Instant confirmationMe Usman Toseef
Zurich · Family law
CHF 10.–/h
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Lawyer in Zurich
Find a verified lawyer or legal adviser in Zurich, from the old town to Oerlikon, and book your appointment directly online.
- No practitioner registered in the canton
Zurich lies in the Zurich district, in the canton of Zurich.
Zurich lies in the Zurich district, in the canton of Zurich.
The local picture
Zurich
Zurich is the cantonal capital and Switzerland’s largest economic centre, and the legal questions people and businesses face here are just as varied, from a flat lease in Wiedikon to a dismissal by an employer in Zurich West. The city forms the Zurich district on its own. Civil and criminal cases at first instance are therefore heard by the Bezirksgericht Zürich, the district court, to which the Arbeitsgericht Zürich (labour court) and the district’s joint tenancy conciliation board are attached. These bodies serve every part of the city.
Whether you are looking for a law firm in the city centre, a lawyer in Oerlikon or a consultation by video, profiles on ora. show areas of law, languages and the fee each practitioner sets. Lawyers are checked against the cantonal register; legal advisers hold a Swiss law degree. Criminal proceedings are conducted by the Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Zürich, and appeals against administrative decisions end before the Verwaltungsgericht des Kantons Zürich. A first consultation clarifies which body is competent and which deadlines are running.
Practitioners
Lawyers in Zurich
No practitioner is registered in the canton of Zurich yet. Those below meet clients by video call, anywhere in Switzerland.
Nearest first: offices in Zurich, 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
Zurich · Commercial law
CHF 140.–/h
No reviews yet
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Yann Bevilacqua
Genève · Commercial law
CHF 350.–/h
No reviews yet
Justice in Zurich
Which authority for which dispute?
Before you consult, it helps to know who decides. These are the competent authorities for Zurich, 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: first, your district’s conciliation board
Disputes over rent, defects or a notice to quit begin in the canton of Zurich before the Paritätische Schlichtungsbehörde in Miet- und Pachtsachen, the joint tenancy conciliation board. Each district has its own, attached to the district court: the Zurich district board for the city, the Winterthur district board for Winterthur. What counts is where the flat or business premises are. The board seeks a settlement; if it fails, the case goes to court.
- Official website
Competent authority
Paritätische Schlichtungsbehörde in Miet- und Pachtsachen des Bezirks Zürich
Serves: Zurich District
Related situations
Work
Employment: the labour court at the district court
For employment disputes, every Zurich district has an Arbeitsgericht, a labour court attached to the district court, such as the Arbeitsgericht Zürich or the Arbeitsgericht Winterthur. Claims can be filed at the employer’s seat or at the usual place of work. Wages, overtime, work references and unfair dismissal are the most common issues; advice before you file clarifies the place of jurisdiction and the deadlines.
- Official website
Competent authority
Arbeitsgericht Zürich
Serves: Zurich District
Related situations
Family
Family: the district court where you live
Divorce, separation, maintenance and matters concerning children are heard at first instance by the Bezirksgericht where one of the spouses lives, for example the Bezirksgericht Zürich, Uster or Meilen. Many cases end with an agreement that the court approves. A family lawyer helps you settle maintenance and assets properly before you file.
- Official website
Competent authority
Bezirksgericht Zürich
Serves: Zurich District
Related situations
Criminal
Criminal matters: prosecutor and district court
Criminal proceedings throughout the canton are conducted by the Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Zürich, the cantonal public prosecutor. It investigates, issues penalty orders or brings charges before the district court where the offence took place. If you are summoned, you have the right to remain silent and to be assisted by a lawyer. Victims of an offence can also be legally represented.
- Official website
Competent authority
Staatsanwaltschaft des Kantons Zürich
Serves: the whole canton
Related situations
Legal aid
Legal aid: apply to the competent court
If you cannot afford the costs of proceedings and your case does not appear hopeless, you can apply for legal aid in the canton of Zurich. The application goes to the court hearing the case and can include the appointment of a lawyer free of charge. You will need to show your income, assets and regular outgoings. A lawyer checks the conditions with you.
- Official website
Competent authority
Legal aid (application to the competent court)
Serves: the whole canton
Lawyer in Oerlikon
Oerlikon is part of the city of Zurich and, together with Affoltern and Seebach, forms Kreis 11. Around Oerlikon station, the exhibition centre and the Hallenstadion, many people live and work and look for a lawyer nearby. Oerlikon has no court of its own: as for the whole city, the Bezirksgericht Zürich is competent, along with the Paritätische Schlichtungsbehörde in Miet- und Pachtsachen des Bezirks Zürich for tenancy and the Arbeitsgericht Zürich for employment disputes. The practitioners above see clients at their office or by video.
Areas of law
Areas covered in Zurich
One panel for each area in which verified practitioners work in the canton of Zurich. Other areas remain available by video call.
No practitioner in the canton of Zurich 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 Zurich.
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 Zurich
Local answers, checked against official sources. A practitioner can look at your situation in detail.
See all questionsWhich court is competent in the city of Zurich?
The city of Zurich forms a district of its own. Civil and criminal cases at first instance are heard by the Bezirksgericht Zürich, to which the Arbeitsgericht Zürich and the Paritätische Schlichtungsbehörde in Miet- und Pachtsachen des Bezirks Zürich, the tenancy conciliation board, are also attached. This applies to every part of the city alike. Which body handles your case depends on the type of dispute; a lawyer will clarify this in the first consultation.
How does a tenancy dispute work in Zurich?
A dispute over rent, defects or a notice to quit begins with an application for conciliation. For Zurich, the competent body is the Paritätische Schlichtungsbehörde in Miet- und Pachtsachen des Bezirks Zürich, the joint tenancy conciliation board attached to the Bezirksgericht Zürich. It hears both sides and proposes a settlement; if none is reached, the case can go to court. Deadlines matter, for example for contesting a notice to quit. A lawyer can prepare your application and attend the hearing with you.
Which court handles employment disputes in Zurich?
Disputes arising from employment, such as wages, overtime, a work reference or dismissal, go to the Arbeitsgericht Zürich, the labour court, when the place of jurisdiction lies in the Zurich district. It is attached to the Bezirksgericht Zürich. Before you take action, get advice: a lawyer reviews your documents, explores the options for a settlement and keeps track of the deadlines.
Does Oerlikon have its own court?
No. Oerlikon is part of the city of Zurich, in Kreis 11, and therefore belongs to the Zurich district. For tenancy disputes, employment disputes and civil and criminal cases at first instance, the same bodies are competent as in the rest of the city, above all the Bezirksgericht Zürich. On ora. you can find lawyers with offices in the city or book a consultation by video.
How much does a lawyer in Zurich cost?
Each practitioner sets their own fee, which you see on their profile before you book. ora.’s service fee is shown on a separate line, and you pay the practitioner directly. If you cannot afford proceedings, you can apply for legal aid from the competent court; a lawyer will check with you whether the conditions are met.
Next step
Find your practitioner in Zurich
Choose an area of law: the directory opens on the practitioners who work near you.
- Video consultation
- Online booking