Instant confirmationMe Usman Toseef
Bern · Family law
CHF 10.–/h
No reviews yet
Lawyer in Bern
Find a verified lawyer or legal adviser in Switzerland’s federal city – and see which Bernese authority will handle your case.
- No practitioner registered in the canton
Bern lies in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district, in the canton of Bern.
Bern lies in the Bern-Mittelland administrative district, in the canton of Bern.
The local picture
Bern
Bern is Switzerland’s federal city and the capital of the bilingual canton of Bern; the cantonal Supreme Court (Obergericht) and the Verwaltungsgericht des Kantons Bern sit here. For disputes from the city and the Bern-Mittelland administrative district, the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland (regional court) is competent at first instance – for civil and criminal matters and for employment disputes, as the canton has no separate employment tribunal. Tenancy disputes start before the Schlichtungsbehörde Bern-Mittelland, and criminal investigations are led by the Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Bern.
Whether you want advice in German, French or English, each profile shows the practitioner’s languages, areas of law and fee. Proceedings before the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland are held in German. On ora., every lawyer is checked against a cantonal bar register and every legal adviser holds a Swiss law degree. You book at a Bern law firm or by video; ora.’s service fee sits on a separate line.
Practitioners
Lawyers in Bern
No practitioner is registered in the canton of Bern yet. Those below meet clients by video call, anywhere in Switzerland.
Nearest first: offices in Bern, then the district and the canton, then those who meet by video call in your language.
See all practitionersBy video call, anywhere in Switzerland3 practitioners
Instant confirmation- Instant confirmation
Paola Arcidiacono
Bern · Commercial law
CHF 140.–/h
No reviews yet
- Instant confirmation
Yann Bevilacqua
Genève · Commercial law
CHF 350.–/h
No reviews yet
Justice in Bern
Which authority for which dispute?
Before you consult, it helps to know who decides. These are the competent authorities for Bern, each with its official website.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (FSO), swisstopo
- Tenancy
- Work
- Family
- Criminal
- Legal aid
Source: Federal Statistical Office (FSO), swisstopo
Tenancy
Tenancy: four regional conciliation boards
A dispute over rent, defects or a notice to quit starts, in principle, before the conciliation board of your region: Bern-Mittelland, Emmental-Oberaargau, Oberland or Berner Jura-Seeland. The board where the flat is located is competent. It hears both sides and proposes an agreement. If conciliation fails, it authorises you to take the case to the regional court. A lawyer can help with the request and the deadlines.
- Official website
Competent authority
Schlichtungsbehörde Bern-Mittelland
Serves: Bern-Mittelland administrative district
Related situations
Work
Employment: no separate tribunal
Unlike some cantons, Bern has no separate employment tribunal. Disputes arising from employment – dismissal, unpaid wages, overtime, work references – go to the four regional courts, usually after an attempt at conciliation. What counts is the court region: Thun and Interlaken, for example, fall under the Regionalgericht Oberland, Langenthal and Burgdorf under the Regionalgericht Emmental-Oberaargau. A practitioner checks your documents and deadlines first.
- Official website
Competent authority
Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland
Serves: Bern-Mittelland administrative district
Related situations
Family
Family: the regional court of your region
Separation, divorce, custody and child maintenance are decided at first instance by the regional court – Bern-Mittelland, Emmental-Oberaargau, Oberland or Berner Jura-Seeland. In the Bernese Jura administrative district, proceedings are held in French; in the Biel/Bienne district, in German or French. A first consultation clarifies your options, the documents you need and the chances of an agreement before any proceedings begin.
- Official website
Competent authority
Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland
Serves: Bern-Mittelland administrative district
Related situations
Criminal
Criminal law: prosecutor first, then the regional court
Criminal complaint, summons to an interview or summary penalty order: the investigation is led by the Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Bern, the cantonal public prosecutor. If charges are brought, the regional court concerned tries the case at first instance. You can object to a summary penalty order, but the deadline is short. You may bring a lawyer to every interview – so get in touch early.
