Andrea Dorjee-Good
+41 44 215 5252
Andrea Dorjee-Good
Counsel | Schellenberg Wittmer
OFFICE LOCATION
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Estate planning
Contentious trusts and estates
Philanthropy & Charities
CROSS-BORDER CLIENT EXPERIENCE IN
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Representation of one of several heirs in a very substantial trust and estate dispute regarding a Swiss estate involving various structures and assets in numerous jurisdictions. This required coordination of legal advice across several jurisdictions.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." - Oscar Wilde
What is your favourite quote?
"Do not mind anything that anyone tells you about anyone else. Judge everyone and everything for yourself." - Henry James
Tina Wüstemann
Tina Wüstemann
Partner, Head Private Clients | Bär & Karrer
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
United States (NY) (non-practising)
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Personal and estate planning
Administration of estates and trusts
Dispute resolution
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Representation and lead counsel (of several teams of lawyers) in multi-billion, complex trust and estate litigation with regard to a Swiss estate, involving assets and various structures in numerous civil law and trust jurisdictions.
Advising UHNW individual and his family with overall wealth and estate planning, including succession and family law matters, corporate matters and family governance.
Appointment to the Board of Protectors for a European family that holds a $5
billion industrial group.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Apart from broad expertise, not only with regard to the client's own jurisdiction but also to other systems of law and cultures, be a good listener, understand the family dynamics, have good common sense and great empathy for the clients.
What is your favourite quote?
"Motivation comes from working on things we care about. It also comes from working with people we care about" – Sheryl Sandberg
David Wilson
David Wilson
Partner, Private Clients and Estates | Schellenberg Wittmer
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
United States
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Personal and estate planning
Administration of Estates and Trusts
Dispute resolution
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Advising a billionaire Mexican client on CRS, proceeding to an extensive restructuring of the complex family structures (involving Singapore, Bahamas and New Zealand) and relocating family members.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Stray hungry, stay humble.
What is your favourite quote?
“The more corrupt the republic, the more numerous the laws,” Tacitus.
Bernard Vischer
Bernard Vischer
Partner and Head of Private Clients and Estates, Geneva | Schellenberg Wittmer
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Administration of estates and trusts
Family business governance
Philanthropy and charitable giving
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
I advised major high net worth individuals in cross-border cases. One recent example of my expertise includes advising a prominent foreign family in the restructuring of family holdings into a Swiss PFF. During the restructuring, I introduced family governance rules and reduced the exposure to disclosure requirements in respect of a portfolio of passive investments in a great number of jurisdictions. This case illustrates my outstanding expertise and ability to handle complex cross-border trust and succession matters.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
The main lesson I have learnt in my career is that you cannot go wrong in putting the client's interest first; it is also in your own long term interest.
What is your favourite quote?
“Keep it as simple as possible, but not any simpler,” Albert Einstein.
Mark Summers
Mark Summers
Partner | Charles Russell Speechlys
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
England and Wales
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Personal and estate planning
Succession planning
Tax
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Representing STEP at the OECD Working Party 10 on the implementation and guidance for the Common Reporting Standard. It was not only an honour to be asked to do this but I believe that some of my interventions have made a genuine impact in how the CRS is applied to trusts so that it is practical and provides more accurate information to tax authorities; in particular how persons such as protectors and settlors should be reported which has been adopted in the amended guidance.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
If you see a gap in the market with few or no practitioners providing badly needed specific advice by clients, seize it and make it your own. If you are talented, intelligent and able to communicate with clients and the world at large, you will succeed.
What is your favourite quote?
“I'd rather have lucky generals than good ones,” Napoleon Bonaparte.
Marnin Michaels
Marnin Michaels
Partner | Baker & McKenzie
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
United States (NY, MA, FL)
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
International tax controversy (white collar)
International wealth management (planning)
CRS/FATCA
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
I have been leading a Major DOJ investigation involving tax investigation for a bank with issues in 8 jurisdictions.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Always work to be better and you will be better.
What is your favourite quote?
“Quality begets quality.”
Lucien Masmejan
Lucien Masmejan
Partner, Head of Private Clients | Lenz & Staehelin
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
Restructuring the asset holding structures of a multijurisdictional family with ramification in the US, UK, Switzerland and several other countries
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Stick to your values, be a hard worker and be patient
What is your favourite quote?
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value,” Albert Einstein.
Justine Markovitz
Justine Markovitz
Partner | Withersworldwide
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
England and Wales
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
What is your favourite quote?
Manuel Liatowitsch
Dr. Manuel Liatowitsch
Disputes Partner – Litigation, Arbitration and Contentious Private Clients and Estates | Schellenberg Wittmer
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Commercial Litigation
Commercial Arbitration
Wealth Disputes
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
A complex shareholder dispute among family members about a multinational business based in Switzerland, on many levels and many fronts.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Choose your clients wisely and work with those that you can have a productive and trusting working relationship.
What is your favourite quote?
"To infinity…and beyond!" Toy Story.
Daniel Leu
Daniel Leu
Partner | Bär & Karrer
JURISDICTIONS QUALIFIED IN
Switzerland
TOP 3 AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Personal and estate planning
Dispute resolution
Family office
What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?
There have been many highlights and victories, small and big ones. One that certainly stands out is the opportunity to become involved in the charitable activities of a prominent family.
What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?
Listen to clients, learn from your mistakes, remain independent enough to give critical advice and go the extra mile - it is worth it.
What is your favourite quote?
"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake," Napoleon Bonaparte.