Niederer Kraft Frey continues to expand: new partner and counsels

Niederer Kraft Frey is pleased to announce that Christina Rinne joined the partnership effective 1 January 2019. Furthermore, Brigitte Knecht was appointed as counsel effective 1 January 2019 and Elga Reana Tozzi was hired as counsel in May 2018.

For more than 20 years, Christina Rinne has specialised in advising and representing clients in the fields of Swiss and international VAT and customs law, excise duty and export control matters. She advises Swiss and foreign clients on all aspects of indirect taxation and represents them in dealings with tax authorities and before the administrative courts. Since joining the firm as counsel in September 2016, Christina Rinne has made an important contribution to the firm’s success as a valuable addition to the NKF Tax practice.

Brigitte Knecht has more than 10 years’ experience in conducting national and international civil trials. As a proven specialist, she represents companies and private individuals before all state courts and authorities as well as all appeal bodies in Switzerland, in addition to arbitral tribunals. She assists clients primarily in commercial disputes, in particular in complex contract, corporate and employment law matters. Her other practice areas include bankruptcy and seizure law, commercial criminal law and international legal assistance. Brigitte Knecht joined NKF in 2006.

Elga Reana Tozzi focuses on Swiss domestic and international tax law for corporate and individual clients. With more than 25 years’ experience, she advises national, international and listed companies on mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, reorganizations, cross-border structuring, private equity structures, initial public offerings (IPOs) and privatizations of multinational and national companies as well as on succession planning. She also advises entrepreneurs, shareholders and High Net Worth Individuals in all tax matters.

Philippe Weber, Managing Partner: “We wholeheartedly welcome Christina Rinne to the NKF partnership. We are also very pleased about the appointment of Brigitte Knecht and the direct entry of Elga Reana Tozzi as counsels. 2018 was an extraordinarily successful year, in which we were named ‘Swiss Law Firm of the Year’ several times and won numerous other awards from leading legal directories. This reflects our outstanding market position. We wish all three of them every success and are convinced that they will underscore our excellent reputation.”

Christina Rinne: “I am very proud to be able to contribute to the further development of NKF as one of the leading commercial law firms in Switzerland, now as partner. Our team of highly professional, committed and passionate lawyers is unrivalled in the Swiss market”.

Since 2015, NKF’s partnership has been strengthened by a total of eight appointments from its own ranks, four of which are female partners. During the same period, five female counsels were appointed. NKF’s strategy of organic growth and the promotion of a career model specifically for women, coupled with the inclusion of first-class lateral hires, such as Till Spillmann in 2018, contribute to NKF’s leading position in the Swiss legal market.