SWITZERLAND Law and Practice Contributed by: Philippe Nordmann, Irène Suter-Sieber, Jonas Knechtli and Gustaf Heintz, Walder Wyss
Walder Wyss is one of Switzerland’s leading law firms, with over 280 fee earners and offices in Zurich, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Geneva and Lugano. It is the only major Swiss firm with a dedicated employment law team, comprising 42 attorneys including eight partners, managing associates, counsel, associates, and an immigration specialist. The team advises exclusively on employment law matters, offering in- depth expertise in employment contracts, restruc - turings, executive compensation, and cross-border personnel matters. In January 2024, Walder Wyss
launched a specialised immigration desk within the employment team, reflecting the increasing demand for integrated mobility advice. The group regularly assists multinational clients and Swiss corporates in litigation, transactions, collective dismissals, internal investigations and employment compliance projects. The firm’s multilingual, office-spanning structure en - sures seamless client service across German, French and Italian-speaking regions, setting Walder Wyss apart from other large Swiss law firms in this area.
Authors
Philippe Nordmann is a partner and co-head of the employment law team at Walder Wyss, with over 20 years of experience. He specialises in all aspects of employment law, including employment contracts, compensation
Irène Suter-Sieber is a partner at Walder Wyss and a Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law, with deep expertise in both contentious and advisory employment law. She advises Swiss and international
schemes, dismissals, collective agreements, and cross-border employee matters. Philippe also represents clients in complex employment disputes. He is a recognised expert in the field and has served as vice-president of the Personnel Appeals Commission of the canton of Basel-Stadt since 2016. He is a member of several professional bodies, including the Swiss Bar Association and the European Employment Lawyers Association (EELA).
clients on contracts, compensation, restructurings, employee transfers and internal investigations. Irène regularly represents clients in civil and administrative proceedings. From 2021 to 2024, she served on the firm’s management board as hiring partner. Her work covers complex employment matters including data protection and social security law. She is a member of the Swiss Bar Association and the Swiss Labour Law Association (SVA), among other professional bodies.
Jonas Knechtli is a managing associate in the employment law and litigation teams at Walder Wyss. He advises domestic and international clients on all aspects of employment law, with a focus on bonus schemes,
Gustaf Heintz is a senior associate in the employment law team at Walder Wyss, advising Swiss and international clients – including start-ups – on a wide range of employment and sports law matters.
restrictive covenants and employee terminations, including collective redundancies. He regularly represents clients before Swiss courts and has co-authored legal publications on employment law, civil procedure and product liability law. Jonas is a member of both the Basel and Swiss Bar Associations, reflecting his recognised standing in the field and ongoing contribution to professional legal discourse.
His practice includes personnel leasing, terminations, employee participation, internal investigations, work permits, and drafting of contracts and policies. He also represents clients in court and administrative proceedings and has co-authored legal publications in employment and procedural law. Gustaf is a member of the Zurich and Swiss Bar Associations, reflecting his active engagement in the professional legal community.
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