BOREL & BARBEY
Borel & Barbey is a Geneva-based Swiss law firm founded in 1907, employing approximately 60 legal professionals across eight practice areas serving Swiss and international corporate, financial, and private clients with complex legal matters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1907
- HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BOREL & BARBEY does
Borel & Barbey is a Geneva-based Swiss law firm founded in 1907 by Paul Lachenal and Eugène Borel, with Gustave Barbey joining as partner in 1952 and giving the firm its current name. The firm employs approximately 60 lawyers, counsels, and jurists (around 89-100 total staff), organized across eight core practice areas: Banking & Finance, Corporate Law & M&A, Private Client Services, Tax Law, Litigation & Arbitration, Real Estate Law, Employment Law, and Family Law. It is structured as an independent partnership with no parent company, external investors, or private equity ownership, controlled by partner lawyers including Co-Managing Partners Nicolas Killen (LL.M.) and Luca Bozzo, alongside senior partner Marc Fischer who has 40+ years of firm tenure.
The firm's core product is fee-for-service legal counsel and representation under a partner-led engagement model, with no public pricing schedule; revenue is generated through professional fees for time-based and matter-based billing on complex domestic and cross-border matters. Multilingual capability across 12 languages (French, English, German, Chinese/Mandarin, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Swiss German, Swedish, Turkish) supports its international client base spanning Swiss and multinational corporations, financial institutions, private equity firms, high-net-worth individuals, and family offices. Marketing channels are traditional and content-led: a regularly updated newsroom, newsletter distribution, media columns (including Anne Laure Bandle's "Droit dans l'Art" in Bilan Magazine), conference participation, and academic engagement at the University of Geneva. Underlying technology is standard law firm infrastructure (external IT providers, cloud hosting in Switzerland, Google Analytics), with no proprietary AI products or platform; the firm has recently formalized a Technology & Digital Assets practice under Marc Freymond.
Borel & Barbey's marquee recent mandates include advisory roles on Highland Europe's sale of Nexthink to Vista Equity Partners (approximately USD 3 billion valuation, October 2025), Kernel Holding's USD 500 million bond issuance co-advised with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (October 2025), BPM's acquisition of Groupe Leuba (April 2025), and Highland Europe's USD 105 million financing round for Ecorobotix (October 2025). Notable regulatory involvement includes representation in the Credit Suisse AT1 bond matter, where the Swiss Federal Administrative Court overturned FINMA's CHF 16.5 billion write-off decision on October 14, 2025. The firm maintains offices solely at 2 rue de Jargonnant, Geneva, and serves clients regionally and globally through direct engagement rather than branch offices.
BOREL & BARBEY firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BOREL & BARBEY
- Legal name
- Borel & Barbey
- Website
- https://borel-barbey.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1907
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Borel & Barbey is a Geneva-based Swiss law firm founded in 1907, employing approximately 60 legal professionals across eight practice areas serving Swiss and international corporate, financial, and private clients with complex legal matters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BOREL & BARBEY industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)
Keywords
Where BOREL & BARBEY is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Geneva
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
BOREL & BARBEY business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Legal Services - Professional Fees: Fee-for-service legal counsel and representation across multiple practice areas including banking, corporate/M&A, litigation, tax, real estate, employment, and family law. Revenue generated through professional fees for legal services provided to private and institutional clients.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
BOREL & BARBEY product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Borel & Barbey is a Geneva-based law firm providing legal counsel and representation across eight practice areas: Banking & Finance, Corporate Law & M&A, Private Client Services, Tax Law, Litigation & Arbitration, Real Estate Law, Employment Law, and Family Law. The firm advises companies, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals on Swiss and cross-border matters. Services are delivered through partner-led engagement with a multilingual team of approximately 60 lawyers, counsels, and jurists.
Product overview
Borel & Barbey is a Swiss law firm established in Geneva since 1907, offering legal services across eight core practice areas: Banking & Finance, Corporate Law & M&A, Private Client Services, Tax Law, Litigation & Arbitration, Real Estate Law, Employment Law, and Family Law. The firm provides legal counsel and representation to demanding clients composed of companies and private individuals, both in Switzerland and abroad. The firm employs nearly sixty lawyers, advisers, and jurists with extensive legal experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Banking & Finance Legal Services Legal counsel and representation for banks, financial institutions, and financial service providers on regulatory and contractual aspects of their activities in the Swiss financial market, including FINMA matters.
- Corporate Law & M&A Services Advisory services for companies and individuals in Swiss and international commercial transactions, including M&A, business law, governance, private equity, venture capital and regulatory matters.
- Private Client Services Legal counsel for individuals and companies on estate planning and succession, immigration, taxation, art law, philanthropy, and family matters.
- Tax Law Services Advisory and assistance for private and institutional clients and companies in Swiss and international taxation, with significant expertise in tax litigation.
