Lawyer in the canton of Valais

Valais has two official languages. The district courts of Brig, Visp and Leuk work in German, the other six in French, and the Tribunal du travail / Arbeitsgericht (employment tribunal) sits in both Sion and Visp. The language of proceedings therefore generally follows the region. Every profile on ora. lists the practitioner’s languages, so you can find a lawyer who works in French, German or both.

It depends on the district. Sion, Sierre, Monthey and Entremont each have their own court; Hérens and Conthey share one, as do Martigny and Saint-Maurice. In Upper Valais, Visp has its own court, Brig shares one with Goms and eastern Raron, and Leuk with western Raron. Your lawyer tells you which court is competent based on where you live or where the dispute arose.

A decision by a cantonal or municipal authority is challenged within the time limit stated at the end of the decision. Depending on the field, an objection or an appeal to the cantonal government may be needed before going to court; at cantonal court level, the Cour de droit public du Tribunal cantonal (public law division of the cantonal court) decides. An administrative lawyer tells you which route applies.

The Ordre des avocats valaisans / Walliser Anwaltsverband is the professional association of lawyers in the canton. Membership is separate from registration in the cantonal register of lawyers, which allows a lawyer to represent clients in court. ora. checks that registration before a lawyer’s profile is published; legal advisers, who hold a Swiss law degree, are shown as such.

Each practitioner sets their own fees, and the rates of lawyers available in the canton of Valais are shown live on this page and on every profile before you book. ora.’s service fee appears on a separate line and is never added into the fee, and you pay the practitioner directly. If your means are limited, the legal aid application goes to the court hearing the case.