Divorce &
Separation
Specialized legal advice on divorce, child matters, asset protection, and modern family law.
A divorce in Switzerland raises many legal issues at once: the place of jurisdiction, the applicable law, the division of assets and retirement savings, arrangements for common children, etc. These issues become relevant at different times—and if you address them in the wrong order, you risk giving up positions that cannot be recovered later.
We help you making sense of what the law provides: first, security and strategy; then assets; and finally, a long-term solution that suits you. Throughout the process, you will work with the same attorney—not with a rotating cast of case managers.
Family law is not a side practice for our firm—it is the only thing we do. We have always focused exclusively on family law and are highly specialized.
For you, this means: no anonymous firm with changing staff and a lot of delegation, but rather personal, close support from the attorney who knows your case from the very beginning all the way through the final ruling.
Every case begins with a strategy, not a brief. Where an amicable solution is possible, we seek it—it is faster, more cost-effective, and preserves the relationship with your children. Where necessary, we fight. By your side, together, as equals.
A separation is rarely just a legal problem. That is why, when your case requires it, we work together with private investigators, financial planners, psychologists, and communication specialists—in a coordinated and discreet manner. You have a single point of contact; the network remains in the background.
Discretion is not just a cliché here, but the foundation of trust. And when speed is of the essence—such as in cases of imminent child abduction, domestic violence, or the concealment of assets—we act immediately.
The firm operates in French- and German-speaking Switzerland and collaborates with partner firms in more than 80 countries worldwide on cross-border cases.
What is your situation?
Understanding the first steps before lodging a petition, preparation is key: what documents should you gather now? What can you disclose, and what should you keep secret? Timing is often crucial to the outcome.
Marital residence after separation: who is allowed to remain in the shared home for the time being? The court may assign the right to use the home for the duration of the marriage—regardless of who owns it.
Matrimonial property law, pension funds, accrued gains, business interests, trusts: Especially when it comes to international assets, it pays to start early and be thorough.
The calculation, amount, and duration of child support and post-marital support (Art. 125 of the Swiss Civil Code) are governed by rules that are open to interpretation. The amounts depend on income, child care arrangements, standard of living and numerous other factors.
Care, visitation rights, parental responsibility: joint parental responsibility has been the norm since 2014. What matters is how daily care arrangements, and visitation rights are put in practice—with fathers and mothers on an equal footing.
Cross-border aspects. which courts have jurisdiction, which law applies, and how will a judgment be enforced later? In Switzerland, jurisdiction is governed by the International Private Law Act; in Europe, the Brussels II ter Regulation plays a role alongside relevant international agreements. Whoever takes action first and in the right place has a measurable advantage.
In straightforward cases, a divorce without mutual consent often takes two to three years or more from the date of filing. If there is a dispute over who will have custody of the children or how the assets will be divided, the process can easily take several years more. International cases involving assets in multiple countries generally take even longer. We will provide you with a realistic assessment of your case during the initial consultation.
You sometimes have the option to choose. The decisive factor is usually your habitual residence, not your nationality or the place where you were married. If you live in Geneva, you can generally file the case here. Which country is more favorable for you depends on alimony, matrimonial property law, and old-age pension provisions—the differences between Swiss and foreign law can be significant.
The total cost depends primarily on whether you reach an agreement with the adverse party or go to court: an uncontested divorce by mutual consent is significantly less expensive than litigation involving expert reports and multiple hearings. In addition, there are court fees, which are based on the amount in dispute and the canton. After an initial consultation, you will receive a transparent estimate of the expected costs—with no hidden fees.
The occupational pension assets (2nd pillar) accumulated during the marriage are generally divided equally in the event of a divorce—regardless of who contributed how much. This way of calculating is in force since the 2017 reform on the equalization of old-age pension rights. In international cases involving foreign pension entitlements, the situation becomes more complex; in such cases, we examine how Swiss and foreign pension plans interact.
Since 2014, joint legal custody (parental authority) has been the norm in Switzerland—even after divorce. What matters is not who “wins,” but how custody and care are arranged in practice. Fathers have the same rights as mothers. In a divorce by mutual consent, you set out the custody arrangements in an agreement, which the court evaluates based on the child’s best interests.