Nicolas Keller

Attorney-at-Law and Notary Public
lic. iur. HSG, LL.M. / Partner

«My work blends legal accuracy with a pragmatic approach, so that theoretical knowledge is converted into viable practice.»

Competencies

Legal work

Nicolas Keller primarily advises domestic and international companies on contractual matters, corporate and commercial law, as well as banking and financial market law. The core of his legal practice consists of providing legal support for mergers and acquisitions (M&A), drafting and negotiating contracts (especially purchase, work/service, distribution, and licensing agreements, as well as joint venture agreements) in the industrial and financial sectors, and supporting startups with legal issues across all stages, from formation to exit. His areas of expertise also include amicable dispute resolution. As a public notary, he performs notarizations and certifications. He is authorized as a qualified representative at the SIX Swiss Exchange. He holds various mandates as Chairman, member, or Secretary of Boards of Directors.

Education

2022

Certified Global Negotiater (CAS) from the Executive School of Management, Technology and Law of the University St. Gallen

2010

Master of Laws (LL.M.) at Columbia Law School, Columbia University, New York City, USA

2006

Admitted to the St. Gallen bar

2005

Law degree from the University of St. Gallen (HSG)

Professional background

2017 – 2022

Teacher at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) on contract law and drafting of contracts

since Sep. 2011

Attorney-at-Law at schochauer, partner since July 2014

2007 – 2011

Employed as an Attorney-at-Law in a large business law firm in Zurich, focussing on banking and capital market law as well as commercial
and corporate law; during this employment secondments to the legal departments of the fund management and asset management divisions
of a major foreign bank in Zurich and to a globally active investment bank in London

1998 – 2004

Advisor to private and business customers at a major Swiss bank, internships in the legal departments of the asset management and the investment banking divisions of this bank

Administrative board mandates

Cicor Technologies SA, Boudry (SIX: CICN)

Company secretary

Clientis Bank Oberuzwil AG, Oberuzwil

Member of the board of directors

Stadtpraxis für Frauen AG, St. Gallen

Member of the board of directors

Smilamind AG, St. Gallen

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Publikationen

Nicolas Keller, § 25a (Gründung mit Verrechnung)

in: Fabiana Theus Simoni / Isabel Hauser / Harald Bärtschi (Hrsg.), Handbuch Schweizer Aktienrecht, 2. Auflage Basel, 2022.

Thomas Brauchli / Nicolas Keller, § 97 (Auflösungsgründe und Auflösung)
§98 (Anmeldung und Eintragung), § 99 (Liquidationsverfahren) und § 100
(Löschung im Handelsregister

in: Fabiana Theus Simoni / Isabel Hauser /
Harald Bärtschi (Hrsg.), Handbuch Schweizer Genossenschaftsrecht, Basel,2022.

Nicolas Keller, / Romuald Maier, § 52 (Delegation der Geschäftsführung) und
§ 53 (Organisation der Geschäftsführung)

in: Fabiana Theus Simoni / Isabel
Hauser / Harald Bärtschi (Hrsg.), Handbuch Schweizer GmbH-Recht, Basel, 2019.

Nicolas Keller, Art. 145 - 147 KAG, Art. 85 KAG, Art. 44 PfG

in: Willi Fischer / Thierry Luterbacher (Hrsg.), Haftpflichtkommentar: Kommentar zu den
schweizerischen Haftpflichtbestimmungen, Zürich, 2016.

Markus Pfenninger / Nicolas Keller, Hedge Fund Regulierung in der Schweiz
und der EU

in: Thomas Reutter / Thomas Werlen (Hrsg.), Kapitalmarkttransaktionen VI, Zürich, 2011.

Languages