FBT Attorneys at Law

Partners: Michel Abt, Stéphanie Barreira, Frédérique Bensahel, Michaël Biot, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Pierre-Olivier Etique, Serge Fasel, Alain Moreau, Jean-Louis Tsimaratos and Marco Villa
Number of partners: 10 Number of other lawyers/counsels: 31
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 specific regulation issues, as well as drafting documentation and agreements. 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
■Restructuring of a financial group under FINMA’s investigation, Frédérique Bensahel
■Restructuring of a bank’s fund marketing activity, Frédérique Bensahel and Pierre-Olivier Etique
■Foreign collective investment schemes’ manager, representative and distributor’s licenses, Frédérique Bensahel, Jean-Louis Tsimaratos and Pierre-Olivier Etique
■Structuring of an in-house fund of CHF 400-600 millions, Frédérique Bensahel and Pierre-Olivier Etique
■Complex civil and criminal banking litigation, Frédérique Bensahel and Pierre-Olivier Etique
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 sale of a Commercial Centre, 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 and Michaël Biot
■Defending a very well known aviation company as well as an important handling company in two significant collective actions, Serge Fasel and Michaël Biot
■Representing a shipping company as well as an insurance company in multi-million arbitration proceedings, Serge Fasel or Michaël Biot
■Representing investment managers in litigations related to mismanagement issues and retrocessions, Serge Fasel
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, VAT, stamp duties and withholding tax
■Assisting numerous clients in disclosure programs (Swiss, French, Italian, etc.), Jean-Luc Bochatay, Alain Moreau, Michel Abt, Stéphanie Barreira
■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 many clients in international administrative assistance in tax matters, Jean-Luc Bochatay and Michel Abt
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 reorganisation of their business assets, sets up tax efficient vehicles and seeks tax rulings both for private individuals and holding vehicles. FBT’s work consists of but is not limited to relationships with private banks, estate planning, inheritance and succession issues, real estate, tax, advice regarding asset holdings 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 and 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
■Advising and assisting clients in voluntary disclosures, Jean-Luc Bochatay, Michel Abt, Alain Moreau and Stéphanie Barreira
■Relocation to Switzerland of several HNWIs, mostly on ‘forfait’ basis, Jean-Luc Bochatay and Michel Abt
■Negotiating tax rulings on trusts, Jean-Luc Bochatay
■Advising and representing clients in mismanagement litigations, Serge Fasel
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 specialised in cross-border legal and tax issues between France and Switzerland.