The law firms Hafner & Hochstrasser (Zurich and Lucerne) and Kohli & Urbach Rechtsanwälte (Zurich), both specialising in commercial and white-collar criminal law, merged at the beginning of the year to form Hafner Urbach Partner (HUP). According to the firm, the goal of the merger is to combine decades of experience and legal excellence under one roof.

The founders of the newly formed firm are Benno Hafner and Guido Urbach. The Zurich-based boutique firm aims to position itself as a first port of call for national and international companies as well as private clients in complex commercial law matters.

The firm’s expertise ranges from contract and corporate law to banking and financial market law, as well as litigation and arbitration proceedings, internal investigations and regulatory matters. In addition, HUP has recognised expertise in administrative (criminal) law, white-collar crime, and in the areas of compliance and anti-money laundering.

Alongside the two co-founders, the team includes partners Dorian Gasser, Gentiana Imeri and Giorgio Lazzarini, as well as associate Livio Fenner and Hamide Miftari. The firm is further supported by consultants, notably Juan Carlos Gil, Emanuel Hochstrasser and Monika Molnar.

Well-Known Lawyers

In 2021, Hafner came into the public spotlight as chairman of the board of directors of the Lucerne hotel Château Gütsch and due to his connections with Russian investor Kirill Androssow. He also serves as a board member of Belvista, a company based in Freienbach (SZ) specialising in family office, real estate and philanthropy services.

Urbach represented Urs Schwarzenbach in a customs and tax dispute with the Zurich tax authorities and is a member of the board of the Kunsthaus Zug. Ulrich Kohli was convicted as an «accomplice» in an art smuggling case and fined 1,9 million francs.