Rafael Brägger
Attorney-at-Law, Dr.iur., Partner
I am a partner at SEQUOIA. Since the beginning of my career ten years ago, I have been working on two niches, sports law and association law, and have acquired in-depth expertise in these areas of law, on which I also regularly publish academically and give lectures. In addition, during this time I have gained broad experience in litigation in a variety of areas such as construction/real estate, employment law and insurance law.
Einen Kaffee gefällig?
Viele haben ja diese Geschichten im Kopf: Anwälte, die ab der ersten Minute abrechnen, sobald ein Klient das Gespräch beginnt ? als wäre schon das Betreten des Sitzungszimmers eine abrechenbare Leistung.
Das sehen wir anders. Wenn wir uns Zeit für ein erstes Kennenlernen nehmen, dann ist das wirklich ein erstes Kennenlernen ? ohne versteckte Gebühren. Ein lockeres Gespräch, vielleicht bei einem Kaffee, um herauszufinden, wie wir helfen können. Der Smalltalk über Dies und Das ist kein Teil der Rechnung, sondern einfach Teil des Vertrauensaufbaus.
What do you say, fancy a coffee?
Areas of expertise
Litigation and arbitration
It is true, freely after Montesquieu: "If it is not necessary to conduct a lawsuit, it is necessary not to conduct a lawsuit." But if there is no other choice, e.g. because you are being sued, or if a lawsuit is part of a clear and well thought-out strategy, then I am your man to effectively and consistently implement your request. I know arbitration proceedings, civil proceedings such as actions for avoidance or claims and their enforcement from the FF.
Sports law
I offer advice and representation to athletes of all sports who are facing a sports law issue; be it a contract dispute, a doping allegation, disciplinary sanction or selection issue. I represent them before sports federations, anti-doping organizations and arbitration tribunals professionally, prudently and with a clear strategy. I am proud to have represented many athletes and clubs of top national and international caliber.
Association law
As a long-standing board member of a sports club and official in national sports federations, I know where the shoe pinches clubs in legal matters. I draft or review their statutes and regulations, professionalize their structures, advise (board) members and represent them, if necessary in court.
Career
Before joining SEQUOIA, I worked for the law firm Pachmann AG in Zurich, specializing in sports law and litigation. There I assisted sportswomen, athletes as well as (sports) clubs and conducted proceedings of a civil, commercial and administrative nature (construction/works contracts, employment law, insurance, public personnel law) for private individuals and SMEs.
For four years, I worked for the law firm Scherrer Jenny & Partner in Meilen/ZH, which specializes in sports and association law. There, I worked closely with sports associations and clubs, advising them on association law and governance issues and conducting internal, state and arbitration proceedings on their behalf.
Before my admission to the bar and the training positions leading to it at the District Court of Rorschach/SG and at the St. Gallen law firm schneider.bossart.thalhammer, I devoted myself to my academic training and legal research. For three years, I worked as a research assistant at the Universities of Zurich (Prof. Wolfgang Ernst, Roman Law/Private Law) and St. Gallen (Prof. Bernhard Ehrenzeller, Constitutional/Administrative Law). During this time I also wrote my dissertation in Roman Private Law ("Actio auctoritatis"). As a lecturer in Roman Law at the University of Zurich, I am still strongly committed to this subject.
Private
On the one hand, I devote my free time to my offices as a functionary in two sports associations (disciplinary judge at Swiss Floorball, single judge club change at the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation). Thus, I combine my daily work as a sports and association lawyer with my passion for these sports, where you can also find me regularly in the stadium. On the other hand, I am out and about in nature as often as possible, be it in hiking boots, on alpine and cross-country skis, or by bike – preferably, of course, in my home region of Toggenburg.
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