Werner Jahnel

Partner, Zurich

+41 58 105 2100

wjahnel@lalive.law

Werner Jahnel

Werner specialises in private wealth, advising private clients, family offices, foundations and trust companies on complex international estate planning and estate litigation, divorce proceedings, family law issues and art law.

He is certified by the Swiss Bar Association as a specialist in inheritance law and ranked by Chambers’ High Net Worth Guide and Who’s Who Legal as a leading practitioner in Private Client and Arbitration, as well as by Legal 500 as one of the leading private client practitioners in Switzerland. Having practised international arbitration for two decades, he currently acts as counsel and arbitrator in commercial and private client related disputes.

Recognition

Quoted as a “fantastic practitioner” with a “strong practice in international cross-border trusts and litigation”.
Who’s Who Legal, Thought Leaders, Private Client, 2022

Ranked as Foreign Expert
Chambers Global, Arbitration, 2023

The “excellent” Werner Jahnel is a pre-eminent figure in the market, with peers describing him as “one of the best Swiss private client practitioners”
Who’s Who Legal National Leaders, Private Client, 2023

Recent publications

Die Stellung des Ehegatten nach Schweizer Erbrecht
WERNER JAHNEL, SUZAN CAN
In: Journal für Erbrecht und Vermögensnachfolge JEV, März 2024, Heft 1, S- 9-17

The new law of succession – relevant for foundations
WERNER JAHNEL
In: THE PHILANTHROPIST – Das Magazin von Stiftung Schweiz, 4 January 2023

Der 1. Juli müsste ein Trigger-Event sein
WERNER JAHNEL
In: finews.ch, 6 July 2022

Read more

Recent conferences

The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law TIAETL – Annual Meeting
WERNER JAHNEL, Speaker: Modern Families
Mayakoba, 20-23 May 2024

Trust & Estates Litigation Forum
WERNER JAHNEL, Speaker: Boardroom Discussion: Solving the Unsolvable
Marrakesh, 04-06 February 2024

The 20th Zurich Annual Conference on International Trust and Inheritance Law Practice – Ausgewählte Aspekte der nationalen und internationalen Nachlassplanung
WERNER JAHNEL/RETO ARPAGAUS: Vertretung ad infinitum? – Generalvollmachten und transmortale Vollmachten aus Sicht des Erb- und Erwachsenenschutzrechts und in der Bankenpraxis
Zurich, 1 November 2023

Current memberships

  • Member of Private Client Global Elite, The International Academy of Estate and Trust Law (TIAETL) and the International Advisory Board of the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC)
  • Vice-president of the Swiss Association for Arbitration in Inheritance Matters (SVSiE)
  • Member of International Bar Association (IBA)

Career history

  • Partner, LALIVE, 2014 – present
  • Associate, LALIVE, 2008 – 2014
  • Senior Associate, Monero Meyer Marinel-lo Abogados, 2005 – 2008
  • Associate, ARP Andreas Reiner & Partners, 2002 – 2005

Academic qualifications

  • Lecturer, Vienna University, 2013 – present
  • Lecturer, Northwestern University Chicago/Instituto de Empresa Madrid, 2010 – 2020
  • Certified by the Swiss Bar Association as a specialist in inheritance law, 2016
  • CAS in Inheritance Law, Universities of Zurich/Luzern, 2016
  • PhD, University of Graz, Austria, 2001
  • MA International Law, Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva 1996 – 1998
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Practices

  • Arbitration - International Commercial
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Private Client

Sectors

  • Art & Cultural Property

Languages

  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish

Nationality

  • Austrian
  • Swiss

Admission

  • Zurich, 2014
  • Barcelona, 2008
  • Vienna, 2005
“One of the best Swiss private client practitioners” Who’s Who Legal National Leaders, Private Client, 2023

Related News & Insights

03 March 2024

Die Stellung des Ehegatten nach Schweizer Erbrecht

Read more

04 January 2023

Werner Jahnel comments on Swiss inheritance law

In: The Philanthropist

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04 January 2023

The new law of succession – relevant for foundations

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22 December 2022

Werner Jahnel discusses inheritance law

In: Handelszeitung

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27 July 2022

Chambers HNW Guide 2022 recognition

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