Claudia Götz Staehelin

Practice Areas

Claudia Götz Staehelin is a partner and specialises in dispute resolution and investigations, representing and advising clients in complex domestic and cross-border court and arbitration proceedings. She is a trusted expert in internal and government-led investigations, with experience in white-collar crime, bribery, fraud, sanctions, ESG, cybercrime, and workplace incidents. She also has extensive expertise in international legal assistance, asset tracing, and compliance.

Claudia advises clients across various industries, including technology, industrial, chemical and raw materials and financial services, and has a particular focus on highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, life sciences and healthcare. With deep understanding of pharmaceutical regulatory matters, compliance risks and industry-specific disputes, Claudia is a sought-after advisor.

With over 20 years of experience, including as Head of Litigation at Novartis, Claudia navigates high-stakes disputes, regulatory proceedings and crisis management. She also serves as an arbitrator, particularly in ICC and Swiss Rules arbitrations.

Career

Partner at Nater Dallafior (since 2025), Partner at Bär & Karrer (2023-2025), Partner at Kellerhals Carrard (2018-2023), Group Head of Litigation at Novartis (2011-2018), Partner at Nater Dallafior (2007-2011), Associate at VISCHER (2002-2007)

New York University, School of Law, Vanderbilt Scholar, specialization in US litigation (2005), Admitted to the bar (2001), University of Basel: Dr. iur. (2000), University of Basel: lic. iur. (1998)

Professional Memberships

Swiss Bar Association (SAV), International Bar Association (IBA), Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), Ethics and Compliance Switzerland (ECS) (Board Member), Women in White Collar Defense Association (Swiss Chapter), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), The Sedona Conference

Publications

Various publications in the fields of investigations, litigation, white-collar crime, arbitration and life sciences. Recent examples include the below. All publications can be found on the Nater Dallafior website (https://www.ndlegal.ch/our-lawyers/dr-claudia-goetz-staehelin-ll-m):

The New In-House Privilege (Legal Insight Series on the Revision of the Swiss Civil Procedural Code), 6 December 2024

Cross-border Investigations in the Pharma Industry, in: Macaluso/Moreillon/Lombardini/Garbarski (eds.), Développements récents en droit pénal de l'entreprise V, 63 et seq., Berne 2024

Legal Privilege in Internal Investigations – Recent Swiss Federal Supreme Court Rulings, Briefing, 5 September 2024

Federal Supreme Court: No Criminal Due Process Guarantees in Corporate Internal Investigations, Briefing, 20 February 2024

Revision of the Swiss Criminal Procedural Law on the Sealing of Evidence, Briefing, 16 January 2024

Company Convicted for Insufficient Compliance Measures Against Bribery, Briefing, 2 May 2023

Herausforderungen durch Cybersecurity in der modernen Unternehmensrealität, SJZ 2022, 512 et seq.

Fraud, Asset Tracing & Recovery in Switzerland, CDR 2021

Early and Managed Access to Medicine in Switzerland, Life Sciences Recht, 3/2021, 149 et seq.

Arbeitsplatzuntersuchungen in der #MeToo-Ära, Recht relevant, 1/2020

Unternehmensinterne Untersuchungen, Schulthess Manager Dossier

Institutional Arbitration: Tasks and Powers of different Arbitration Institutions (eds., together with Karin Graf, Pascale Gola)

Amerikanisches Discovery für Verfahren im Ausland, SJZ 2006, 269 et seq.

Der Gerichtsstand der rügelosen Einlassung im Zivilprozessrecht der Schweiz, Schriftenreihe für Internationales Recht der juristischen Fakultät der Universität Basel

Personal

Languages: German, English

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Switzerland

Languages Spoken

German, English

Experience

Partner with Nater Dallafior Rechtsanwälte AG, Zurich (since 2025)

Partner with Bär & Karrer AG, Basel (2023-2025)

Partner with Kellerhals Carrard, Basel (2018-2023)

Group Head Litigation at Novartis, Basel (2011-2018)

Partner with Nater Dallafior Rechtsanwälte AG, Zurich (2007-2011)

Associate with Vischer, Basel (2002-2007)

Admitted to the bar since 2001

Education