David W. Frei
I am the founder of SEQUOIA. I acquired my practice-oriented expertise as a lawyer from scratch: at a district court, in a renowned commercial law firm, as a legal project manager at the "Big Four" consulting firms – especially in complex transformation projects for major banks – as well as in assisting start-ups, SMEs and larger companies in all stages of their operations.
I'm ripping you off!
Apparently there are still these horror stories of lawyers who settle up with a client from the first second of the meeting and think that's okay: The meeting room is occupied during this time.
When I meet a client for an hour, I can give them not charge for an hour - unless I see the question about how the family is doing or the exchange about the current weather situation as legal advice. I see the preliminary chat over coffee and small talk as relationship management.
What do you say, fancy a coffee?
Areas of expertise
Contract and Company Law
I advise companies and entrepreneurs on all aspects of contract and corporate law. Based on my many years of experience in assisting SMEs, I offer solution-oriented support at eye level in the contractual recording of all business aspects, e.g. employment contracts, cooperation agreements, contracts for work and services, shareholders' agreements. I then support companies and their owners in the sale or purchase process (M&A).
Financial Market Law
Financial market law offers constant change and new challenges for participants. With my experience from advising major banks and asset managers of all sizes, I offer competent support in the implementation of regulatory requirements as well as in obtaining the corresponding authorisations.
Real Estate Law
I provide comprehensive advice to SMEs in the construction and ancillary construction trades. In doing so, I offer support in connection with contracts for work and services or contracts for the sale of land. In addition, I have gained in-depth experience in assisting companies in the context of submissions (public procurement law) and represent clients vis-à-vis contracting authorities.
Career
I am the founder of SEQUOIA. I acquired my practice-oriented expertise as a lawyer from the bottom up: at a district court, in a renowned commercial law firm, as a legal project manager at "Big Four" consulting firms – especially in complex transformation projects for major banks – as well as in assisting start-ups, SMEs and larger companies in all stages of their operations.
Before founding SEQUOIA, I worked for Grant Thornton Switzerland/Liechtenstein, providing interdisciplinary services to clients in all areas of business law together with the tax experts and auditors.
As part of the FSO Legal team, I supported financial services providers in all aspects of financial market law for several years. I gained in-depth experience in managing complex regulatory transformation projects ("Too Big to Fail") at major banks and assisted clients in obtaining approvals. In this context, I represented clients before the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA, but also before foreign regulatory authorities, in particular the Hong Kong Monetary Authority HKMA, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority APRA and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission ASIC.
After being admitted to the bar, I was part of the Banking & Finance and Corporate teams of Staiger, Schwald & Partner (now: Bianchi Schwald) for several years. During this time, I gained initial experience in advising SMEs on all aspects of business law and assisting financial services providers with regard to financial market law issues.
Before being admitted to the bar, I worked for one year at the District Court of Uster and got to know the mechanics of a court and the aspects of procedural law. I use this knowledge profitably for my clients in their dealings with courts and authorities.
Private
Instead of a golf club, you'll find me with an axe and a saw. As an enthusiastic sports woodcutter, I am looking for a balance to the head-heavy work in nature. In addition to sport, I have been president of a forestry corporation for many years and deal with various forest-related issues, which in turn builds a bridge to my full-time occupation.
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