Antitrust and competition law

In 2017, our firm was ranked among the best studies in Switzerland for competition and cartel law, according to a Handelszeitung/Bilan ranking.

We advise our clients on horizontal and vertical agreements, including distribution, abuse of dominant position and the implementation of compliance programs. We assist them before the competition authorities (Comco and TAF) as well as before civil courts in disputes relating to competition law.

Specific skills

Advice to companies

In the field of competition law, we advise companies in their relations with their competitors (cooperation, consortia, exchanges of information, joint ventures and joint ventures, in particular) as well as with their distributors and suppliers (setting up distribution systems, parallel imports, electronic commerce, etc.).

We assist our clients in setting up compliance programs, a particularly effective tool to avoid costly violations of competition law. In this context, we can carry out internal audits, training and simulations. We also help our clients prepare for a possible quest by competition authorities through appropriate process.

Representation before the Competition Commission

We assist our clients in proceedings conducted by the Competition Commission, whether to bring a matter to its attention or, on the contrary, when a company is the subject of an investigation. In this context, we keep in mind the possibility for the company involved to participate, or not, in the leniency programme, which makes it possible to obtain significant reductions in any penalties.

Assistance before the Civil Courts

Our firm assists you in negotiations and legal proceedings concerning practices falling within the scope of the Anti-Cartel Law, but also the Federal Law against Unfair Competition (LCD) in the event of anti-competitive practices such as denigration, parasitism, risk of confusion, comparative advertising, etc.

Experience

• Implementation of compliance programs for medium and large companies, including internal audit and training;
• Assistance to clients before the Competition Commission in proceedings concerning restrictions on parallel imports;
• Assistance of several members of an employers’ association before the Competition Commission in connection with professional tariffs;
• Assistance to an international company in a dispute with a distributor;
• Assistance to a client as an expert before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in relation to an abuse of dominant position issue.