Contracts, corporate and commercial law

Our corporate and commercial law practice covers a wide range of economic sectors (services, industry, technology, finance, energy, art, luxury goods, etc.) for companies of all sizes (emerging companies, SMEs or multinationals).

Topics

• Setting up contractual documentation for use with your partners and customers
• Creation of websites and applications with drafting of general terms and conditions
• Negotiating contracts and managing performance disputes
• Rights and means of action as a minority shareholder
• Potential liability as a director

Our services

• Drafting of contracts, internal regulations, policies and communications for third parties
• Legal analysis of contracts
• Resolution of contractual and commercial disputes
• Bankruptcy and insolvency proceedings
• Applications for government authorizations
• Management and corporate governance (support for Board of Directors, shareholders and executives)

Technologies

IT, the Internet, e-commerce, smartphones, applications, blockchain, crypto-currencies, biotech, med tech, clean tech, fintech… These can be the core of your business or an essential component of it. Our approach? We master new technologies and leverage them to apply our legal skills.

Themes

• Technology-related activities
• IT projects (blockchain, cloud) within a company
• Management of service providers
• Offering online services
• IT contract dispute management

Our services

• Software licensing (proprietary and open source), IT outsourcing, IT support and maintenance contracts
• Use of blockchain technology
• Crypto-currencies (issuance, use and mining)
• Cloud services agreements
• Development of mobile applications, software or websites
• Conditions for online sales and use of online services, implementation of an e-commerce platform
• Setting up IT infrastructures, interconnection agreements
• Artificial intelligence projects (deep learning, big data)

Media

Switzerland, and the French-speaking part of the country in particular, are important centers of activity for the media, entertainment and art markets. We assist individuals and companies involved in media and entertainment law.

Topics covered

• Infringement of image rights, violation of personality via media or social networks
• Disputes relating to the entertainment market
• Review of contractual documents

Our services

• Protection of personality, image rights
• Management of e-reputation and online presence
• Publishing, production and distribution contracts
• Financing and slate deals
• Agent, manager and artist contracts
• Copyrights
• Sponsorship and product placement

Data protection and cybersecurity

We have proven experience in managing cases involving sensitive personal data: hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, media.

Topics

• Implementation of measures in line with Swiss and European data protection regulations
• Digital marketing
• Processing sensitive data, e.g. medical data
• Identity theft
• Intrusion into computer systems

Our services

• RGPD compliance
• Privacy and cookie policies for websites
• Data collection, use and sharing
• Data protection in connection with the development of new products or services, such as connected objects or medical devices, or as part of IT or e-commerce projects
• Organization of intra-group data transfers (in Switzerland or abroad) or outsourcing to third-party companies
• Internal regulations on data management and security
• Data protection training for managers and employees
• Appointment of a Data Protection Officer (DPO)
• Responding to data theft or security breaches
• Criminal offences in the IT field
• Electronic patient files and biobanks

Intellectual property

We have a keen interest in issues relating to innovation in the scientific and artistic fields, as well as the protection of corporate identity, branding and design.

Themes

• Technology and innovation discovery
• Setting up partnerships
• Fraudulent imitation of brand and product appearance
• Reputation fraud
• Subcontracting R&D activities to specialized third parties
• Disputes in connection with a licensing or distribution agreement
• Assignment as defendant by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in a Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Procedure (UDRP)
• Opposition to trademark registration before the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI)

Our services

• Patents, copyright, trademarks, design, domain names, trade names, geographical indications (in particular Swissness)
• Unfair competition in the field of innovation
• Protection of trade and technical secrets and databases
• Confidentiality agreements
• Licensing of intellectual property rights
• Exclusive distribution, selective distribution, franchising, sponsoring, merchandising
• Research and development contracts, biological material transfer contracts, clinical trial outsourcing contracts, medical equipment supply contracts
• Telecoms and sector-specific advertising regulations
• Regulations governing the promotion of research and innovation, research activities (human beings, stem cells) and clinical trials (therapeutic products, medical transplants)
• Product safety regulations (e.g. traceability obligations and product recall campaigns), product liability
• Resolution of intellectual property disputes