Michael Jaffe joins Baker McKenzie Geneva from New York’s office

Michael Jaffe, Counsel (pictured), has relocated from Baker McKenzie’s New York office to Geneva, bringing more than 30 years of experience advising on compensation and benefits, individual tax and estate planning, human resources and taxation of international executives. Michael is admitted to the Paris, California and New York bars and his relocation further strengthens the Geneva office and its Wealth Management Practice, in particular, in connection with French-speaking clients and families and busi-ness with French connections.

Hespent the last three years practicing in New York as part of the Firm’s North America Tax Practice, as well as its Employment and Compensation Practice. Prior to joining Baker McKenzie, Michael spent more than 30 years at a “Big Four” law firm in Paris, serving as a tax, compensation and benefits advisor to C-suite executives and human resources leaders at CAC 40/Fortune 100 companies. In addition, he advised on tax issues for over 35 international law firms and their partners, as well as numerous artists and public figures. A dual French-US national, Michael practiced in vari-ous leadership roles at the firm.

“Michael is a seasoned and creative tax and benefits adviser and his experience with mobile execu-tives, international families, and Franco-American successions adds another dimension to our leading cross-border Wealth Management Practice in Switzerland,” said Marnin Michaels, head of Baker McKenzie’s EMEA Tax Practice. “Having worked extensively as a French and US attorney, Michael can anticipate cross-border challenges early on, providing our clients — multinationals, family offices, and private clients — with pragmatic and sophisticated guidance on their tax and employment com-pensation needs.”

Elliott Murray, head of the Geneva Wealth Management Practice, adds: “The strong connection to HR departments of French-connected multinationals and to international French families that Michael has developed over his years of practice in Paris and New York will perfectly complement our current tax, employment, and wealth management offerings in Geneva, and allow us to better serve the French-Swiss and Francophone Swiss markets. We are very pleased to add him to our team as we continue to enhance our capabilities in Geneva”. “I look forward to leveraging my long experience in France and the United States and collaborating with my new colleagues in Switzerland to continue helping our clients on their complex, cross-border tax and employment issues,” commented Michael Jaffe.