Highlighted for its ‘unique expertise in major cases’, Homburger draws superlative praise for its capacity to handle high-profile complex transactions for blue-chip companies; the team demonstrates excellence in relation to contentious merger control proceedings, which routinely span multiple jurisdictions. The ‘knowledgeable, experienced and business oriented’ Marcel Dietrich spearheads the firm’s competition offering with his extensive experience in regulated markets such as energy, healthcare, and transport. Veteran practitioner Franz Hoffet possesses vast expertise across the full spectrum of competition and antitrust law, while the ‘fantastic’ Richard Stäuber bolsters the practice with his strengths in distribution arrangements, cooperation projects, and license agreements.

Regarded for its combination of ‘technical expertise with commercial pragmatism’, Lenz & Staehelin maintains a broad offering that extends across abuse of dominance issues, restrictive practices, and cartel investigations. Other core streams of work for the team include dawn raids and leniency issues. The practice is steered by ‘star’ lawyer Marcel Meinhardt and ‘top expert’ Benoît Merkt; the former is a tour-de-force across the sectors of insurance, banking, and energy, among others, while the latter is renowned for his strengths in managing Swiss and European merger control issues. Astrid Waser demonstrates considerable prowess on the non-contentious side, while Sevan Antreasyan possesses expertise in relation to merger control, cartel investigations and infringement proceedings.

The team at Schellenberg Wittmer Ltd is praised for its ‘excellent collaborators’, and it is especially noted for its dominance and distribution case capabilities, also demonstrating an established presence across the fields of telecoms, pharmaceuticals, and retail. Steering the department is the ‘excellent and impressive’ David Mamane, who excels at handling national and international merger control issues and routinely operates for a broad selection of clients. Amalie Wijesundera is another key contact at the firm, contributing her multi-faceted experience that extends across cartel investigations, dawn raids and leniency procedures. Peter Georg Picht and Frank Bremer, LL.M. are also recommended.

Demonstrating considerable prowess in handling a diverse range of complex transactions in the competition sphere, the ‘collaborative and client-focused’ practice at Walder Wyss Ltd. is a strong choice for clients active across a multitude of sectors, from banking and telecoms, to sport and infrastructure. Reto Jacobs, whose arsenal of skills encompasses representing clients before competition authorities and in challenging merger filings, and Monique Sturny, who possesses a strong grounding in distribution system set-ups and cooperation agreements, co-lead the team. Gion Giger is noted for his ability to handle issues at the intersect between sector-specific regulation and competition law.

Noted for its ‘extensive know-how’ and ‘high flexibility’, Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG covers the full spectrum of competition mandates, such as immunity applications, merger control filings, and distribution systems. The team is able to capitalise on its global office network that spans London, Washington DC, and other locations to strengthen its capacity to advise. The practice is jointly led by Roger Thomi, whose varied experience encompasses the structuring of horizontal cooperation agreements and setting up antitrust compliance programmes, and Boris Wenger, who actively handles a litany of cartel and dominance cases as well as merger control proceedings. Veteran practitioner Philippe Reich assists with all facets of antitrust compliance.

While notably active on the investigations side, Bär & Karrer Ltd. also fields a diverse workload that is comprised of, but not limited to, various elements of dawn raids, merger control filings, and compliance programmes. ‘True expert’ Mani Reinert, who is regarded as being ‘smart, very experienced and solution-oriented’, heads up the group with his wealth of experience in relation to the full gamut of antitrust law issues. Another name to note in the practice is Martin P. Werner, who is well-versed in handling an array of investigations and merger control proceedings. Tim Meyer is also recommended.

