LegalcommunityCH Awards 2026, the winners
The LegalcommunityCH Awards 2026 took place at the AURA Event Saal in Zürich. The latest Edition brought together he excellence amongst in-house and law firms’ teams and professionals from the Swiss legal community.
The winners were the following:
IN-HOUSE CATEGORIES
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR
Novartis
The legal department demonstrates strong capabilities in supporting an innovative medicines business, effectively navigating regulatory, compliance, and commercial challenges. The team combines multidisciplinary expertise with a proactive approach, enabling efficient management of complex cross-border projects and alignment with evolving market and regulatory demands.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR
Manuel Liatowitsch – Ringier
The professional is highly regarded legal practitioner who plays a central role in supporting complex media and digital operations, combining strategic oversight with a strong ability to navigate evolving commercial and regulatory challenges.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR AUTOMOTIVE & TRANSPORT
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company
The legal team stands out for its deep sector knowledge and ability to address complex operational and regulatory matters within the transport and logistics industry. By supporting large-scale international operations, the team plays a key role in ensuring business continuity and operational efficiency.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR AUTOMOTIVE & TRANSPORT
Dahir Ali – CNH Industrial
The professional demonstrates strong leadership in supporting complex industrial and transport operations, navigating regulatory frameworks, and leading high-value negotiations in a dynamic, cross-border environment.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR BANKING & FINANCE
EFG International
The team demonstrates strong expertise in handling sophisticated financial and regulatory matters, providing high-level support across banking and wealth management activities. The professionals are recognized for their ability to manage complex transactions and compliance frameworks.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR BANKING & FINANCE
Fabienne-Anne Rehulka – SIX
The professional is recognized for a precise and analytical approach to complex financial and regulatory matters, while effectively leading a cohesive team and supporting critical infrastructure within the financial sector.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR CONSTRUCTION, PROJECTS, INFRASTRUCTURE
ABB
The team shows notable strength in supporting large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects, addressing contractual, regulatory, and risk management challenges with precision. The team contributes to the successful execution of complex projects while aligning legal frameworks with broader business objectives.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR CONSTRUCTION, PROJECTS, INFRASTRUCTURE
Stephanie Bregy – SBB CFF FFS
The well-known professional brings extensive expertise in engineering and infrastructure law, advising on large-scale projects and cross-border matters while overseeing legal and compliance functions with a strategic focus.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR REAL ESTATE
SBB Immobilien
The team demonstrates solid expertise in real estate matters, effectively supporting the company’s portfolio management and development activities. With a strong understanding of sector-specific legal frameworks, professionals play important role in structuring transactions and mitigating risks in a dynamic market environment.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR REAL ESTATE
German Grüniger – Implenia
With deep expertise in real estate law, the professional plays a key role in structuring complex projects and transactions while consistently delivering commercially sound legal solutions.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR FASHION, DESIGN, LUXURY
Ermenegildo Zegna Group
The legal department brings strong capabilities in supporting a global luxury business, addressing matters related to brand protection, commercial agreements, and international expansion. The team consistently delivers legal guidance that aligns with the company’s strategic positioning and growth in the fashion and luxury sector.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR FASHION, DESIGN, LUXURY
Géraldine Stalder – Audemars Piguet
The highly regarded professional advises a globally known heritage luxury brand, combining litigation expertise with a strong grasp of brand protection, regulatory, and commercial matters in a highly reputation-driven sector.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR ENERGY & RENEWABLES
Climeworks
The legal team demonstrates expertise in navigating the regulatory and contractual complexities of the energy transition and carbon removal sector. By supporting innovative projects and emerging technologies, the team plays a key role in enabling the company’s growth while ensuring compliance within an evolving legal and policy landscape.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR ENERGY & RENEWABLES
Vincenzo Spandri – Kanadevia Inova
The professional plays a key role in supporting energy transition projects, advising on complex regulatory and contractual frameworks while enabling the development of innovative and capital-intensive infrastructure.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR FOOD & BEVERAGE
gategroup
The team plays a central role in supporting complex, high-volume operations, effectively managing a broad range of legal matters while ensuring alignment with strategic and operational priorities.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR FOOD & BEVERAGE
Jennifer Picenoni – Lindt & Sprüngli
Through a transparent and solution-oriented leadership style, she strengthens corporate governance while supporting brand-driven operations and navigating regulatory and commercial challenges in a highly competitive market.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR INSURANCE
AXA Switzerland
Distinguished by its strong analytical capabilities, the legal department navigates intricate regulatory and operational frameworks, delivering consistent and strategically grounded legal support.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR INSURANCE
Katja Roth Pellanda – Zurich Insurance
An experienced legal professional operating within a global insurance environment, bringing extensive experience to complex regulatory and claims-related matters, and consistently delivering pragmatic solutions in a highly supervised sector.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR PHARMA, HEALTHCARE & LIFE SCIENCES
Lonza
With a well-structured and coordinated approach, the team delivers high-quality legal support on critical matters, ensuring efficient and business-focused outcomes in a complex regulatory environment.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR PHARMA, HEALTHCARE & LIFE SCIENCES
Pascal Buergin – Bayer Consumer Care
With significant international experience, the professional advises a leading healthcare business on regulatory, compliance, and commercial matters, supporting market-facing activities in a tightly controlled and science-driven sector.
