss and foreign investment funds as regards formation, authorisation, restructuring, distribution, taxation, and assists in the drafting of the various contractual agreements.
■ Advising a borrower in relation to a revolving syndicated credit facility agreement (matter value: over CHF 600 million) – Frédérique Bensahel, Jean-Marie Kiener, Marco Villa
■ Assisting a major Swiss insurance group in its licensing process as a collective asset management of Swiss pension schemes (CHF 6 billion of asset under management) – Frédérique Bensahel, Véronique Chatelain
■ Complex civil and criminal banking litigation (USD 360 million for the largest case) - Frédérique Bensahel, Jean-Marie Kiener

Contact: Frédérique Bensahel
Tel: +41 22 849 6040
Email: [email protected]

Corporate:
■ FBT assists companies from their incorporation and throughout their life. FBT is particularly active in the formation procedure and the drafting of the overall corporate documentation. FBT also advises and assists its clients in the negotiations as well as the drafting and implementation of agreements related to their commercial activity
■ Advising on the purchase of the share capital of a Swiss bank owned by a foreign company - Marco Villa
■ Assisting a company in disputes with a minority shareholder – Marco Villa
■ Advising various clients on the acquisition of Swiss companies - Marco Villa

Contact: Marco Villa
Tel: +41 22 849 6040
Email: [email protected]

Litigation:
■ FBT assists its clients in the framework of national and international litigation before civil, criminal, administrative and arbitration courts, particularly in the fields of banking and financial litigation, commercial litigation, civil litigation, insolvency, economic crimes, international assistance in criminal and administrative matters, employment litigation, insurance litigation and real estate litigation
■ Privileged partner of several important Geneva-based banks for more than fifteen years, Serge Fasel, Olivia de Weck
■ Defending a very well-known aviation company as well as an important handling company in two significant collective actions, Serge Fasel, Olivia de Weck
■ Representing a shipping company as well as an insurance company in multi-million arbitration proceedings, Serge Fasel, Olivia de Weck
■ Representing investment managers in litigations related to mismanagement issues and retrocessions, Serge Fasel, Olivia de Weck

Contact: Serge Fasel
Tel: +41 22 849 6040
Email: [email protected]

Tax:
■ FBT has built a highly regarded practice in the establishment and restructuring of companies and the cross-border issues thereto related, tax rulings, tax optimisation, as well as tax planning for entities. Besides, FBT has extensive experience in advising individuals, including high net worth clients, on issues related to relocation, transmission and protection of assets and the cross-border issues thereto related, as well as tax rulings, especially in relation to lump-sum taxation and taxation of trusts. FBT is also active in asset disclosure programs, tax litigation matters and mutual assistance in tax matters, as well as in the taxation of financial products, including investment funds, real estate taxation, stamp duties and withholding tax.
■ Advising the founder and principal shareholder on the sale of a company active in the new digital economy. (matter value : Over 100 million CHF) – Jean-Luc Bochatay, Michel Abt
■ Tax advice to individuals having invested in crypto currencies (matter value : Several tens of million CHF) – Michel Abt, Jean-Luc Bochatay
■ Advice on international estate planning to a Swiss-domiciled client with shares in agricultural land groups in France and with heirs in various countries (matter value: Several tens of million CHF) – Michel Abt, Jean-Luc Bochatay
■ Relocation to Switzerland of several HNWIs, mostly on ‘forfait’ basis, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Michel Abt
■ Tax advice to investment funds and managers, securities dealers and banks, Michel Abt
■ Assisting and representing clients in international administrative assistance in tax matters, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Michel Abt, Jérôme Bissardon
■ Assisting clients in disclosure programs (Swiss, French, Italian, etc.), Jean-Luc Bochatay, Alain Moreau, Michel Abt, Stéphanie Barreira, Jérôme Bissardon

Contact: Michel Abt
Tel: +41 22 849 6040
Email: [email protected]

Private Banking:
■ FBT advises HNWIs, banks, investment managers, trust companies and family offices, both in Switzerland and abroad. It assists its clients in their relocation and in the reorganization of their business assets, sets up tax efficient vehicles and seeks tax rulings both for private individuals and holding vehicles. FBT’s work includes relations with private banks, estate planning, inheritance and succession issues, real estate, tax advice regarding asset holding structures and trust issues and disputes relating thereto
■ Swiss legal advisor to several trust structures, one of which is valued more than a billion and has investments in more than 15 jurisdictions, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Frédérique Bensahel, Jean-Louis Tsimaratos
■ Advising and assisting in estate planning, in relation with the automatic exchange of information among other things, for example restructuring the holding of a major private aviation group - Jean-Luc Bochatay
■ Relocation to Switzerland of several HNWIs, mostly on ‘forfait’ basis, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Michel Abt
■ Advised members of an HNW family on a complex and high-stake cross-border tax and estate planning (matter value : 500 to 800 million CHF) – Jean-Luc Bochatay, Alain Moreau
■ Advising an HNW family on the transmission of assets including a large group with companies in several countries to their heirs (matter value : 3 to 4 billion CHF) – Jean-Luc Bochatay, Alain Moreau
■ Negotiating tax rulings on trusts, Jean-Luc Bochatay

Contact: Frédérique Bensahel
Tel: +41 22 849 6040
Email: [email protected]

International Work:
FBT advises its foreign clients on a daily basis on a number of cross-border issues and helps them with the establishment of business in Switzerland and the negotiation of tax rulings. Furthermore, FBT is highly specialized in cross-border legal and tax issues between France and Switzerland.