Private Clients
Expert advice today. Lasting impact for tomorrow.
Estate Planning | Wealth Structuring
At the heart of our Private Clients practice is a commitment to fostering long-lasting relationships with high-net-worth individuals and families we advise. We deliver expert guidance and bespoke solutions across all aspects of global estate planning and wealth structuring. We simplify complexity, ensure compliance, and deliver long-term value, safeguarding your legacy for future generations. In addition, we handle dispute resolution with efficiency and sensitivity, ensuring a smooth and thoughtful process.
Legacy and Succession Planning | Inheritance Disputes
We help individuals and families shape meaningful legacies and create sustainable, long-term impact across generations. Our team has extensive expertise in complex succession planning - both domestic and cross-border - and in the transfer of all asset types, including real estate, financial holdings, art collections, and family businesses.
We work closely with our clients to document their wishes with precision, whether the priority is securing a spouse or partner's future, preserving family wealth, or ensuring a fair and equitable distribution of assets. We also advise on the organization of family wealth transfers and the design of governance frameworks to foster clarity, alignment, and efficiency between generations.
As trusted executors of wills and administrators of estates, we ensure that estate transfers are handled smoothly and in full accordance with the deceased's intentions - minimizing complexity and easing the burden on heirs.
We are also highly experienced in leading complex, multi-jurisdictional inheritance litigation, and arbitration. We coordinate legal strategies and represent both Swiss and international clients in contentious matters.
Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements
Relocating to or from Switzerland? We review and adapt marital agreements, estate plans, pension arrangements, and tax strategies to ensure they comply with the legal frameworks of your new country of residence.
Residence and Nationality
We assist EU and non-EU nationals with obtaining work and residence permits, and advise on lump-sum tax agreements for individuals relocating to Switzerland.
Foundations, Trusts and Family Offices
We establish and advise charitable foundations and non-profit organizations, commercial and private trust companies, associations, and family offices. Our services cover legal structuring, governance and obtaining and retaining tax-exempt status. We advise on all aspects of corporate governance, best practices and regulatory and tax compliance. We build and structure relationships with donors, and for-profit and non-profit organizations. We frequently act as board members for non-profit foundations.
Art and Antiques
We advise private collectors, galleries, artists, and financial institutions on the sale, purchase, consignment, and financing of artworks - whether privately or through public auctions. Our practice includes art lending, collateral arrangements, and navigating import/export and customs regulations. We also handle disputes involving ownership and the illegal transfer of property, and advise on intellectual property rights as well as the donation or bequest of art collections.
Our expertise includes:
- Estate planning and administration for individuals, families, artists, and athletes
- Wealth structuring and management strategies
- Drafting wills, succession contracts, and inter vivos donations
- Pre- and post-nuptial agreements
- Residence and nationality matters, including relocation to Switzerland (lump-sum tax rulings)
- Real estate acquisitions
- Formation and advisory services for trust companies, foundations, and associations
- Family office establishment, governance, and management
- Regularization of undisclosed assets
- Legal services related to art and antiques, including collection management, transactions, and litigation concerning ownership and transfers
Main contacts: Marie-Noëlle Zen-Ruffinen, Arun Chandrasekharan