IN-HOUSE TEAM OF THE YEAR TMT
STMicroelectronics
Operating at the intersection of technology, IP, and data regulation, the team supports complex innovation-driven activities, delivering commercially focused guidance in a fast-evolving and highly technical environment.
IN-HOUSE COUNSEL OF THE YEAR TMT
Pejman Madani – Oracle
The professional combines deep understanding of technology-driven business models with expertise in data, cloud, and commercial contracting, supporting operations in a highly dynamic and innovation-led environment.
PRIVATE PRACTICE CATEGORIES
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR
Bär & Karrer
This team has consistently shown its strong capability to handle highly complex, high-value mandates in the market, blending extensive legal expertise with a sharp strategic outlook and a strong commercial focus.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR
Frank Gerhard – Homburger
The professional brings extensive experience in managing high-value domestic and cross-border corporate transactions, with broad exposure across a wide range of industries and practice areas. He is recognized among clients and market peers for his extensive expertise and solution-driven approach.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR ADMINISTRATIVE & ENVIRONMENTAL
Astrid Waser – Lenz & Staehelin
The lawyer heads the ESG practice, focusing on public procurement, administrative, and environmental law. She is widely recognized for her strong expertise and comprehensive advice in complex legal matters.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ARBITRATION
Homburger
The team is known for its outstanding track record in complex commercial disputes. It supports clients across diverse industries, including energy, manufacturing, and logistics, delivering strategic, solutions-driven advice in high-stakes matters.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR ARBITRATION
Clarisse von Wunschheim – Altenburger Ltd legal + tax
The lawyer leverages her international expertise to manage a broad spectrum of arbitration cases, including contractual and post-M&A disputes. She is known for her strong commitment to client needs.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR BANKING & FINANCE
Bär & Karrer
The highly specialized team advises financial sector clients on a broad range of regulatory matters. The professionals represent both lenders and borrowers across various financing transactions, such as corporate finance, secured facilities, and acquisition finance.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR BANKING & FINANCE
Oliver Widmer – Pestalozzi Attorneys at Law
The lawyer has extensive expertise in banking, finance, and capital markets, spanning both regulatory and transactional matters. Known for his pragmatic approach and deep expertise, he advises domestic and international banks, financial institutions, wealth managers, and high-net-worth individuals.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR CAPITAL MARKETS
Niederer Kraft Frey
The team is one of the leading national practices in complex capital markets transactions, particularly recognized for its expertise in debt deals and bond issuances, and is known for its reliable legal guidance and strong commercial awareness.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR CAPITAL MARKETS
Matthias Courvoisier – Baker McKenzie
The professional has extensive experience in Swiss capital markets transactions, including public takeovers, IPOs, and other equity offerings. He combines deep legal expertise with a pragmatic approach to managing complex issues.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR CORPORATE M&A
Homburger
The team is highly regarded for its expertise in acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity deals, and divestments. It advises both domestic and international clients, offering broad corporate law expertise and delivering clear, business-focused legal guidance.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR CORPORATE M&A
Tino Gaberthüel – Lenz & Staehelin
The professional leads the firm’s practice and brings extensive experience advising on both domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, with a particular focus on public tender offers and private equity buyouts. Under his leadership, the team advised on one of the most significant Swiss public M&A transactions in recent years.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR COMPETITION & ANTITRUST
Schellenberg Wittmer
The team has deep experience in competition law, supporting clients in obtaining clearance for proposed mergers and representing them in investigations concerning alleged abuse of dominance or cartel activity. It advises leading clients across a variety of sectors, including pharmaceuticals and energy.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION & ANTITRUST
Jens Steger – Norton Rose Fulbright
The lawyer advises multinational and Swiss companies, as well as industry associations, on a wide range of antitrust and merger control matters. With strong regulatory expertise and a proven track record in both domestic and cross-border transactions, he is consistently recognized for maintaining exceptional standards.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR HEALTHCARE, LIFE SCIENCES, PHARMA
MLL Legal
The team is one of the leading players in Switzerland for advising pharmaceutical clients especially at the interface between IP issues and regulatory questions as well as reimbursement and pricing. With extensive expertise and a proven track record, the team is a trusted choice for major pharmaceutical companies seeking to protect their most valuable products.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR HEALTHCARE, LIFE SCIENCES, PHARMA