- Official website
Competent authority
Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Bern
Serves: the whole canton
Related situations
Legal aid
Legal aid: apply to the court
If you cannot afford proceedings and your case is not without prospects, you can apply for legal aid. The application goes to the court where the case is pending or is to be brought – in the canton of Bern, usually the regional court. Legal aid can waive court costs and include the appointment of a lawyer. A practitioner can tell you whether your situation qualifies.
- Official website
Competent authority
Legal aid (application to the competent court)
Serves: the whole canton
Areas of law
Areas covered in Bern
One panel for each area in which verified practitioners work in the canton of Bern. Other areas remain available by video call.
No practitioner in the canton of Bern yet
Nobody in the canton is registered for these areas yet. Practitioners from elsewhere can meet you by video call.
- Family law
- Employment law
- Commercial law
- Contract law
- Property law
- Landlord and tenant law
- Criminal law
- Immigration law
- Succession law
- Intellectual property law
- Insurance law
- Tax law
- Debt enforcement law
- Administrative law
- Data protection law
- Arbitration
Common situations
The questions that come up most
Six common situations in the areas where most practitioners work in the canton of Bern.
Pricing on ora.
Two lines, never one total
Each practitioner sets their own fees and shows them on their profile before you book. You pay ora., which collects on the practitioner’s behalf; ora. charges its service fee on a separate line.
- Practitioner's feeSet by the practitioner, paid out to the practitioner
- ora. service fee (non-refundable)A separate line, paid to ora.
- You choose an appointment
- You pay ora., which collects for the practitioner
- The work takes place
- If you disagree, ora. mediates
Cantonal registers checked by hand
- Geneva
- Vaud
- Neuchâtel
- Fribourg
- Valais
- Jura
We keep the name of the register and the date of every check.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions in Bern
Local answers, checked against official sources. A practitioner can look at your situation in detail.
See all questionsHow much does a lawyer cost in Bern?
Every lawyer and legal adviser sets their own fee; it depends on the area of law, the work involved and their experience. You can see the fees of practitioners advising in Bern live on this page and in each profile before you book. ora.’s service fee is shown on a separate line and is never added into the practitioner’s fee.
Where do I file a tenancy conciliation request in Bern?
For a flat or business premises in Bern, the competent body is the Schlichtungsbehörde Bern-Mittelland. A dispute over rent, service charges, defects or a notice to quit starts there in principle: the board hears both sides and seeks an agreement. If none is reached, it issues authorisation to proceed, and the case can go to the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland. Tenancy deadlines are short – have your request checked early.
Is there an employment tribunal in Bern?
No, the canton of Bern has no separate employment tribunal. Disputes arising from employment in Bern are heard by the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland, usually after an attempt at conciliation. Dismissal, unpaid wages, overtime or an incomplete work reference: an employment lawyer first reviews your documents and the deadlines and tells you whether proceedings are worthwhile.
Is the Federal Supreme Court in Bern?
No. Bern is the federal city, but the Federal Supreme Court sits in Lausanne and decides only as the last instance. Bern is home to the cantonal appeal bodies: the Obergericht for civil and criminal matters and the Verwaltungsgericht des Kantons Bern for administrative matters. Proceedings nearly always begin, however, before the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland or a conciliation board.
Do Köniz, Ostermundigen or Muri fall under the same court as Bern?
Yes. Köniz, Ostermundigen, Muri bei Bern, Zollikofen, Belp, Münsingen and Worb all belong, like the city, to the Bern-Mittelland administrative district. They all fall under the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland, and for tenancy matters under the Schlichtungsbehörde Bern-Mittelland. A city law firm therefore knows the authorities of the whole urban area, and the appointment can also take place by video.
The public prosecutor has summoned me – what should I do?
Criminal investigations in Bern are led by the Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Bern (public prosecutor); if charges are brought, the Regionalgericht Bern-Mittelland tries the case. Whether you are the accused or the injured party, you may bring a lawyer to the interview. Get in touch before the date so the lawyer can explain your rights and prepare the interview with you. The deadline to object to a summary penalty order is short.
Next step
Find your practitioner in Bern
Choose an area of law: the directory opens on the practitioners who work near you.
- Video consultation
- Online booking