Lawyer Corporate Law

A corporate attorney advises companies and organizations on legal matters related to their business. This includes company formation, contract law, mergers and acquisitions, liability issues, compliance, and disputes between business partners. Their main goal is to ensure that companies comply with applicable laws and minimize legal risks to ensure long-term success and stability.

Typically, a corporate attorney charges between 250 and 450 Swiss francs per hour. At GetYourLawyer, you can agree on a cost ceiling depending on the case, so you can keep costs under control at all times.

In a stock corporation, unlike in a limited liability company (LLC), obligations of shareholders cannot be stipulated in the articles of association (Article 680 Paragraph 1 of the Swiss Code of Obligations). Therefore, especially in smaller PLCs, the parties often conclude a shareholder agreement that outlines their mutual rights and obligations. This includes provisions such as purchase rights, preemptive rights, or first refusal rights when a shareholder wants to sell their shares; voting rights and voting commitments, such as in case of deadlocks in votes; veto rights, non-compete clauses, capital call obligations, and penalty clauses. A shareholder agreement tailored to your company is crucial to prevent disputes. Consult with an experienced attorney when drafting one.

Nothing is more cumbersome than collecting outstanding receivables! With factoring, you outsource the management of receivables and the risk of default: you assign customer receivables to a factor who immediately transfers the agreed portion to you, for example, 80 percent, and then collects the outstanding receivables. The remaining amount – minus the factoring fee – is only transferred once the customers have paid. All details are outlined in a factoring agreement. This is not regulated in the Swiss Code of Obligations but is composed of various types of contracts. It is important that the factoring agreement covers only the actual needs of your company and provides you with entrepreneurial advantages.

A company has more weight in the market when working together with partners. But which form of collaboration is the right one? Should it be a cooperation between equal companies? Are you aiming for a mutual shareholding or rather a loose cooperation? Will the two companies merge? Or is it about establishing a joint venture with independent status? Whatever solution is chosen, there are a number of legal questions to be clarified and various laws – such as the Merger Act – to be observed. And only if what is contractually agreed also covers possible negative scenarios, are you on the safe side. Therefore, when drafting cooperation agreements, seek guidance from an attorney specializing in corporate law.

A large portion of companies in Switzerland are passed down within the family. Essential for a successful succession plan is not only a capable successor (or successors) but also the agreement of other family members. Sufficient assets are also needed to satisfy all inheritance claims. In an inheritance contract – possibly combined with a marriage contract – tailored solutions can be agreed upon, such as a provision for profit sharing in the event that the successor sells the company advantageously. Also, corporate legal measures may be necessary, especially from a tax perspective, such as timely conversion of a sole proprietorship into a corporation or LLC. Finally, the retiring entrepreneur's retirement provision must be secured. Family-based business succession is a long-term process that must be conducted transparently with all parties involved. It is worthwhile to involve specialists and external advisors.