Web Workshop: Cross-Border Litigation & Enforcement in Switzerland
Agenda
Understanding the Swiss Court System
- Swiss federalism: cantons, languages and cantonal courts, including specialised Commercial Courts (Handelsgericht)
- A civil law system with common-law elements, and why parties choose Swiss law and forum
- The road to court: letter of claim, negotiations and mandatory conciliation
- The modernized Civil Procedure Code: English-language proceedings, videoconferencing and voluntary conciliation
Litigating as a Foreign Party
- Serving documents abroad and the Swiss address for service
- Advance on costs and security for party costs (Art. 98–99 CPC)
- Duration of proceedings and multiple instances
- David versus Goliath: a live case study on the AT1 bond decision
Provisional Measures, Enforcement & Strategy
- Interim and ex parte measures (Art. 261 and 265 CPC)
- Attachment and freezing of assets (Art. 271 et seq. CPC)
- Debt enforcement: the Swiss Betreibung explained
- Enforcing foreign judgments and arbitral awards in Switzerland
Live Q&A Session
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Speakers
Emmanouil Kazakos, MLaw UZH — Associate, LINDEMANNLAW
Attorney-at-law admitted to the bar in both Switzerland (Zurich) and Greece, he advises Swiss and international clients on corporate, M&A and contract law and represents them before courts and authorities at home and abroad, with a particular focus on litigation and arbitration.
Dr. Jakob Schaad — Of Counsel, LINDEMANNLAW
Holding a doctorate in economics from the University of Zurich, he leads Government Relations & Lobbying. He previously held senior positions at the Swiss National Bank and the International Monetary Fund, advised the Swiss Minister of Economic Affairs, and served as Deputy CEO of the Swiss Banking Association and Vice Director of Avenir Suisse.
Dr. Tatiana Zakharova, LL.M. — Partner, LINDEMANNLAW
A specialist in financial services, regulation and sanctions, she holds a J.D. and LL.M. from Columbia Law School and is admitted to the New York bar. With over ten years of experience, she advises UHNWI entrepreneurs, asset managers and institutional investors on fund structuring, cross-border transactions and wealth planning, following roles at Vontobel, Credit Suisse and Sidley Austin.
Dr. Alexander Schiemenz (Moderator) — Founding Partner, LINDEMANNLAW
A Swiss and European lawyer and tax advisor, he counsels Forbes billionaires, entrepreneurs, investment funds and banks on legal, regulatory and tax matters. He previously held senior positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Credit Suisse and Clifford Chance, and is a Legal 500 speaker.
Datum: 10.11.2026, 14:00 - 15:00 Uhr
Ort: Online via Microsoft Teams
Zielgruppe: Foreign entrepreneurs, families and enterprises with interests, contracts or assets connected to Switzerland
Investors and business owners exposed to Swiss law or a Swiss forum
In-house counsel and legal departments
Family offices and private clients
Professional advisors seeking to protect and enforce their clients’ rights in the Swiss legal system
