Marcel Meinhardt
Partner, Head of Competition
Dr. iur., Attorney at Law, LL.M.
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Partner, Head of Competition Dr. iur., Attorney at Law, LL.M. +41 58 450 80 00 marcel.meinhardt@lenzstaehelin.com |
Zurich Brandschenkestrasse 24 CH-8027 Zurich www.lenzstaehelin.com |
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Expertise
Dr. Marcel Meinhardt is a partner at Lenz & Staehelin in Zurich and heads its Competition and Regulated Market practice group. He specialises in all areas of Swiss and European merger control cartel law, unilateral conduct, and foreign direct investment (FDI). His practice spans sectors including postal services, insurance, banking, automotive, green energy, media, retail, construction, pharmaceuticals and fragrances, ticketing, and IT. Over the years, Marcel has acted in many high-profile cases.
Marcel was awarded “European Competition & Antitrust Lawyer” of the Year 2025 by the Lexology European Awards. In 2023, he was named “Lawyer of the Year – Competition & Antitrust” at the Legalcommunity Awards Switzerland. He was elected as one of Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers 2022, which lists independently rated lawyers. He was recognised again as Lawyer of the Year 2022 by Best Lawyers in the categories of Antitrust/Competition Law, Energy Law and Regulatory Practice. In both 2020 and 2025, he received the Client Choice Award in the Competition & Antitrust Switzerland category. He has also been recognised by Chambers and Partners as a leading lawyer in the field of Competition/Antitrust and is listed in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. In Chambers 2021, he was listed as an outstanding practitioner with market-leading expertise.
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Practices
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Specialist Areas
Competition, General Contract and Corporate, Energy and Regulated Markets, Litigation, Public Procurement, Telecoms & Media, Internal Investigations -
Professional Experience and Education
and Education
2002 Partner, Lenz & Staehelin 1996 Joined Lenz & Staehelin 1996 University of Zurich (Dr. iur.) 1995 College of Europe (LL.M.) 1994 New York University School of Law (LL.M.) 1992 Swiss Bar Admission 1990 University of St.Gallen (lic. iur.) -
Languages
German, English, French -
Memberships
Swiss Association for Competition Law (ASAS), Zurich Bar Association (ZAV), Swiss Bar Association (SAV), Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht eV., International Bar Association (IBA), American Bar Association (ABA) -
Selected Publications
- Meinhardt M., Waser A., Merkt B., Dominance and Monopolies 2025 - Switzerland, in: Lexology In-Depth, 13th edition, August 2025
- Meinhardt M., Merkt B., Waser A., Merger Control 2026 - Switzerland, in: Lexology Panoramic, June 2025
- Meinhardt M., Berinde L., Main Developments in Competition Law and Policy 2024 – Switzerland, in: Kluwer Competition Law Blog, 28 February 2025
- Meinhardt M., Lenggenhager F., Bribery & Corruption 2023 - Switzerland, in: Global Legal Insights, 10th edition, December 2022, 230-240
- Meinhardt M., Walz C., New agreement boosts cooperation between Swiss and German competition authorities, in: Kluwer Competition Law Blog, 10 November 2022
- Meinhardt M., Swiss Foreign Investment Control on the Horizon - Federal Council Issues Preliminary Draft Legislation, in: Kluwer Competition Law Blog, 27 May 2022
- Meinhardt M., Waser A., Merkt B., Süslü S., Cartels 2022 - Switzerland, in: The Legal 500 Country Comparative Guides, April 2022
- Merkt B., Meinhardt M., Competition Inspections in 21 Jurisdictions - A Practitioner's Guide - Switzerland, in: Jalabert-Doury (ed.), Concurrences, Antitrust Publications & Events, 267-282
- Meinhardt M., Waser A., Travaglini S., Kommentierung von Art. 10 KG, in: Amstutz/Reinert (eds.), Basler Kommentar, Kartellgesetz, 2nd edition, Basel 2021
- Meinhardt M., Merkt B., Waser A., Cartels 2021 - Switzerland: Trends & Developments, in: Chambers Global Practice Guides, July 2021, 2-8
- Meinhardt M., Waser A., Joho D., Telecoms & Media 2019 - Switzerland, in: Getting the Deal Through, June 2019, 200-206
- Meinhardt M., Merkt B., Waser A., The Cartels and Leniency Review 2019 - Switzerland, in: The Law Reviews, 7th edition, February 2019, 281-289
- Meinhardt M., Merkt B., Waser A., Cartel Regulation 2017 - Switzerland, in: Getting the Deal Through, November 2016, 265-272
