Inheritance law, matrimonial property and family law

• National and international estate and wealth planning
• Succession planning of family enterprises
• Testamentary contracts, last wills and contracts of succession
• Anticipatory succession and transfers by way of gift or succession
• Distribution of estates, representation of heirs, administration and management of estates
• Serving as executor of wills and testaments
• Healthcare proxies, patient provisions, powers of attorney, instructions in the case of death
• Contracts for marriage, concubinage and registered partnerships
• Divorce law
• Separation agreements
• Matrimonial property planning
• Relocation of private persons to Switzerland
• Establishment of foundations
• Tax law (with consultation of our tax experts)

Contract law and corporate law

• Establishment of corporations, merger & acquisitions, change of corporate forms, corporate reorganizations and liquidation of corporations
• Capital increases
• Advising private clients on investments in (family) corporations
• Shareholders' agreements and further precautionary measures with regards to succession planning
• Drafting and negotiation of contracts in the areas of Commercial and Corporate Law
• Advising private and public companies and their Board of Directors
• Relocation of corporations to Switzerland
• Labour Law

Attorney-at-law

Consultant

Melanie Strässle joined DAVATZ LEGAL in 2019 as an Consultant. She has in-depth knowledge of emergency and estate planning and has already drafted numerous marriage and inheritance contracts, wills and advance care directives.

In addition to her work as an Attorney-at-law, Melanie Strässle has been a part-time  substitute judge at a Zurich District Court since 2017. Melanie Strässle acts in both advisory and litigation capacity.

Tel. +41 44 213 80 40
 

Practice Areas

Matrimonial and Inheritance law
Succession planning in family businesses
Contract law
 

Professional career

since 2019        
Attorney-at-law and Consultant, DAVATZ LEGAL

since 2018
Actuary ad hoc, Administrative Court of the Canton of Graubünden

since 2017
Substitute Judge at a Zurich District Court

since 2017
Associate at a Law Firm

2017
Associate at an international Law Firm in Zurich

2013-2015
Chairwoman of the Concilation Authority for Tenancy and Leasehold matters in the District of Pfäffikon ZH

2012-2015
Clerk and Court Clerk at the District Court of Pfäffikon ZH

2011
Legal Counsel at a legal expenses insurance
 

Education

2016
Admitted to the Bar (Attorney-at-law)

2010
University of Zurich, lic. iur.
 

Memberships

• Swiss Bar Association

Attorney-at-law

Erik Najdl joined DAVATZ LEGAL in 2020. He advises clients on matrimonial and inheritance law, in particular on emergency and estate planning, estate settlement, executor mandates and inheritance disputes, as well as on contract and corporate law matters. In addition to his work as a lawyer, Erik Najdl work at the university institute "UniDistance Suisse". Erik Najdl acts on both advisory and litigation capacity.

erik.najdl@davatzlegal.ch • Tel. +41 44 213 80 43
 

Practice areas

Matrimonial and Interitance law
Contract law
Corporate law
Foundation law
Conflict resolution and litigation
 

Professional career

since 2020
Attorney-at-law, DAVATZ LEGAL

since 2019
Assistant at the UniDistance Suisse

2019-2020
Legal Associate at a major Swiss Bank

2017-2018
Junior Lawyer in a law firm in Zurich specialising in Swiss and international commercial law

2016
Lector, Technical Introduction to Law, University of Fribourg

2011-2016
Assistant at the Chair of Procedure (Civil Procedure / Debt Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law) and Introduction to Law, University of Fribourg
 

Education

2020
Admitted to the Bar (Attorney-at-law)

2011
University of Fribourg, Master of Law (MLaw)

2011
Exchange Semester, Masaryk University, Brno (CZ)

2009
University of Fribourg, Bachelor of Law (BLaw)
 

Memberships

• Swiss Bar Association 
• Zurich Bar Association 

Attorney-at-law

Micaela Tanner joined DAVATZ LEGAL as an attorney-at-law in 2021. In addition to matrimonial and inheritance law, her practice areas include contract and employment law as well as corporate law. In addition to providing advice and legal clarifications for clients, she also assists with executor mandates. Micaela Tanner acts in both advisory and litigation capacity.

