Counsel

Martina Athanas

About

Martina Athanas is a member of the firm's internal investigations practice group and its litigation team. Her practice is focused on conducting and advising on all aspects of internal investigations into bribery, fraud and compliance. Martina also regularly advises on white collar crime and cross-border legal issues (including Swiss blocking statutes and data privacy laws), and is often involved in proceedings for international mutual legal assistance and administrative assistance.

During a secondment at the Swiss financial regulator, FINMA, Martina was able to work on regulatory matters from the government enforcement perspective. She also gained valuable insight into legal matters from a client's perspective during her secondment at the Litigation & Investigations team at UBS.

Recent Work Highlights
  • Assisted multinational companies related to complex cross-border document production requests from US and other foreign authorities including supervision of large review and redaction projects.
  • Worked on a complex and multi-jurisdictional internal investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption at a multinational company.
  • Represented a Swiss bank in its claims against a former employee during criminal trial for mismanagement and fraud.
  • Representation of a multinational pharmaceutical company in administrative assistance proceedings in regulatory matters.
  • Representation of a Swiss bank in administrative assistance proceedings in tax matters.
  • Representation of a client resisting the production of documents to the US in mutual legal assistance proceedings in criminal matters.
LanguagesGerman, English, French
Curriculum
  • Secondment at Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, Enforcement division (April 2018 – September 2018)
  • Secondment at UBS Switzerland AG, Litigation & Investigations Switzerland (May 2016 – December 2016)
  • Associate at Bär & Karrer (since 2016)
  • Admitted to the Aargau Bar (2015)
  • Law Clerk at the District Court of Baden (2013)
  • Trainee at Bär & Karrer (2011-2012)
  • King's College London: LL.M. in International Business Law (2011)
  • University of Zurich: MLaw (2010)
  • Student trainee at Bär & Karrer and other Swiss law firms (2009)
  • University of Geneva: BLaw (2008)
Memberships and Public Offices
  • Swiss Bar Association (SAV/FSA)
  • Zurich Bar Association (ZAV)
AdmissionAll Swiss Courts

Martina Athanas' Deals, Cases & News

Contact

Bär & Karrer Ltd.
Brandschenkestrasse 90
CH-8002 Zurich
Switzerland

Assistants

Martina Athanas' latest Publications