Partner

Dr. Ruth Bloch-Riemer

Zurich, Switzerland
Partner
Dr. Ruth Bloch-Riemer
Zurich, Switzerland

Portrait

Ruth Bloch-Riemer’s practice focuses on domestic and international tax law as well as pensions and social security law.

Ruth regularly advises Swiss and foreign high net worth individuals, families, entrepreneurs and family offices in all taxation and pension and social security matters. She is a trusted advisor to her clients and works on a strategic level to develop and accompany their structural goals as well as the implementation. She is highly experienced in leading project teams in transition phases of businesses, personal circumstances or between generations. Within this framework, she particularly advises clients with regard to wealth and succession planning, residence planning, the structuring of their business and entrepreneurial engagements as well as their charitable commitment. She also assists her clients in the context of the taxation of art. Besides the coordination of tax and private wealth matters, Ruth assists both HNWI and professionals on how to structure their professional activities from a pension and social security perspective to identify planning possibilities and implement solutions.

Ruth leads Bär & Karrer's pensions and social security practice. She has gained significant experience in a variety of business-related pension and social security areas such as pension questions within the context of M&A transactions and business transfers, complex cross-border social security coordination and the handling of pensions, social security and tax aspects around compensation and benefits packages for C-levels and board members. As a former member of the steering committee of the International Pension and Employee Benefits Lawyers Association (IPEBLA), Ruth has actively been involved in exchanging and further developing industry know how also on a cross-border level for several years.

In her areas of practice, Ruth Bloch-Riemer supports clients both in the context of compliance work and non-contentious procedures where she has gained particular experience in complex compensation-related investigations and larger disclosure projects. Furthermore, she also supports clients in the context of litigation vis-à-vis domestic administrative and judicial authorities.

Ruth Bloch-Riemer regularly publishes, lectures and speaks at domestic and international conferences on tax, pensions and social security matters. She has, i.a., recently co-authored the relevant comprehensive commentaries on inheritance and gift tax law and on pensions law and serves as examination expert within the certified tax expert diploma process. Furthermore, Ruth enjoys to contributing her expertise and experience to charitable foundations where she has been serving as board member for many years and accompanying significant restructuring projects.

Ruth Bloch-Riemer is newly ranked in Chambers Global 2025 as well as in Chambers Europe Guide 2025 and is listed in Band 3 in Chambers High Net Worth (HNW) 2025. She is also acknowledged by Legal 500 2024 as a 'Next Generation Partner.' Additionally, she has been awarded Gold as 'Lawyer of the Year, Switzerland' at the IFC Awards 2023 and received the Euromoney Legal Media Group's Rising Star Award in 2019.
Ruth Bloch-Riemer earns plaudits as "a highly respected private client practitioner in the Swiss Market" who is "widely known".
Who's Who Legal 2022
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is very capable on banking and financial products.
Legal 500, 2022
Ruth’s strengths are understanding client needs and putting client interests first, and leadership in leveraging the best experts to address client requests
Client in Chambers 2021
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is responsive and thorough in her analyses and very quickly gains the trust of her clients
Legal 500 2021
She is young, entrepreneurial and very impressive.
Chambers 2021
An ambitious and knowledgeable lawyer.
Source in Chambers HNW 2021
Great on pensions.
Source in Chambers HNW 2021
We have had very good experiences with the following employees in various projects: Daniel Bader, Ruth Bloch-Riemer, Hanna Brozzo and Christina Rüdisühli. They work very quickly, reliably and to an extremely high standard. We highly recommend working with them.
Legal 500 2025
The individuals I work with most frequently are Tina Wuestemann, Daniel Bader, Ruth Bloch, Daniel Leu and Aurelie Conrad. They are bright, perceptive and easy to work with.
Legal 500 2025
Ruth has deep knowledge of tax, especially the interaction of trusts with Swiss taxation. She is conservative in outlook without being over-cautious.
Legal 500 2025
Really good on tax and with deep knowledge of family disputes over wealth. I have worked with Ruth Bloch-Riemer and Tina Wuestemann as well as Daniel Bader.
Legal 500 2025
She was outstanding from my point of view.
Chambers Global 2025
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is very pleasant to work with.
Chambers Global 2025
Ruth Bloch-Riemer has technical skills and a good approach to handling mandates.
Chambers Europe 2025
She is very pragmatic in her approach, which helps in explaining things to clients.
Chambers Global 2025
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is so technically minded but also completely commercial. She understands all the details inside out.
Chambers Europe 2025
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is very smart and is very visible on the market.
Chambers HNW guide 2025
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is a pleasure to work with.
Chambers HNW guide 2025
She understands our requirements extremely well and is able to help us with holistic solutions in a very efficient and timely manner.
Chambers Global 2026
Her advice was clear and structured, showing various alternatives and identifying the best way forward.
Chambers Global 2026
Her advice was clear and structured, showing various alternatives and identifying the best way forward.
Chambers Europe 2026
Ruth Bloch-Riemer is an outstanding private clients partner and a reliable sparring partner.
Legal 500 2026
Technically excellent, quick and always with a holistic view of the needs of the client.
Legal 500 2026
As a lawyer and tax expert, Ruth Bloch-Riemer has extensive specialist knowledge and practical experience (including dealing with the Swiss tax authorities) in the field of private clients.
Legal 500 2026
Her working style is characterized by transparency, professionalism, and a focus on results.
Legal 500 2026
Thanks to her extensive experience, she always stays on top of things and has a comprehensive understanding of her clients' needs.
Legal 500 2026
Career
  • Partner at Bär & Karrer (since 2019)
  • Certified Tax Expert (2014)
  • University of Berne: Dr. iur. (2012)
  • Associate at Bär & Karrer (2011-2018)
  • Admitted to the Zurich Bar (2010)
  • Trainee at a Swiss law firm (2008-2009)
  • University of Zurich: lic. iur. (2006)
Memberships
  • The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (TIAETL)
  • Member of the Steering Commitee of IPEBLA
  • Member of the International Fiscal Association Swiss Branch (IFA Switzerland)
  • Member of the International Pension & Employee Benefits Lawyers Association (IPEBLA) and of its Executive Compensation Committee
  • STEP Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners
  • Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce
  • Swiss Bar Association (SAV/FSA)
  • Zurich Bar Association (ZAV)
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian

Practice Areas

Ruth Bloch-Riemer's Deals, Cases & News

All Deals, Cases & News
Lawyer of the Year, Switzerland
IFC Awards 2023
Ranked as 'up and coming' by Chambers HNW
Chambers HNW 2020 & 2021
Ruth is excellent at client handling
Chambers High Net Worth 2024
Lawyer of the Year, Switzerland
IFC Awards 2023
Ranked as 'up and coming' by Chambers HNW
Chambers HNW 2020 & 2021
Ruth is excellent at client handling
Chambers High Net Worth 2024

Ruth Bloch-Riemer's latest Publications

Ruth Bloch-Riemer's latest Speaking Engagements