- Litigation & Arbitration Services Dispute resolution services providing personalized strategies for private and institutional clients in Switzerland and abroad across civil, commercial, criminal, insolvency, economic crime, sports law and international arbitration.
- Real Estate Law Services Advisory and assistance for private and institutional clients across civil, administrative, fiscal and financial aspects of real estate, including transactions, development, construction, and disputes.
- Employment Law Services Specialized advice and assistance across all areas of employment law (private and public), social security, and occupational pension law.
- Family Law Services Legal services for marriage and matrimonial regimes, adult protection, and family-related criminal law, assisting with agreements, simple disputes, and conflict situations.
Companies that use BOREL & BARBEY
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BOREL & BARBEY technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
BOREL & BARBEY partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Freshfields Bruckhaus DeringerminorFreshfields Bruckhaus Deringer acted as lead counsel jointly with Borel & Barbey on the Kernel Holding S.A. USD 500 million guaranteed bond issuance. This represents a co-advisory relationship on specific transactions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BOREL & BARBEY competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Schellenberg Wittmer: Geneva-headquartered Swiss law firm with comparable size and a similarly prestigious full-service practice spanning corporate/M&A, banking, litigation, and private client work. Most direct head-to-head competitor in the Geneva market.
- Bär & Karrer: Premier Swiss law firm with offices in Zurich and Geneva providing corporate/M&A, banking and finance, tax, and dispute resolution services. Direct competitor for cross-border Swiss corporate and private client mandates.
- Lenz & Staehelin: Largest Swiss law firm with Geneva and Zurich offices offering corporate, banking, dispute resolution, and private client practices. Overlapping client base of multinational corporates, financial institutions, and HNW families served from Switzerland.
- Homburger: Top-tier Zurich-based Swiss law firm with strong banking, corporate, and capital markets practices. Comparable in handling sophisticated Swiss and international transactions; competes for the same institutional client relationships.
- Niederer Kraft Frey: Zurich-based Swiss law firm specializing in corporate, M&A, banking, capital markets, and dispute resolution. Similar mid-to-large firm structure serving Swiss and international clients on complex matters.
- Meyerlustenberger Lachenal: Swiss law firm with offices in Zurich, Geneva, Munich, and Brussels offering corporate, litigation, IP, and private client services. Competes in similar practice areas, particularly in Swiss-German and Swiss-French corporate mandates.
- Walder Wyss: Major Swiss full-service law firm headquartered in Zurich with offices in Bern, Geneva, Basel, and Lausanne. Overlapping practice areas include banking/finance, corporate/M&A, litigation, real estate, and employment.
- Pestalozzi Attorneys at Law: Swiss law firm with Zurich and Geneva offices providing corporate, banking, dispute resolution, and private client services. Comparable firm size and full-service offering serving similar international/Swiss clientele.
- Bratschi Wiederkehr & Buol: Swiss law firm with offices in Zurich, Bern, Basel, St. Gallen, and Geneva covering corporate, banking, real estate, employment, and private client matters. Comparable mid-sized Swiss firm offering with broad practice coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer: Global Magic Circle law firm with a Geneva office that has explicitly co-advised with Borel & Barbey on the Kernel Holding USD 500M bond. Represents the larger full-service international competitor overlap on cross-border transactions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BOREL & BARBEY social profiles
Digital presenceBOREL & BARBEY financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BOREL & BARBEY leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
BOREL & BARBEY funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BOREL & BARBEY M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BOREL & BARBEY
What does BOREL & BARBEY do?
Borel & Barbey is a Geneva-based law firm providing legal counsel and representation across eight practice areas: Banking & Finance, Corporate Law & M&A, Private Client Services, Tax Law, Litigation & Arbitration, Real Estate Law, Employment Law, and Family Law. The firm advises companies, financial institutions, private equity sponsors, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals on Swiss and cross-border matters. Services are delivered through partner-led engagement with a multilingual team of approximately 60 lawyers, counsels, and jurists.
Is BOREL & BARBEY a public or private company?
BOREL & BARBEY is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was BOREL & BARBEY founded?
BOREL & BARBEY was founded in 1907. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is BOREL & BARBEY based?
BOREL & BARBEY is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does BOREL & BARBEY make money?
One revenue line is on record: legal Services - Professional Fees.
Who are BOREL & BARBEY's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Schellenberg Wittmer, Bär & Karrer, Lenz & Staehelin, Homburger, Niederer Kraft Frey, Meyerlustenberger Lachenal, Walder Wyss, Pestalozzi Attorneys at Law and Bratschi Wiederkehr & Buol. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does BOREL & BARBEY have an API?
No public API is recorded for BOREL & BARBEY.
What industry is BOREL & BARBEY in?
BOREL & BARBEY's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAA, Corporate & Commercial Law, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAK, Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.