Marcel Meinhardt Partner, Head of Competition
Dr. iur., Attorney at Law, LL.M.

Marcel Meinhardt

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
  • Expertise

    Dr. Marcel Meinhardt is a partner and leading expert in competition law. Based at our firm’s Zurich office, he heads up the Competition and Regulated Market practice group and specialises in all areas of Swiss and European merger control work and competition law. His practice spans sectors including postal services, insurance, banking, automotive, green energy, media, retail, construction, pharma, ticketing and IT. He also advises on regulatory issues in the electricity, environmental and gas industries. Over the years, Marcel has acted in many high profile cases including numerous phase I and phase II merger notifications to the Swiss Competition Commission – most recently in the context of infrastructure joint ventures in the electric car industry. He has also co-ordinated multi-jurisdictional merger filings. 

    Marcel was named "Lawyer of the Year – Competition & Antitrust" at the Legalcommunity Awards Switzerland 2023. 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 2020 he was awarded the Client Choice Award in the category Competition & Antitrust Switzerland. He has also been recognised by Chambers and Partners as a leading lawyer in the field of Competition/Antitrust. Marcel is listed in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame as one of only four Swiss Competition lawyers to have received constant praise by clients for continued excellence and for reaching 'the pinnacle of the profession'. In Chambers 2021, he was listed as an outstanding practitioner with market-leading expertise.

  • Practices

  • Professional Experience and Education

    and Education

    2002Partner, Lenz & Staehelin
    1996Joined Lenz & Staehelin
    1996University of Zurich (Dr. iur.)
    1995College of Europe (LL.M.)
    1994New York University School of Law (LL.M.)
    1992Swiss Bar Admission
    1990University of St.Gallen (lic. iur.)
  • Specialist Areas

    Competition, General Contract and Corporate, Energy and Regulated Markets, Litigation, Public Procurement, Telecoms & Media, Internal Investigations
  • 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., Weber U., Dominance and Monopolies 2024 - Switzerland, in: Lexology In-Depth, 12th edition, August 2024
    • Meinhardt M., Merkt B., Waser A., Merger Control 2025 - Switzerland, in: Lexology Panoramic, May 2024
    • 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
  • 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)

  • Contact Details

  • Assistant

  • 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)

  • References

    He is an outstanding lawyer with an excellent business understanding and is always on the spot.

    Chambers, 2024

    He is the most experienced antitrust lawyer in Switzerland. He has rapid comprehension skills and brings a solution to every problem. He puts the client and their needs at the centre of the advice.

    Chambers, 2024

    His advice is always to the point, and he is commercial and proactive.

    Chambers, 2024

    His advice is to the point and he can explain complex legal issues to business people

    Who's Who Legal, 2024

    He is a very quick and smart thinker with great analytical skills; he is pragmatic as well as thorough.

    Who's Who Legal, 2024

    Working with him means getting top quality - and very good value for money.

    Who's Who Legal, 2024

    The level of service and commitment of Marcel is of truly outstanding excellence in every respect.

    Who's Who Legal, 2024

    Marcel Meinhardt (and his team) is still 'The Man' to chose, whenever you need external legal know how.

    Legal 500, 2023

    Marcel Meinhardt is just brilliant. Collaboration with him is a pleasure.

    Legal 500, 2020

    Very quick and smart thinker with great analytical skills

    Client Choice, 2020

He is an outstanding lawyer with an excellent business understanding and is always on the spot.

Chambers, 2024

He is the most experienced antitrust lawyer in Switzerland. He has rapid comprehension skills and brings a solution to every problem. He puts the client and their needs at the centre of the advice.

Chambers, 2024

His advice is always to the point, and he is commercial and proactive.

Chambers, 2024

His advice is to the point and he can explain complex legal issues to business people

Who's Who Legal, 2024

He is a very quick and smart thinker with great analytical skills; he is pragmatic as well as thorough.

Who's Who Legal, 2024

Working with him means getting top quality - and very good value for money.

Who's Who Legal, 2024

The level of service and commitment of Marcel is of truly outstanding excellence in every respect.

Who's Who Legal, 2024

Marcel Meinhardt (and his team) is still 'The Man' to chose, whenever you need external legal know how.

Legal 500, 2023

Marcel Meinhardt is just brilliant. Collaboration with him is a pleasure.

Legal 500, 2020

Very quick and smart thinker with great analytical skills

Client Choice, 2020

1/10

Insights

Insights 26.04.2024

Swiss Federal Supreme Court redefines abuse of dominant market position

Swiss Federal Supreme Court redefines abuse of dominant market position

In last week’s leading case on the abuse of a dominant position (2C_698/2021), the Federal Supreme Court sweepingly redefines the interpretation of abusive pricing and margin squeezes as well as the interplay between competition law and sector regulation. The court rules that Swisscom had not acted abusively and, therefore, lifts the sanction of around CHF 8m in its entirety. The Federal Supreme Court also sends a clear signal against the increasing (price) interventionism of the Competition Commission (ComCo).

Insights 20.12.2023

Introduction of Foreign Investment Control – Swiss Federal Council publishes draft legislation and disptach for parliament

Introduction of Foreign Investment Control – Swiss Federal Council…

Switzerland does not yet have an overarching regime for the screening of foreign direct investments in place. The draft legislation published on 15 December 2023 seeks to introduce a targeted sector-specific foreign investment control regime in Switzerland and aims to regulate acquisitions of domestic companies operating in particularly critical sectors by foreign state-controlled investors. The "state-controlled" criterion is intended to include private investors, provided they are directly or indirectly controlled by a state. The legislation is not expected to enter into force before 2025/2026.

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