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Private Client & Estate Planning

Helping individuals, families and charities succeed in a complex and changing world.

Advice that makes a difference is based on a unique mix of legal skills, interdisciplinary thinking, a deep understanding of family dynamics and generations of experience.

Our Private Clients Team has unparalleled expertise in advising clients worldwide on contentious and non-contentious matters, covering the full range of legal issues our clients face.

We advise and represent private clients and their families, entrepreneurs, family offices, closely held businesses, charitable organisations as well as service providers such as banks and trustees. Among the families we advise, many have relied on our firm's services for several decades, some of them now in the third generation.

Apart from our experience and legal expertise, our clients appreciate our responsiveness and our ability to understand family dynamics.

Matters we assist our clients with include:

  • Administration and executorship of complex estates
  • Art collections (tax and succession planning concerning art collections)
  • Philanthropy and the formation of charitable organisations, including governance and management aspects
  • Estate Planning
  • Trusts and Foundations
  • Estate & Trust Litigation
  • Real Estate planning and transactions
  • Family Law
  • Relocation to Switzerland
  • Taxation aspects in relation to all the above

Top quality in every respect.

Chambers HNW guide 2018

Excellent service. Outstanding team. Always on top of the market.

Legal 500, 2022

Bär and Karrer is the ‘go-to’ firm in Switzerland.

Legal 500, 2022

Working with them is a dream; I have total confidence in them, at all times

Client in Private Wealth Law of Chambers HNW 2021

We always get an exceptional service and they go above and beyond

Client in Private Wealth Law of Chambers HNW 2021

Extraordinary team! Responsive and always available to their clients.

Legal 500 2021

A very hands-on and thorough team that has an outstanding commitment to its clients.

Legal 500 2021

The breadth and depth of technical competence as well as the ability to keep an eye on the broader picture are unique.’

Legal 500 2021

Responsive, strategic and thorough.

Chambers HNW guide 2020

They are a very elegant firm with an excellent reputation.

Source in Chambers HNW guide 2020

They are the premier league.

Chambers HNW guide 2020

Is universally excellent, and is able to tackle high-value, complex matters.

Legal 500 2020

Achieving the best results for its often highly demanding clients.

Legal 500 2020

Stellar practice with a deep bench of excellent practitioners in Zürich, Geneva, Lugano and Zug.

Chambers Europe 2016

Sometimes they're on the other side, and they're always great to have as adversaries because they're smart.

Client in Chambers HNW guide 2018

My first choice for private client work.

Client in Chambers HNW guide 2018

One of the best firms in Switzerland and I would use them for a range of matters across the spectrum.

Client in Chambers HNW guide 2018

Bär & Karrer has a stellar private wealth offering with a deep bench of excellent practictioners.

Comment from Chambers Private Wealth Law 2017

The firm has huge experience in wealth planning, trusts and estate litigation and tax issues.

Comment from Chambers Private Wealth Law 2017

First class practice.

Legal 500 2016

It's a big and highly renowned firm, but whenever you deal with the lawyers you still receive a very client-focused, solution-focused and personal service.

Client in Chambers Europe 2016

Market-leading.

Legal 500 2017

A leading Swiss firm for tax and private client matters.

Chambers HNW guide 2019

A great team.

Interviewee in Chambers HNW guide 2019

Great international experience.

Chambers HNW guide 2019

Major presence in this market.

Chambers HNW guide 2019

Strong coverage in both the German- and French-speaking parts of the country.

Chambers HNW guide 2019

They have real bench strength.

Source in Chambers HNW guide 2019

Top quality in every respect.

Chambers HNW guide 2018

Excellent service. Outstanding team. Always on top of the market.

Legal 500, 2022

International Legal Team of the Year Award

Step Private Client Awards 2019

Ranked in Tier 1

by Chambers HNW and Legal 500 2023

Law Firm of the Year Switzerland Award

Citywealth IFC Awards 2022 & 2021

Private Client Firm of the Year Award

WWL Switzerland Awards 2021

Law Firm of the Year Switzerland Silver Award

Citywealth Magic Circle Awards 2021

International Private Client Team of the Year Award

The British Legal Awards 2020

Law Firm of the Year Switzerland Award

Magic Circle Awards 2019

International Legal Team of the Year Award

Step Private Client Awards 2019

Ranked in Tier 1

by Chambers HNW and Legal 500 2023