Prager Dreifuss Ltd.

Chairman: Daniel Hayek

Management Committee: Daniel Hayek, Dr Hans-Ulrich Brunner, Dr Gion Christian Casanova

Number of partners: 15

Number of lawyers: 43

Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Swedish, Afrikaans

Firm Overview: 

Prager Dreifuss is a Swiss independent full-service law firm with over 40 years of experience in commercial law. With offices in Zurich, Berne and Brussels, and experience ranging from M&A and venture capital, competition law, insurance law, banking and finance to dispute resolution, insolvency and restructuring, private clients and tax, the firm is ideally placed to assist international and domestic clients in a wide range of legal matters.

Main Areas of Practice: 

Banking & Finance:  

5 partners, 12 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Good business performance requires a healthy capital base. Prager Dreifuss specialises in cross-border financing and advises investors and companies in choosing the right financing structure ensuring professional implementation. The firm pioneered syndicated loans in the Swiss market in terms of leveraged finance and project finance transactions in a variety of sectors (such as technology, communications, automotive, chemicals and transport).

Contact: Daniel Hayek  

Email: [email protected]  

Capital Markets:  

4 partners, 7 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Presence on the capital market entails significant legal and financial risks, commanding high levels of attention from management. Prager Dreifuss advises issuers as well as banks and financial services providers in complex and international capital market matters. The firm’s lawyers are recognised as expert issuer’s representatives by SIX Exchange Regulation. Prager Dreifuss supports companies with IPOs and advises listed companies in stock exchange matters (e.g. ad-hoc publicity, disclosure of management transactions).

Contact: Prof Dr Urs Bertschinger  

Email: [email protected]  

Competition & Regulatory Matters:  

2 partners, 5 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Prager Dreifuss has internationally recognised experience in competition law and regulatory matters. The firm regularly represents companies in antitrust and merger control proceedings before the Swiss competition authorities and supports its clients with compliance in sales and licensing matters, cooperative ventures and other aspects of competition law. The firm’s excellent knowledge of EU competition law facilitates collaboration with law firms abroad in multijurisdictional matters.

Contact: Prof Dr Philipp Zurkinden  

Email: [email protected]  

Corporate & M&A & Venture Capital:  

7 partners, 14 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Acquiring companies, M&A and restructuring measures are important strategy measures for entrepreneurs and investors. Legal due diligence, negotiating transaction contracts, setting up acquisition vehicles and optimising capital and tax structures lies at the core of Prager Dreifuss’ practice, drawing on excellent interdisciplinary knowledge in tax, competition, banking, employment and intellectual property law. Debt-, mezzanine- and equity-financing of venture companies and token sales constitute another area of expertise.

Contact: Dr Andreas Moll  

Email: [email protected]  

Dispute Resolution:  

8 partners, 15 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Prager Dreifuss has many years of experience in litigating complex international commercial disputes, including as sociated criminal proceedings, judicial and administrative assistance procedures and asset recovery and is equally at home in international arbitration procedures. Whether pretrial or in appeal procedures at Prager Dreifuss clients will find a skilled and motivated expert dispute resolution team.

Contact: Dr Urs Feller  

Email: urs.feller@prager-dreifuss. com  

Employment & Pensions:  

4 partners, 9 fee earners based in Switzerland  

A company’s employees are its most crucial resource. Prager Dreifuss advises all stakeholders in personnel and regulatory issues enabling productive employment relationships. The firm offers tailor-made solutions in the area of HR and during corporate restructurings. It also advises clients in the establishment of appropriate compensation structures.

Contact: Ralph Butz  

Email: ralph.butz@prager-dreifuss. com  

IP & IT:  

1 partner, 3 fee earners  

Innovation facilitates growth but invariably attracts illegal imitators. Prager Dreifuss advises public and private companies on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious media and intellectual property law. The firm also has significant experience in the area of entertainment and sports licensing and advises on information technology law.

Contact: Ralph Butz  

Email: ralph.butz@prager-dreifuss. com  

Insolvency & Restructuring:  

3 partners, 10 fee earners Imminent insolvency is a particular challenge for companies and investors, creditors and contractual partners. Negotiating skills and profound knowledge in M&A are called for. Prager Dreifuss advises banks and other financial institutions, corporate debtors and governing bodies on issues arising in connection with insolvency, reorganisation or restructuring. The firm represents creditors in litigation, registering, acquiring accounts receivable or enforcing disputed claims relying on its extensive experience in financing and M&A.

Contact: Daniel Hayek  

Email: [email protected]  

Insurance & Reinsurance:  

4 partners, 9 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Prager Dreifuss has unsurpassed experience in Swiss and international insurance and reinsurance law and is one of the leading providers in this field. Its attorneys advise insurers and reinsurers on national and international matters involving contract law and regulatory issues, a key practice focus being processing complex claims, ranging from claim examination and coverage assessment to claims handling and representation before courts and arbitration tribunals.

Contact: Dr Christoph Graber  

Email: christoph.graber@ prager-dreifuss.com  

Private Clients:  

4 partners, 12 fee earners based in Switzerland  

High net-worth individuals are personalities with unique, strong and frequently complex life plans. Professional advice on the preservation, administration and transfer of assets during and beyond their lifetime enables clients to focus on the things that matter to them. Prager Dreifuss has a long tradition of excellence in this field marked by a partnership based on stability and mutual trust.

Contact: Ralph Butz  

Email: ralph.butz@prager-dreifuss. com  

Real Estate & Construction  

5 partners, 9 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Real estate development requires a wide range of skills. From the initial vision until the keys are handed over, Prager Dreifuss offers experienced assistance in the fields of real estate transactions, service and contractor agreements and insurance for the construction and property. The firm’s references include prominent hotel projects and complex property developments. Prager Dreifuss advises architects, engineers and planners as well as entrepreneurs, landowners, project developers and property operators.

Contact: Dr. Hans-Ulrich Brunner  

Email: hans-ulrich. brunner@prager-dreifuss  

White Collar Crime & Investigations  

4 partners, 9 fee earners based in Switzerland  

Prager Dreifuss represents companies falling victim to white collar crime. The firm advises governing bodies in complex criminal proceedings, and supports clients discreetly in internal investigations (e.g. corporate governance, insider trading, money laundering, corruption), servicespartnered with extensive experience in complex asset recovery cases.

Contact: Dr. Urs Feller  

Email: urs.feller@prager-dreifuss. com