Christoph M. Pestalozzi
Dr. iur., M.C.J.Attorney at Law / Senior Counsel
For the past 25 years the main professional focus of Christoph Pestalozzi has been on domestic and international arbitration. He is active in institutional arbitration and in ad hoc arbitration proceedings. He has handled over 100 arbitration proceedings in Europe and Asia as chairman, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator and is a member of various national and international arbitration organizations. He also acts as counsel for Swiss and foreign companies, private individuals and foreign states before international arbitration tribunals and national courts, especially in the areas of commercial, contract and insolvency law. In addition, he has vast practical experience with private clients and as a board member in the banking and pharmaceutical sector, and has chaired a major non-profit organization in Zurich for over 30 years until 2020 (pro bono).
PRACTICE AREAS
Arbitration | Litigation | Employment Law | Corporate and Commercial Law | Bankruptcy and Restructuring | Real Estate
- Since 2022: Senior Counsel at Lustenberger + Partners
- Since 2014: Partner at Lustenberger + Partners
- 2000–2014: Founding Partner of VISCHER Ltd., Zurich and Basel
- Until 2007: Lecturer at the Law Faculty of the University of Zurich in the field of the Swiss Code of Obligations
- 1987–2000: Sole practitioner and founding partner of Pestalozzi Haegi & Partners (merged into VISCHER Ltd.)
- Head of the Legal Department Shell Switzerland, Zurich
- Associate with a Zurich law firm
- Court Clerk District Court of Horgen
- Research assistant at the Law Faculty of the University of Zurich in the area of Corporate Law, with Prof. Dr. Peter Forstmoser
- German
- English
- French
- Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA)
- Liechtenstein Arbitration Association (LIS)
- Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC)
- Zurich Chamber of Commerce (ZHK)
- Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce
- International Bar Association (IBA)
- Swiss Arbitration Academy (SAA)
- Europe Institute Zurich of the University of Zurich (EIZ)
- Zurich and Swiss Bar Associations (ZBA/SBA)
- Swiss and Zurich Lawyers Associations
- Swiss-Chinese Chamber of Commerce
- Swiss Association for Air and Space Law (ASDA)
- 1982: M.C.J., Post-graduate studies at New York University, NYU School of Law, Master of Comparative Jurisprudence
- 1979: Bar Admission to the Zurich and Swiss Bar
- 1977: Dr. iur., University of Zurich
- 1974: lic. iur., University of Zurich
- Acting as Chairman in a big WIPO Arbitration case (IP) involving a complex cross license agreement.
- Acting as Chairman in a major international ICC construction arbitration case in the oil industry.
- Chambers 2021:
"Christoph Pestalozzi acts as president, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator on commercial arbitrations. Market sources describe him as someone “experienced and with a very pragmatic approach.” - Who’s Who Legal 2021 (Global Leader):
“Christoph is a vastly experienced and highly regarded arbitrator”. “He’s a very well-prepared arbitrator who always does a great job”. “He’s a tremendously well-prepared chairman with the talent to cheer up any crowd.” - Who’s Who Legal 2020 (Thought Leader):
"Christoph Pestalozzi is one of the keystones of the Swiss arbitration market who possesses over 20 years of experience as chairman, co-arbitrator and sole arbitrator in commercial disputes."
