Harold Frey
Partner, Head of Litigation and Arbitration
Attorney at Law, LL.M.
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Partner, Head of Litigation and Arbitration Attorney at Law, LL.M. +41 58 450 80 00 harold.frey@lenzstaehelin.com |
Zurich Brandschenkestrasse 24 CH-8027 Zurich www.lenzstaehelin.com |
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Expertise
Harold Frey leads our Litigation and Arbitration practice in Zurich. In the past several decades, he has represented clients in several hundred international arbitrations and court litigations. Harold's practice has a particular focus on corporate and M&A disputes as well as energy and construction related disputes. He regularly acts in cases involving states and state-owned companies (several cases pending).
Harold is ranked as a leading individual as counsel in arbitration (Legal500; Chambers, Band 1). Legal500 includes him in the Hall of Fame for his continued excellence in dispute resolution over the past ten years. WWL 2023 lists him as (one out of four) Global Elite Thought Leader for Commercial Litigation in Switzerland.
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Practices
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Sectors
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Professional Experience and Education
and Education
2009 Partner, Lenz & Staehelin 2005 Arbitration Group of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, London 2001 District Court of Dielsdorf, Zurich 2001 New York Bar Admission 2001 New York University School of Law (LL.M.) 1997 Swiss Bar Admission 1996 University of Zurich (lic. iur.) -
Specialist Areas
International Arbitration, Litigation, Investigations, International Legal Assistance, Sports -
Languages
German, English -
Memberships
Board member of the Swiss Arbitration Association (ASA), member of the Arbitration Court of the Swiss Arbitration Centre, The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), German Institution of Arbitration (DIS), Zurich Bar Association (ZAV), New York Bar Association -
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
- Frey H., Müller D., M&A Litigation 2022 - Switzerland, in: Getting the Deal Through, April 2022, 48-54
- Frey H., Christen S., Chapter 27: Das erstinstanzliche Verfahren: Besonderheiten bei spezifischen Streitigkeiten, section II: Aktienrechtliche Anfechtungsklage, in: Haas/Marghitola (eds.), Fachhandbuch, Zivilprozessrecht, Expertenwissen für die Praxis
- Frey H., Rötheli A., Favre-Bulle X., Riz à Porta G., The Mergers and Acquisitions Litigation Review - Switzerland, in: The Law Reviews, 1st edition, December 2020, 120-128
- Frey H., Wehland H., Arbitration 2020 - ICSID, in: Getting The Deal Through, October 2020, 20-22
- Frey H., Schärli P., Schleiffer P., Securities Litigation 2020 - Switzerland, in: Getting the Deal Through, May 2020, 75-81
- Frey H., Wehland H., Arbitration 2019 - ICSID, in: Getting The Deal Through, February 2019, 22-24
- Frey H., Müller D., Arbitrating M&A Disputes, in: Manuel Arroyo (ed.), Arbitration in Switzerland, 2nd edition, The Netherlands 2018, Vol. I, 1113-1190
- Frey H., Wehland H., Arbitration 2018 - ICSID, in: Getting the Deal Through, March 2018, 22-24
- Favre-Bulle X., Frey H., Arbitration 2018 - Switzerland, in: Getting the Deal Through, February 2018, 317-323
- Frey H., Lenggenhager F., M&A Disputes in Switzerland, in: Legally India, February 2018, 108-112
- Frey H., Favre-Bulle X., Aebi M., Arbitration procedures and practice in Switzerland, in: Practical Law Multi-Jurisdictional Guide, Arbitration 2016/17
- Frey H., Christen S., Statutarische Schiedsklauseln, Besprechung des Urteils 4A_492/2015 des schweizerischen Bundesgerichts vom 26. Februar 2016, in: GesKR 2/2016, 238-241
- Frey H., Lenggenhager F., Anti-Corruption Survey 2014 - Switzerland, in: International Financial Law Review, 2014, 23-24
- Tschäni R., Frey H., Müller D., Streitigkeiten aus M&A-Transaktionen, Zurich 2013
- Frey H., Aebi M., Commentary to Art. 12-14 of the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration, in: Zuberbühler/Müller/Habegger (eds.), Swiss Rules of International Arbitration: Commentary, 2nd edition, Zurich 2013
- Tschäni R., Frey H., Streiterledigung in M&A-Transaktionen (Dispute Resolutions in M&A-transactions), in: Tschäni, R. (ed.), Mergers & Acquisitions XIII, Zurich 2010, 33-92
