Associates

In addition to the specific job openings listed on this site, we are constantly seeking highly talented, entrepreneurial and passionate lawyers and tax experts of diverse backgrounds who seek the opportunity of personal and professional growth in an ambitious, open-minded and unique workplace to expand our practice teams in our offices in Geneva, Zurich and Lausanne. 

Challenging work and specialization

Our associates work in an innovative, dynamic and open environment on interesting, complex and challenging assignments for our domestic and foreign clients and advise on a broad range of business law matters, typically involving cross-border aspects. For organizational purposes, our associates form part of smaller teams of attorneys and trainees headed by one of our partners. This organizational structure ensures best our attorneys' quick and seamless integration and future development. During their assignments, our associates work with a range of attorneys and partners with a clear focus on the practice areas in which they will specialize over time.

The fields of expertise and specialization of our associates evolve naturally over time. Although we encourage and promote specialization with increasing experience, we feel that it is important for our younger associates to have a comparatively broad exposure to different practice areas in the early stage of their career, which allows them to grow naturally into their preferred fields of specialization. This approach ensures that our associates become specialists without losing the benefits of a generalist’s view, namely the ability to provide solid and pragmatic advice and identify potential issues beyond the scope of their core specialization. Our associates are typically members of two to three practice groups.

Training and education

We offer our associates ongoing education both on the job and through regular, thorough and systematic internal trainings (regular lunch meetings are hosted by our practice groups), as well as access to external seminars and conferences. Members of our firm regularly contribute to academic and research publications and act as speakers at conferences in Switzerland and abroad.

For associates interested in becoming Swiss certified tax experts, our broad consulting practice of tax experts with different specializations offers a unique and ideal environment for obtaining the diploma. Our firm and tax team stand behind you and your educational goal.

Experience abroad and exchange between Geneva and Zurich

We encourage our associates to gain expertise abroad after they have taken the bar exam (through postgraduate programs or foreign associate positions at leading international law firms). We promote the exchange of associates between our Geneva and Zurich offices, and encourage our associates to spend three to six months in the other office. 

Career planning

Lenz & Staehelin is an integrated partnership that has grown in a constant and controlled manner on both partner and associate level since its origins. We realize the importance of long-term career perspectives for our associates, and place great emphasis on a detailed, thorough and transparent annual performance review for our associates. We assist our more senior associates in assessing and pursuing their personal career opportunities, and offer our most talented associates the opportunity to become partners, typically after their sixth to eighth year as an associate. Through our alumni network valuable relationships and contacts are fostered on a business and personal level.

Applications

We look forward to receiving applications from candidates who are attracted by a modern, team-oriented and challenging work environment. We expect excellent academic credentials, admission to the bar, excellent language skills (French or German, plus English), strong personal skills, and broad extracurricular interests. Although we welcome additional academic qualifications (such as a doctorate, postgraduate studies, specialist degrees, tax expert diplomas, etc.) and practical work experience, this is not a requirement for your application for an associate position.