- Vor- und Nachteile der Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit, Handbuch Schiedsrecht, Czernich/Deixler-Hübner/Schauer (editors), Part I, Chapter 4, Vienna 2018
- Schweizerisches Obligationenrecht, Basel Commentary, Obligationenrecht II, Art. 530–964 OR, inkl. Schlussbestimmungen, Honsell Heinrich, Vogt Nedim Peter und Watter Rolf (editors), 5th ed., Basel 2016, Art. 543–544, Art. 562–573 and Art. 606–618 (with Prof. Dr. Hans-Ueli Vogt)
- Schweizerisches Obligationenrecht, Basel Commentary, Obligationenrecht I, Art. 1–529 OR, Lüchinger Widmer Corinne und Oser David (editors), 7th ed., Basel 2020, Art. 111 and Art. 492–512
- Swiss Civil Procedure Code, The New Swiss Civil Procedure Code, VISCHER Brochure, Zurich 2013
- Feststellungsinteresse, discussion of the Federal Supreme Court decision 4A_548/2008 dated 11 March 2009 (BGE 135 III 378), in: ius.focus, vol. 6, No. 155, 2010, 16-17 (with Mladen Stojiljković)
- Würdigung von Beweismitteln; Subsidiarität der Nichtigkeitsbeschwerde, discussion of the court decision AA080070 of the Cassation Court Zurich dated 13 May 2009, in: ius.focus, vol. 1, No. 20, 2010, 18 (with Mladen Stojiljković)
- Die widerspenstige Schiedspartei, Sanktionen im Verfahrensrecht der Schiedsge-richtsbarkeit, Wirtschaftsrecht in Bewegung, commemorative publication for the 65th birthday of Peter Forstmoser, Zurich 2008, pages 579 et seq., Gaudenz G. Zindel et al. (editors)
- Fusionsgesetz, Zurich Commentary, Vischer Frank (editor), Kommentar zum Bundes-gesetz über Fusion, Spaltung, Umwandlung und Vermögensübertragung (FusG) dated 3rd October 2003, 2nd ed., Zurich 2012, Art. 56 – 58 (with Jana Essebier)
- New Arbitration Rules of the Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce, Zurich 2000
- “Efficiency and Evidence Production and the Role of the Arbitrator: US Style vs. Civil Law Style Arbitration” (Law and Economics Foundation St. Gallen, Arbitration Forum, Organisation and Moderator of the Panel, 11 April 2018)
- "Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit und Digitalisierung“ (Zurich Chamber of Commerce/ Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution, Arbitration Breakfast@ZHK, Zurich, Organisation and Moderator of the Panel, 5 April 2018)
- "Wie suche und finde ich geeignete Schiedsrichter oder Schiedsrichterinnen? Der wichtigste Entscheid zuerst!” (Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Arbitration Breakfast@ZHK, Zurich, Organisation and Moderator of the Panel, 2 October 2017)
- "Interessenkonflikte in der Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit: Unparteilichkeit, Unabhängigkeit und Offenlegungspflichten“ (Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Arbitration Breakfast@ZHK, Zurich, Organisation of the Panel, 18 October 2016)
- "Veramerikanisierung von internationalen Schiedsgerichtsverfahren – Fluch oder Segen?“ (Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Arbitration Breakfast@ZHK, Zurich, Organisation and Moderator of the Panel, 26 May 2016)
- "Die Anfechtung von Schiedssprüchen“ (Dreiländerkonferenz in Vienna, Organisation and Moderator of the Panel, 11 September 2015)
- „Schiedsverfahren – eine teure Alternative der Streitbeilegung?“ (Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Arbitration Breakfast@ZHK, Zurich, Moderator of the Panel, 30 October 2014)
- “Where is the fun in arbitration or when should I avoid it (how do I become an arbitration practitioner)?” (SAA Swiss Arbitration Academy, An introduction on how to prepare for practice, Speaker, Zurich, 29 August 2014)
- "Streiterledigungsklauseln in internationalen Verträgen – Praxistipps aus Rechtsvertreter- und Schiedsrichter-Sicht“ (Zurich Chamber of Commerce, Arbitration Breakfast@ZHK, Zurich, Organisation and Speaker on the Panel, 10 June 2014)
- Gültige Schiedsabrede als Prozesshindernis in dem vor dem staatlichen Gericht angehobenen Prozess, Discussion of the court decision 100 09 257/ZWH of KGer BL dated 13 October 2009 in re G.H. gegen K B. und K.A., in: ius.focus, vol. 6, No. 151, 2011, 16 (with Delia Bosshard)
- “The Interface Client – Law Firm”, The External View of the Law Firm (Management Program for the Legal Profession MPLP-HSG, Module 4, St. Gallen, Speaker, 22 Sep-tember 2011)
Contact
Lustenberger + Partners KLG
Wiesenstrasse 8
P.O. Box
CH-8032 Zurich
T +41 44 387 19 00
F +41 44 387 19 66
office@lplegal.ch
lplegal.ch
