Dr Daniel Leu is one of the key partners of Bär & Karrer’s 35-lawyer strong private client team. He is responsible for the team’s strategy and efforts on knowledge management and training. Daniel Leu studied law at Zurich University (Dr.iur. and lic.iur.) and at the University of Oxford (M.Jur.). He is a Certified Specialist SBA Inheritance Law (Swiss Bar Association and University of Lucerne) and a lecturer at the University of Muenster, Germany.

How has private client practice changed most since you began practising?

Firstly, the complexity of the matters of our clients has increased – most of our work is multi-jurisdictional. As a consequence, the importance of efficient and smart collaboration within our firm and with specialists in other firms around the globe has grown.
Secondly, we handle a lot more contentious matters than when I began practicing. It seems that there is an increasing appetite to bring trust and estate disputes to court.

If you could introduce one reform in the areas of law you operate within, what would it be and why?

I would clarify certain technical but nevertheless important aspects of Swiss inheritance law to increase certainty and reduce the potential for disputes.

How does being a certified specialist SBA inheritance law enhance the offering you bring to clients?

The training to become a certified specialist SBA inheritance was extremely valuable to me. It decisively deepened my know-how in Swiss inheritance law, gave me a lot of additional practical insights, and helped me to expand my network.

As a frequent lecturer, to what extent would you say virtual events are just as effective from a learning and networking standpoint?

I must admit that I strongly prefer "real" events, from the point of view of a lecturer as well as from the participant's perspective. While virtual events are practical as they obviously eliminate travelling time, I find real events more effective with regard to learning and especially networking.

How does your international education enhance the perspective and skills you bring to practice?

Since most of the matters of our clients are multi-jurisdictional, international education and experience are of paramount importance. This applies all the more when we act as international lead counsel – which is quite often the case. Studying and working abroad helped me to better understand other cultures and legal systems, in particular the common law system.

In what ways is Bär & Karrer improving diversity in the legal sector?

We welcome diversity at every level, not least in the partnership: we are a colourful bunch of different personalities. We have specifically promoted diversity in recent years, amongst others by hiring employees with disabilities. In the area of women's advancement, we have taken concrete measures to make it easier for women to combine family and career. For example, we have set up an in-house crèche.

Last but not least, when supporting our clients in cross-border matters, we rely on interdisciplinary collaboration and the collective intelligence of specialists of diverse backgrounds, both inside and outside Bär & Karrer. Diversity unfolds its full creative and innovative effect through cooperation.