- Frey H., Müller D., Preisanpassungsstreitigkeiten bei Unternehmenskäufen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Schiedsgutachterverfahrens, in: Oertle/Wolf/Breitenstein/Diem (eds.), M&A - Recht und Wirtschaft in der Praxis, Liber Amicorum for Rudolf Tschäni, Zurich 2010, 191-228
- Aebi M., Frey H., Impact of Bankruptcy on International Arbitration Proceedings - A Special Case Does not Make a General Rule, in: ASA Bull. 1/2010, 113 (Case Note)
- Patocchi ., Frey H., The Provisional Timetable in International Arbitration, in: Aksen/Böckstiegel/Mustill/Whitesell/Patocchi (eds.), Global Reflections on International Law, Commerce and Dispute Resolution - Liber Amicorum in honour of Robert Briner, Paris 2005, 575-599
- Frey H., Commentary to Art. 13 and 14 of the Swiss Rules of International Arbitration, in: Zuberbühler/Müller/Habegger (eds.), Swiss Rules of International Arbitration: Commentary, Zurich 2005
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Other Activities
Lecturer on Arbitration and M&A related disputes at the University of Zurich.
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Contact Details
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Assistant
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Other Activities
Lecturer on Arbitration and M&A related disputes at the University of Zurich.
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References
I am highly appreciative of him. He has the client in mind, can understand foreign law and adapts approaches to the correct strategy. He can also handle witnesses in very efficient ways.
Chambers & Partners, 2025Harold Frey has the ability to simplify complexities and is just a great litigator.
Chambers & Partners, 2025Harold Frey is a super experienced arbitration lawyer. He writes very well and is very hands on. He is really excellent.
Chambers & Partners, 2025Harold Frey is a superb lawyer and one of the best in Switzerland. He is a great team leader and a very clever strategist. The way he could anticipate a point was impressive.
Chambers & Partners, 2025Harold Frey is my first choice of litigator.
Chambers & Partners, 2025Harold Frey is a visionary.
Chambers & Partners, 2025Harold Frey is excellent.
The Legal 500, 2025Harold Frey is an impressive lawyer with an ability to think strategically even when dealing with the details. He also knows everyone in Zurich's arbitration circuit.
The Legal 500, 2025Harold Frey is a natural lead counsel and team leader. He's an accomplished orator and a strategist.
The Legal 500, 2025Harold Frey is a super clever litigator who knows all the tricks of the trade. At the same time, he is always approachable and very easy to get along with. That's why he belongs to the last/most recent generation of quick-witted litigators.
The Legal 500, 2025Harold Frey is one of the leading disputes lawyers.
The Legal 500, 2025Harold Frey's ability to simplify complexity is unparalleled.
Chambers & Partners, 2024Harold Frey is an exquisite top performing colleague reaching the highest levels of professionalism in his practice area.
The Legal 500, 2024Harold Frey is an expert in this field based on his substantial experience. He managed the case very well and could successfully complete it. The cooperation with him was very professional.
The Legal 500, 2024He has excellent analytical and tactical skills.
Who's Who Legal, 2024Harold possesses clarity, precision and the ability to simplify complex matters.
Who's Who Legal, 2024He is really top-tier counsel.
Chambers & Partners, 2023Harold Frey is one of the best known litigators in the market and an expert on disputes over acquisitions.
Chambers & Partners, 2023He is excellent both as arbitrator and counsel.
Who's Who Legal, 2023He is brilliant, creative, strategic, and experienced. A true stand-out – not afraid to proceed outside the box when circumstances warrant.
The Legal 500, 2022He is my go-to person
The Legal 500, 2022Sharp and extremely well prepared
Who's Who Legal, 2022Extremely intelligent and strategic
Chambers & Partners, 2021Leading figure
Who's Who Legal, 2021
Publications
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Chapter 27: Das erstinstanzliche Verfahren: Besonderheiten bei spezifischen Streitigkeiten, section II: Aktienrechtliche Anfechtungsklage
in: Haas/Marghitola (eds.), Fachhandbuch, Zivilprozessrecht, Expertenwissen für die Praxis