- Managing Partner: Andreas Casutt
- Number of partners: 28
- Number of lawyers: approx. 100
- Languages: German, English, French, Italian, Czech, Dutch, Hebrew, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish
Firm Overview:
Niederer Kraft & Frey is a preeminent Swiss law firm with a decades-long track record of legal excellence and innovation. As a market leader in Switzerland, NKF has built long-standing relationships with the world's best international law firms. The majority of NKF lawyers have undertaken further training at American, British or other foreign universities and many of them have gained professional experience in partner law firms abroad. Thanks to its heritage and market position, NKF offers innovative and sustainable services, and avoids being influenced by short-term trends. NKF attaches great importance to combining a highly professional approach and persistence in pursuing its clients’ goals with being easy to work with, even in the most demanding situations. NKF currently employs around 100 lawyers, including 28 partners. The offices of NKF are located in the heart of Zurich’s banking and financial district.
Main Areas of Practice:
As a full-service-firm with around 100 lawyers, Niederer Kraft & Frey covers the entire spectrum of business law.
Banking & Finance:
14 Partners; >34 fee earners
The Banking & Finance team of NKF advises demanding Swiss and foreign financial institutions, insurance companies and other financial service providers, government institutions, self-regulatory organisations as well as companies and investors on national and international transactions, innovative structuring processes and all kinds of regulatory matters.
• Advice to the Swiss National Bank on its new regulations on own-account trading (2012)
• Counsel to EFG International on the first issue of Basel III-compliant bonds with a PONV write-down feature by a non-SIFI bank in Europe (2011/12)
• Legal advisor to Credit Suisse in two novel securitisation transactions relating to a Swiss car leasing portfolio and Swiss credit card receivables, respectively (2012)
• Legal advisor to a large number of Swiss and foreign banks on Swiss regulatory and banking law matters (2011/12)
• Legal advisor to borrowers and lending banks in double digit number of syndicated and bilateral loan transactions (2011/12)
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/banking-finance/
Capital Markets:
10 Partners; >20 fee earners
Niederer Kraft & Frey has been instrumental in the development of the Swiss Capital Markets. In well over 5,000 transactions over the past three decades, NKF has advised essentially all relevant domestic and foreign market participants.
• Legal advisor to Qatar Holding in its investment in Subordinated Mandatory and Contingent Convertible Securities issued by Credit Suisse (2012)
• Advice to the lead manager and other banks in the notes issuance of Swiss Re and the 2012 update of Swiss Re’s $10bn EMTN Programme
• Legal advisor to EFG in the sale and claw-back rights offer of treasury shares (2012)
• Legal advisor to the initial purchasers in the g350m gategroup high-yield notes (2012)
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/capital-markets/
Commercial:
With a dedicated team of 12 partners and more than 30 fee earners, NKF covers all aspects of commercial law and related areas, including general commercial law, associations and foundations, aviation, competition, employment, IP, outsourcing, TMT and real estate law. Particular importance is given to a cross-disciplinary approach by combining advice on general commercial-law matters with specialist advice on specific matters which often become relevant in such context, such as intellectual property rights, real estate law and competition law.
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/commercial/
Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions:
17 Partners; >41 fee earners
The Corporate/M&A team regularly advises private and public companies, investment banks, private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and other investors or stakeholders on some of the largest and most complex corporate and M&A matters.
• Swiss counsel to KKR and Alliance Boots in the $16.2bn strategic partnership of Swiss domiciled Alliance Boots with Walgreens (2012)
• Transaction counsel to France Telecom in its CHF 2bn sale of Swiss mobile telecommunications operator Orange Communications SA to Apax (2011/12)
• Legal advisor to EQT Expansion Capital II in its investment in Swiss-based Sportradar AG (2012)
• Advice to the selling shareholders in the sale of Pago Group to Fuji Seal Group (2012)
• Legal counsel to SIX-listed Actelion in its proxy fight against Elliott Advisors (2011)
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/corporatemergers- acquisitions/
Dispute Resolution:
10 Partners; >35 fee earners
NKF regularly advises and represents clients in mission critical litigation before state (cantonal) Swiss courts and the Swiss Federal Supreme Court as well as in national and international arbitration. The members of the dispute resolution group have in-depth knowledge of civil procedure as well as corporate and commercial law.
• Defence of a car importer against alleged product liability claims
• Representation of a former director against liability claims brought forth by the bankruptcy administrator
• Advice to a listed company in complex M&A arbitration proceedings
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/dispute-resolution/
Private Clients:
3 Partners; >8 fee earners
The Private Clients team at Niederer Kraft & Frey is based on decades of expertise in advising Swiss and foreign private clients.Due to the clear focus on the representation of high net worth individuals and their families, the Private Client lawyers have gathered extensive practical experience and distinguish themselves through their high level of specialist knowledge and competence.
• Representation of clients of various private banks in Zurich
• Advising charitable foundations such as the Atlas Stiftung
• Planning and administering the estate of the violinist Yehudi Menuhin
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/private-clients/
Sports Law:
5 Partners; 5 fee earners
Niederer Kraft & Frey is the preferred legal advisor of numerous national and international sports associations, leading sports clubs and top sportsmen. Recent instructions include:
• Representation of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in commercial and dispute resolution matters
• Involvement in sports legislation processes in South Africa, Brazil and Russia in connection with major sports events
• Acting as arbitrator or counsel in major sports arbitrations (in particular before CAS/TAS)
• Advice to national and international professional football clubs (e.g. Arsenal FC, London)
• Representation of national and international clients in the areas of car racing and sailing
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/sports-law/
Tax:
3 Partners; > 8 fee earners
Niederer Kraft & Frey has a long-standing tradition in tax expertise for international and domestic clients. The Tax team of NKF covers all aspects of tax advice and tax planning in complex national and cross-border transactions and other matters.
• Legal advisor to Thomson Reuters Corporation and its Swiss subsidiary on a new credit agreement over $2bn with an international bank syndicate
• Advising of banks and borrowers regarding syndicated loans
• Tax advice to sportsmen and sports associations
Website: http://www.nkf.ch/en/expertise/tax/
Areas of PracticeBanking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial (incl. General Commercial, Associations & Foundations, Aviation, Competition, Employment, IP, Outsourcing, Real Estate & Environment, TMT, Public & Administrative Law)
Corporate/Mergers & Acquisitions
Dispute Resolution
Private Clients
Sports Law
Tax