Geneva

Prof. Dr. Olivier Hari

Of Counsel

Françoise Molina

Assistant

Olivier Hari is Of Counsel in our Corporate & Commercial, Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets and Restructuring & Insolvency Groups. He specializes in general corporate law, transactional matters, finance transactions and private fundraising, companies restructuring, distressed refinancing, and complex national and cross-border insolvency and restructuring proceedings, and related litigation proceedings.

Expertise

Banking & Finance Capital Markets Corporate & Commercial

Mergers & Acquisitions Restructuring and Insolvency Blockchain-Technologies & FinTech

Experience

Advised a secured creditor (enforcement of a pledge with cross-border aspects)
Swiss counsel in the framework of a financial reorganization of a group of companies
Advised creditors of Alevo (restructuring and distressed M&A)
Advised a distressed watch making company (restructuring and sale)
Advised creditors in bankruptcy proceedings (Ethical Coffee Company, Privatair etc.)
Advised minority shareholders (post-closing litigation)
FINMA appointed liquidator of Zenith Vie SA, Compagnie d'assurance sur la Vie
Court-appointed trustee of several distressed businesses

Career

Professional Experience

2013

Of Counsel at Schellenberg Wittmer

2013

Professor, University of Neuchâtel (Corporate Law)

2011

Lecturer, University of Geneva (Insolvency law)

2008

Associate at Schellenberg Wittmer

2005

Trainee Lawyer at Schellenberg Wittmer

Education and Admission

2010

Dr. iur., University of Neuchâtel

2007

Bar Admission in Switzerland

2003

lic. iur., University of Neuchâtel

Additional Professional Activities

Autor, co-author and editor of many publications in the fields of corporate and commercial law, insolvency law and financial markets law
Chairman of the Geneva Bar forum for insolvency law
Member of several practitioners' association (Geneva Bar Association, Swiss Bar Association, ISADE – Institut Suisse des Administrateurs, Swiss Board Institute, AIJA, SchKG-Vereinigung, and INSOL Europe)

Recognitions

Chambers & Partners Europe: Restructuring and Insolvency since 2014
The Legal 500: Leading Individual in Insolvency and Corporate Recovery since 2024
Who's Who Legal: Recommended in Commercial Litigation since 2021; Thought Leader in Restructuring & Insolvency since 2022
IFLR 1000: Notable practitioner, Restructuring and Insolvency
Leaders League: Restructuring & Insolvency

Languages

English
French
German
Italian (basic knowledge)

Selected Publications

Published by Helbing Lichtenhahn, commentary ad art. 163–171bis. Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT): Academic Overview of the Technical and Legal Framework and Challenges for Lawyers Assainissement d’un débiteur : le sursis provisoire et le rôle du commissaire Le squeeze-out d'actionnaires lors d'une fusion et d'une offre publique d'acquisition Simplifying foreign insolvency and restructuring decisions' recognition regime in Switzerland

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Speaking Engagements

Christoph Vonlanthen, Jean-Frédéric Maraia, and Olivier Hari: Speakers on Roles and Responsibilities of Boards of Directors relating to Covid-19 Olivier Hari: Speaker on Amended COVID-19 Urgent Rules for Companies Olivier Hari: Lecturer at Symposium on Administrative Penal Law, University of Neuchatel