A team that is noted for its ‘very good business acumen’, CMS von Erlach Partners Ltd. provides its clients with a one stop shop for competition issues, and demonstrates substantive strengths within the pharmaceutical, construction, technology, and financial services sectors; the group is able to draw upon its global network to operate for multinational corporations in the competition sphere. Three key players helm the group: ‘outstanding’ Marquard Christen, who handles a significant volume of investigations, enforcement actions, and appeals, Patrick Sommer, who is well-positioned to advise on issues arising from heavily regulated sectors such as pharmaceuticals, and Pascal Favre, a capable practitioner in the context of merger controls, antitrust appeals, and internal investigations. Simone Brauchbar Birkhäuser is another name to note, pairing her competition and IP knowledge to advise a varied range of clients.

With core streams of work extending across consumer goods, banking, and insurance industries, Niederer Kraft Frey AG maintains a wide-ranging practice that encompasses merger control proceedings, joint venture agreements, and due diligence mandates, and is increasingly involved in a broad scope of investigations work. The team, which is noted for its ‘highly strategic advice and profound legal knowledge’, is helmed by Nicolas Birkhäuser, who possesses extensive expertise in relation to investigation proceedings, IP-related aspects of competition law, and merger control. Thomas A Frick strengthens the practice with his wealth of experience in compliance and investigations work, particularly within the finance industry. Other names to note in the practice include Lukas Poschung and Paloma Alcántara.

With noticeable skills in the sectors of energy, telecoms, and financial services, ‘customer-minded and creative’ Kellerhals Carrard's arsenal of skills extends across investigations, merger control filings, and compliance audits, among other issues. The practice is jointly led by antitrust law and merger control expert Daniel Emch and Christophe Rapin, who frequently handles matters pertaining to abuse of dominance, compliance, and cartel investigations. Another name to note is Daniel Lengauer, who is geared to handle an array of issues, including procedures before the Swiss Price Advisory Body.

VISCHER routinely handles distribution agreements, cartels, public procurement, and other competition matters arising from innovative industries, such as TMT, data, and life sciences. Practice head Klaus Neff is well-versed in handling appellate cases.

Operating on a domestic and cross-border scale, ‘business-oriented’ Wenger Vieli Ltd possesses notable experience in the regulated sectors alongside the real estate and IT sectors; the team leverages its capabilities in relation to merger control proceedings and antitrust investigations. The ‘very knowledgeable’ Michael Tschudin heads up the group, capitalising on his previous experience at the Swiss Competition Commission and the Swiss Federal Administrative Court to advise a broad array of clients active in the life sciences, energy, and public services sectors. Other recommended lawyers include Janica Wyss and Dominique Roos.

Steered by ‘the heart of the firm’ Mario Strebel and Fabian Koch, CORE Attorneys is active in the trade, financial services, and construction industries, among others, and is capable of advising on the full range of competition and antitrust law. The team is praised for its ability to ‘understand the economics of business and find practical and pragmatic solutions’. Koch capitalises on his background in economics and business administration to advise a broad range of corporations on complex mandates.

Counting an array of national and international clients in its roster, MLL Legal fields an established presence in distribution issues and in the e-commerce sector. The practice is jointly led by Renato Bucher, who is highly experienced in relation to vertical agreements, dominance, and merger control issues, and Hubert Orso Gilliéron, who is well-versed on the transactional side of the competition sphere.

‘Business and client oriented’ Pestalozzi utilises its international network to advise on a stable of competition transactions, including but not limited to merger controls and dominance issues. The team is steered by Christoph Lang and Fabian Martens; the former possesses a strong grounding in antitrust law, joint ventures, and policy issues, while the latter fields a varied practice that spans the sectors of consumer goods, life sciences, and logistics work.

Noted for its ‘novel and pragmatic approach, analytical skills’ and ‘profound knowledge in Swiss cartel law’, Prager Dreifuss AG demonstrates particular proficiencies in multi-jurisdictional cartel and merger proceedings alongside public procurement law and state aid. Philipp Zurkinden spearheads the practice with strength in abuse of dominance and merger control matters, while Bernhard C. Lauterburg possesses substantive experience in Swiss antitrust proceedings, merger control, and public procurement.