- Meinhardt M., Waser A., Cabalzar ., Global Antitrust Compliance Handbook - Switzerland, in: Multi-Jurisdictional Guide, Oxford University Press, 1st edition, Oxford 2014
- Waser A., Meinhardt M., Kern ., The Government Procurement Review 2014 - Switzerland, in: The Law Reviews, 2nd edition, London 2014
- Meinhardt M., Bremer ., The Swiss ComCo closes proceedings without further action against a Swiss individual with a formerly controlling stake in companies investigated for a possible abuse of a dominant position, in: e-Competitions Bulletin November 2013, art. no. 64052
- Waser A., Meinhardt M., Konzerne und Wettbewerbsrecht, in: Entwicklungen im Gesellschaftsrecht VIII, Bern 2013
- Meinhardt M., Bischof ., Zusammenschlussverbot Orange/Sunrise - Fehl- oder Leitentscheid der schweizerischen Wettbewerbskommission?, in: Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb WuW, issue 11, 4 November 2011, 1089
- Meinhardt M., Schwibs ., Standardisierte Verträge im Stromhandel - der EFET-Rahmenvertrag, in: Stromhandel, Zurich 2007, 103-119
- Meinhardt M., Ahrens ., Wettbewerbsrecht und Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit in der Schweiz - Eine Würdigung des Entscheids des Bundesgerichts vom 8. März 2006, in: SchiedsVZ Zeitschrift für Schiedsverfahren, 4/2006
- Meinhardt M., Nachfragemacht nach revidiertem Kartellrecht, in: Jusletter 17 October 2005
- Meinhardt M., Organisation des Einkaufs, in: Geiser/Krauskopf/Münch (eds.), Schweizerisches und Europäisches Wettbewerbsrecht - Handbuch für die Anwaltspraxis, Basel 2005
- Meinhardt M., Waser A., The Revised Swiss Competition Law, Direct Fines, Leniency and Notification, in: European Competition Law Review 2005, 48
- Meinhardt M., Kommentierung von Art. 5, 6, 22 FusG (Commentary on Certain Articles of the Merger Act), in: Watter/Vogt/Tschäni/Daeniker (eds.), Basler Kommentar zum Fusionsgesetz, Basel 2004
- Meinhardt M., Die Beschränkung nationaler Immaterialgüterrechte durch Artikel 86 EG - Vertrag unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der essential facilities doctrine, Doctoral Thesis Zurich, Bern 1998
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Other Activities
Board member of the Swiss Association for Competition Law (Swiss member of the International League of Competition Law)
Regular speaker at Swiss and international competition law conferences
Non-Governmental Advisor for the Swiss Competition Commission within the International Competition Network (ICN)
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Contact details
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Assistant
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Other Activities
Board member of the Swiss Association for Competition Law (Swiss member of the International League of Competition Law)
Regular speaker at Swiss and international competition law conferences
Non-Governmental Advisor for the Swiss Competition Commission within the International Competition Network (ICN)
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References
He is simply an outstanding expert in his field. Working with him is very pleasant, the quality of his work is very high, he's always on time, and I greatly appreciate his expertise and knowledge.
Chambers & Partners, 2026Marcel Meinhardt is an absolute expert in his field. He provides swift advice and stands out by addressing the key questions from the business side.
Chambers & Partners, 2026Marcel Meinhardt leads the team very well. They demonstrated outstanding commitment and flexibility in delivering results, even under time pressure.
The Legal 500, 2026I highly recommend Marcel Meinhardt as competition and antitrust lawyer in Switzerland. His broad experience, amazing know-how and customer friendliness are unreached among Swiss antitrust lawyers.
Chambers & Partners, 2025He is an outstanding lawyer with an excellent business understanding and is always on the spot.
Chambers & Partners, 2024His advice is always to the point, and he is commercial and proactive.
Chambers & Partners, 2024He is a very quick and smart thinker with great analytical skills; he is pragmatic as well as thorough.
Who's Who Legal, 2024Working with him means getting top quality - and very good value for money.
Who's Who Legal, 2024The level of service and commitment of Marcel is of truly outstanding excellence in every respect.
Who's Who Legal, 2024Marcel Meinhardt (and his team) is still ‘The Man’ to chose, whenever you need external legal know how.
The Legal 500, 2023Very quick and smart thinker with great analytical skills
Lexology Client Choice Awards, 2020