Our Approach

Taking on a matter

An instruction begins with a conversation. We ask for a clear account of the position, the objective and any deadline, together with the documents that bear on it. Where the matter touches on areas outside the firm's practice, we will say so at this stage rather than after work has begun.

Conflict checking

Before accepting an instruction we carry out a conflict check. We compare the names of the parties involved against our existing client relationships to identify anything that could affect our independence or create a conflict of interest. Where a conflict or a potential conflict arises, we will not act, or will discuss with you whether the issue can be addressed before proceeding. Swiss professional rules on independence and the avoidance of conflicts of interest apply throughout.

Engagement terms

Once the conflict check is complete, the scope of the work is confirmed in writing before it is carried out. The engagement letter records the subject of the instruction, the services to be provided, the persons responsible for the matter, the basis on which fees will be charged and the terms of payment. Any material change to the scope — for example a matter becoming contentious, or new parties joining — is agreed in writing as it arises.

How advice is delivered

Advice is given in writing unless the circumstances do not require it. A written position sets out the relevant facts, the legal framework that applies, the options available and our recommendation, together with the principal risks of each course. Where a question cannot be answered with certainty — because the law is unsettled, because facts are contested, or because the outcome depends on a third party — we say so plainly and explain what would resolve it.

We aim to give the client what is needed to decide, not a survey of everything that could be said. Where a matter is straightforward, the advice is short. Where a matter is complex, it is structured so that the decision and its consequences are clear from the outset, with the supporting analysis below.

In contentious matters, advice covers both the prospects of negotiation and the course of proceedings. We do not give assurances about outcomes; we describe the legal position and the steps available to the client, and act on instruction.

Fees

Fees are agreed in advance and recorded in the engagement letter. The firm charges on a time basis for most instructions, with the hourly rate set according to the experience of the person carrying out the work. For certain matters — for example, a defined transaction or a recurring item of work — a fixed fee or a capped fee may be agreed instead. Contested matters may also involve court or authority fees and the costs of third parties such as experts, notaries or foreign counsel, which are borne by the client and kept separate from the firm's own charges.

Estimates and fee ranges are discussed at the start. Where it becomes apparent that a matter will take materially longer than expected, we inform the client before further work is undertaken. Time is recorded as the work is done, and clients are given a record of the work carried out with each invoice.

Fee amounts, the currency of invoicing and payment terms are agreed with each client individually in the engagement letter.

Communication and confidentiality

Each matter has a nominated contact within the firm who has day-to-day responsibility for it. Correspondence is answered within a reasonable time, and urgent matters are identified as such at the outset so that they can be handled accordingly. Written updates are provided at key stages, and the client decides whether and when a matter is advanced.

The firm is bound to professional secrecy under Swiss law, and this obligation extends to all information entrusted to it, whether or not the matter proceeds. Documents and correspondence are held in the firm's files, are disclosed only where the client instructs it or the law requires it, and access is limited to those working on the matter. Where information must be shared with a third party — a court, an authority, or a foreign adviser — the client is informed of what is being shared and why.

Clients are asked to take care when sending information by ordinary email, and should let us know if a matter calls for an alternative channel. If circumstances change and the firm can no longer act — for example through a conflict that emerges later — the client will be told promptly, and the file transferred or returned so that a new adviser can take over without disruption.

Working with foreign counsel

Swiss law governs much of what we advise on, but matters frequently involve a counterparty, asset, contract or proceeding in another jurisdiction. Where that is the case, the firm acts as the Swiss counsel of the client and coordinates with lawyers qualified in the relevant jurisdiction.

We help to select foreign counsel — often from firms with which we have worked — agree the scope of their instruction, and agree how their fees are to be charged, so that the client has a single clear account of who is doing what and at what cost. We remain responsible for the Swiss aspects of the matter and for ensuring that the advice from different jurisdictions is consistent as a whole. Where a foreign counsel's advice is needed to form our own, it is obtained before the client relies on our view.

Two points are made clear from the start: the firm is not qualified to advise on the law of other jurisdictions, and advice on foreign law is given by the foreign counsel instructed, on their own professional terms. Our role is to frame the Swiss position, identify the points that need foreign advice and put the pieces together.

Getting in touch

If you would like to discuss how a matter would be handled, you are welcome to contact us. An initial conversation will establish whether the firm is the right adviser for the instruction and, where it is, the scope and fees involved.