Profile

Gaudenz Zindel specializes in corporate and commercial law, particularly the law on corporations and limited liability companies. He regularly advises companies on issues of their shareholders’ meetings, board of directors, corporate governance, compliance and directors’ liability, and is regularly counselling clients in shareholders’ agreements, joint ventures and corporate restructuring. He further advises private clients, particularly family held companies on their corporate structures, partnership agreements, restructuring projects and succession planning.

Experience

The following is a selection of public and private cases in which Mr. Zindel acted as counsel:

  • Advising family owned enterprise in a spin-off (industrial area and real estate)
  • M&A-Transaction regarding a joint venture company through which the parties develop retail store concepts and operate respective convenience stores
  • Advising family owned business-group in the health sector (residential care home/special care home) regarding restructuring and new positioning
  • AGMs of listed corporations, particularly advising on capital structure issues, amendments to the articles of association and corporate governance
  • Advising a listed corporation on the friendly public tender offer to public shareholders of a Swiss bank
  • Joint Venture-Transaction in the enterprise communications business; transfer of Swiss enterprise communications business to a UK joint venture holding company as part of a worldwide transaction
  • M&A-Transaction regarding the purchase of an international manufacturing business; legal counsel to the international manufacturer, advising on the merger control filings worldwide
  • M&A-Transaction regarding the purchase of a privately held Swiss Corporation; acting as Seller’s counsel in the Swiss law governed transaction
  • Advising a privately held corporation active in building construction and civil engineering on the investigation proceedings and required actions; representing the client before the Swiss Competition Commission
  • Real estate projects, particularly in the Greater Zurich Area, advising on Swiss construction law and drafting and negotiating the construction agreements
  • Reorganization of privately held companies and holding structures (Familienunternehmen)
1988 University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, LL.M.
1987 Admitted to the Bar, Rechtsanwalt
1984 University of Zurich, PhD, Preemptive Rights in the Corporation, distinguished with the Walther Hug-Prize 1985
1980 Law Schools of the Universities of Zurich and Lausanne, Master Degree
Best Lawyers 2010 – 2025
Who’s Who Legal: Global 2019 – 2024
Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland 2016 – 2024
  • Swiss Bar Association
  • Zurich Bar Association
  • Alumni-Organization of the Law School of the University of Zurich, Vice-Chairman
  • Europe Institute of the University of Zurich, Vice-Chairman
  • Expert commission for the Law of the Legal Profession of the Swiss Bar Association
2024 Of Counsel, Niederer Kraft Frey
2000-2018 Editor-in-chief of Swiss Lawyers Journal (SJZ/RSJ)
2013 Europe Institute at the University of Zurich, Vice-Chairman
2009 Lecturer on Swiss corporate law in its international context, LL.M.-Program of the University of Zurich (Europe Institute)
2004-2017 Head of the annual Conference on Corporation Law, Europe Institute at the University of Zurich
2004 Ius-Alumni Organization of the University of Zurich, Member of the Board, Vice-Chairman
2004 Expert Commission on the Law of the Legal Profession of the Swiss Lawyers’ Association
1999-2011 Federal Expert Commission for the Commercial Registry, legislative proposals on corporate law
1997-2002 Zurich Lawyers’ Association (Zürcher Anwaltsverband), Member of the Executive Board, 2001 / 2002 acting as Chairman
1997 Europe Institute at the University of Zurich, Member of the Board, Vice-Chairman since 2006 Executive Committee
1994 Partner, Niederer Kraft Frey
1988 Foreign associate with Lillick McHose & Charles, Attorneys at law, Los Angeles
1986 Law Clerk with the District Court of Uster / Zurich
1980 Research Assistant for Corporate Law at University of Zurich, Prof. Peter Forstmoser

German

English

Market Perception

«Gaudenz Zindel possesses considerable experience providing top-notch counsel to an array of corporate clients on shareholder and board liability, reorganisations and governance issues. »
Who’s Who Legal 2020
«Gaudenz Zindel is highly respected for his work advising shareholders and boards of directors both of listed and private companies on issues of corporate governance. »
Who’s Who Legal 2018

Publications

01.01.2016

Kommentierung Kapitalerhöhungen im Aktienrecht und im GmbH-Recht (Art. 650-653i und 786 ff. OR)

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01.06.2012

Anwaltsgesellschaften in der Schweiz

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01.05.2012

Strafanzeige der Gesellschaft gegen ihre Organe bei aktienrechtlichen Verantwortlichkeitsansprüchen &…

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