micaela.tanner@davatzlegal.ch • Tel. +41 44 213 80 42
 

Practice areas

Matrimonial and inheritance law
Employment law
Corporate law
Contract law
 

Professional career

since 2021
Attorney-at-law, DAVATZ LEGAL

2016-2020
Legal Counsel at a major Swiss Bank

2013-2016
Attorney-at-law, BDO AG

2010
Substitute, Niederer Kraft & Frey AG

2009-2010
Clerk at the District Court of Zurich
 

Education

2012
Admitted to the Bar (Attorney-at-law)

2008
University of Zurich, lic.iur.
 

Memberships

• Swiss Bar Association
• Zurich Bar Association

Legal Assistant, MSc in Management and Law

Catrina Helbling works as a legal assistant at DAVATZ LEGAL. She takes on various tasks in executor mandates and drafts contracts and important documets (wills, marriage and inheritance contracts, advance care directives, general powers of attorney etc.). Catrina Helbling supports the lawyers in all matters, in particular in connection with emergency and estate planning and also takes on administrative tasks.

catrina.helbling@davatzlegal.ch • Tel. +41 44 213 80 41
 

Professional career

since 2022
Legal Assistant, DAVATZ LEGAL
 

Education

2022
ZHAW, Master of Science in Management and Law UAS Zürich

2020
ZHAW, Bachelor of Science in Business Law UAS Zürich

2017
Vocational baccalaureate 2

2013-2016
City administration of Rapperswil-Jona, Commercial apprenticeship

Assistant

Elin Langenskiöld works as an assistant at DAVATZ LEGAL. She is currently completing her bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Law at the University of Zurich. She takes on administrative tasks and also supports the entire team in legal matters.

info@davatzlegal.ch • Tel. +41 44 213 80 40
 

Professional career

since 2022
Assistant, DAVATZ LEGAL

since 2021
Employee, Haddock AG

since 2020
Receptionist, LABO Spa AG

2019-2023
Assistant, Lenz und Staehelin Rechtsanwälte
 

Education

since 2020
University of Zurich, Bachelor of Law (BLaw)

Attorney-at-law, Dr. iur.

Lars Hochstein joined DAVATZ LEGAL as a Attorney-at-Law in 2023. His areas of specialisation include inheritance and family law. In this context, he prefers the following areas of practice: Emergency and estate planning, inheritance disputes and divorce law. Lars Hochstein's other preferred areas of practice include pension equalisation, matrimonial law, contractual arrangements for martial unions, registred partnerships and civil partnerships, as well as separation and divorce agreements. He also wrote a dissertation entitled "Die Ausnahmen vom hälftigen Vorsorgeausgleich (Art. 124b ZGB)". Lars Hochstein acts in both advisory and litigation capacity.

lars.hochstein@davatzlegal.ch • Tel. +41 44 213 80 46
 

Practice areas

Matrimonial and Inheritance law
Divorce law
Adult protection law
Contract law
 

Professional career

since 2023
Attorney-at-law, DAVATZ LEGAL

2022
Legal associate at a big law firm

2020-2021
Clerk at the District Court of Horgen

2016-2020
Research associate at the Chair of Civil Law at the University of Fribourg

2016
Assistant at the Chair of Civil Law at the University of Fribourg
 

Education

2023
Admitted to the Bar (Attorney-at-law)

2016
University of Fribourg, Master of Law (MLaw)

2014
University of Fribourg, Bachelor of Law (BLaw)
 

Publications

Hochstein Lars, Die Ausnahmen vom hälftigen Vorsorgeausgleich (Art. 124b ZGB), AISUF 438, Zürich/Genf 2023.

Jungo Alexandra/Hochstein Lars, Faktische Lebensgemeinschaften im Zivil- und im Sozialversicherungsrecht - Parallelen und Unterschiede, in: Fuhrer Stephan/Kieser Ueli/Weber Stephan (Hrsg.), Mehrspuriger Schadenausgleich, Mit Beiträgen zum Haftpflicht-, Sozialversicherungs- und Privatversicherungsrecht, Zürich 2022, S. 609-629.

Hermann Tanja/Hochstein Lars, Neuere Rechtsprechung und Literatur zum Ehe- und Kindesrecht, in: Jungo Alexandra/Fountoulakis Christiana (Hrsg.), Der Familienprozess, 10. Symposium zum Familienrecht, Universität Freiburg, Zürich/Basel/Genf 2020, S. 177-334.

Hochstein Lars/Rutishauser Lena, Neuere Rechtsprechung und Literatur zum Ehe- und Kindesrecht, in: Jungo Alexandra/Fountoulakis Christiana (Hrsg.), Elterliche Sorge, Betreuungsunterhalt, Vorsorgeausgleich und weitere Herausforderungen, 9. Symposium zum Familienrecht, Universität Freiburg, Zürich/Basel/Genf 2018, S. 237-339.
 

Memberships

• Swiss Bar Association
• Zurich Bar Association

DAVATZ LEGAL ∙ Anwaltskanzlei Debra Davatz Hörler
Rennweg 38
CH- 8001 Zurich

Tel. +41 44 213 80 40 ∙ Fax +41 44 213 80 45
info@davatzlegal.ch

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