Claudia Götz Staehelin – Nater Dallafior
With over 20 years of experience, the lawyer advises leading clients in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector on a broad range of regulatory matters, including supply chain and manufacturing compliance and advertising issues. She also handles complex litigation and arbitration matters.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR IP&TMT
Lara Dorigo – Pestalozzi Attorneys at Law
As head of the Intellectual Property group, the professional has extensive experience across all areas of intellectual property law, with a particular focus on technology-related matters. She is known for her work in advising on patent and trademark litigation and prosecution.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LABOUR
Streiff von Kaenel
The team advises employers and employees on employment law across various industries, with particular expertise in social security, pensions, and public sector matters. The professionals combine strong legal expertise with practical experience and deep knowledge of the Swiss labour market.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LABOUR
Roberta Papa – Blesi & Papa
The professional advises clients on a broad range of employment matters, including pensions, contracts, working time disputes, and employment aspects of corporate reorganisations. She is highly dedicated and combines strong legal expertise with a pragmatic approach.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LABOUR ADVISORY
Ueli Sommer – Littler
The professional has extensive experience across all areas of employment law, with a strong focus on supporting clients in their day-to-day HR needs and complex compensation matters.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR LITIGATION
Schellenberg Wittmer
The firm runs one of Switzerland’s leading and largest practices, advising major domestic and international clients on complex commercial disputes, including shareholder and post-M&A litigation. The team is known for its strong legal expertise, innovative thinking, and client-focused service.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR LITIGATION
Tamir Livschitz – 5Gambit Disputes
The lawyer focuses on cross-border, corporate, and post-M&A litigation, and advises on contractual disputes and regulatory investigations. He is regarded as one of Switzerland’s leading litigation practitioners, known for his strong expertise and extensive legal knowledge.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR PRIVATE EQUITY
Niederer Kraft Frey
The professionals provide advice to both domestic and international companies on a broad spectrum of private equity and strategic transactions. The team stands out for its distinctive combination of deep legal knowledge and solution-driven approach.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR PRIVATE EQUITY
Nicolas Wehrli – Loyens & Loeff
The lawyer is highly experienced in advising on both domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, with a strong emphasis on private M&A and private equity deals. He works with international private equity funds and multinational corporations operating across diverse industries.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR REAL ESTATE
Wenger Vieli
The team advise and represents clients across all stages and types of real estate and construction projects. The professionals are known for their pragmatic, solution-focused, and hands-on approach, with a strong focus on clients’ needs.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR REAL ESTATE
Alexander Wyss – Baker McKenzie
The lawyer frequently supports clients on property acquisitions and real estate M&A transactions, representing developers, hospitality operators, and asset managers. He is valued for his forward-thinking approach, understanding of business priorities, and responsiveness.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR TAX
Loyens & Loeff
The professionals regularly advise clients on the tax structuring of corporate transactions and reorganisations. The team is well equipped to handle complex, high-value cross-border matters. Clients particularly appreciate their pragmatic and straightforward problem-solving approach.
PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR TAX
Susanne Schreiber – Bär & Karrer
Under her leadership, the team provides strategic tax advice on complex, high-value M&A transactions, financing structures, and capital markets deals. Clients value her for her precision and clarity, as well as her ability to explain complex issues in a concise manner.
LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR WHITE COLLAR CRIME
Lenz & Staehelin
The team has a strong expertise in corporate investigations and criminal defence work. It supports companies and financial institutions in disputes involving financial misconduct, such as bribery, fraud, and misappropriation of funds. Clients value the team for its solid legal knowledge, prompt communication, and reliable support.
LAWYER OF THE YEAR WHITE COLLAR CRIME
Grégoire Mangeat – MANGEAT
The lawyer is a highly experienced professional who often advises and represents private clients across a broad spectrum of criminal cases, including financial crimes. Combining in-depth legal knowledge with a sharp strategic mindset, he is widely regarded as a trusted advisor for intricate matters.
