Education

Ph.D. in international law (summa cum laude)
LL.M., University of Cambridge
M.A. in Swiss law, Universities of Lausanne and Zurich (summa cum laude)
Admitted to the Bar of Canton Vaud
Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP)

Titles and memberships

Chairman of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Lausanne Branch
Vice-Chairman of the Swiss and Liechtenstein STEP Federation
Secretary of the Center for Business Law of the University of Lausanne (CEDIDAC)
Member of the Bar of the Canton of Vaud (OAV)
Member of the Swiss Bar Association (SAV / FSA)

Distinctions

Bippert Price (Ph.D.)
Price of the Faculty of Law of the University of Lausanne
1st Price of the Concours René Cassin (international moot court)

Languages

French
English
German

Professional experience

Dr Guillaume Grisel is a partner at Bonnard Lawson. He deals with cases involving international tax, banking, estate and inheritance law, most often between Switzerland and the UK or the USA. He advises his clients in such matters as tax and estate planning (trusts, life insurances, foundations, wills, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, etc.). He assists them before Swiss and foreign authorities, in particular the tax authorities (tax voluntary disclosures, automatic exchange of information under the CRS or FATCA, bank secrecy, lump-sum taxation, taking of residence in Switzerland or abroad). Guillaume advises for instance numerous expats, several international artists and sportsmen, as well as art collectors. He was also chairman of the board of a classical music festival for several years.

It is during his studies at Cambridge that Guillaume specialized in the law of trusts (main onshore and offshore jurisdictions) and in international taxation. He also studied inheritance and matrimonial property laws of several jurisdictions, in continental Europe and in Common law countries.

Having studied in English at Cambridge, in German in Zurich and in French in Lausanne, Guillaume works every day in these three languages.

Guillaume publishes in different fields of law, such as public and private international law, tax law, trusts and foundations, and company law. He regularly gives lectures in these fields.

Latest articles

Practice Areas