As an accredited labour law expert (SBA certificate), Sara Rousselle-Ruffieux advises national and multinational companies as well as international organizations on employment, immigration and social security matters. Her expertise encompasses both individual employment relationships (contract, company regulation, participation or bonus plan, non-competition clause, termination agreement, secondment, etc.) and collective labour relations (hiring of services, mass-dismissals, social plans or business transfers, etc.). She also regularly assists clients in administrative and judicial matters and represents them before administrations and courts. Sara Rousselle-Ruffieux is also active in the field of data protection and cross-border issues (in particular the coordination of social security systems).
Lenz & Staehelin traces its roots back to two law firms founded by Conrad Staehelin in Zurich in 1917 and by Raoul Lenz in Geneva in 1951.
After World War II, Conrad’s son Willy Staehelin realized that Switzerland would make an ideal hub for foreign investment and gained the interest of prominent American investors in Zurich. Joining with other partners in the 1960s, Staehelin, Hafter, Jagmetti, Lutz & Partner continued to serve predominantly American, British, German and Italian clients in addition to its Swiss clientele.
Meanwhile, in Geneva, Raoul Lenz similarly saw the benefits of an international clientele and a larger partnership. Lenz, Schluep, Briner & de Coulon developed representing foreign clients, global and private banks – and with them Swiss and foreign private clients.
By the late 1980s, the Geneva partners recognized the opportunities and synergies of a nationwide presence. They initiated talks with Staehelin, Hafter, Jagmetti, Lutz & Partner and the two firms soon understood that they were a natural match, permitting a swift merger. On 1st January 1991, Lenz & Staehelin was born. Since then it has continued to grow and remains one of Switzerland’s largest independent law firms.
