HFW expands leading global aviation offering with Swiss launch

Sector-focused law firm HFW has expanded its market-leading global aviation offering, launching an aviation practice in Geneva with the hire of a team led by Partner Laurent Chassot.

Laurent joins HFW from Swiss law firm gbf alongside Senior Associate Yolande Lagrange and Special Counsel Christophe Platel.

The team advises aerospace sector clients on disputes, insurance, regulatory, and transactional matters, with a particular focus on complex litigation. Their work also includes aircraft transactions and leasing support, bespoke contract drafting and commercial advice, and operational and regulatory matters, including international and EU air law, airworthiness, and airport regulation.

HFW is already ranked by Legal 500 in the top tier for transport in Switzerland, and now has three Partners ranked by the directory as market leaders in this area: Laurent, Sarah Hunt, and Office Head Michael Buisset. No other law firm has more than one ranked ‘Leading Partner’.

This follows HFW’s recent recruitment of London aviation finance disputes Partner Guy Marrison. HFW’s global aerospace team now comprises 23 Partners and 100 lawyers in total across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. The team advise clients throughout the industry – including more than 100 airlines around the world – on all aspects of aviation liability, dispute resolution, regulatory, finance and leasing, and business and private aviation.

David Brotherton, Global Head of Aerospace, HFW:

“Laurent is arguably the top aviation specialist in the Swiss legal market – he has been involved in every significant aviation matter relating to Switzerland over the past 15 years, and is well known to HFW as our go-to lawyer for aviation referrals in the country. He combines deep hands-on experience with strong air and space law credentials, including an LLM in Air and Space Law from McGill, and longstanding teaching roles, most recently as a Lecturer in Air Law at the University of Lausanne. His practice spans disputes, insurance, regulatory and transactional matters, which are all core components of our global aviation offering, and he also brings significant expertise in air and space law, including defence and UAVs. His longstanding litigation practice will further strengthen our Swiss disputes capability.”

Laurent Chassot, Partner, HFW:

“I have worked closely with HFW’s aerospace team for more than a decade and have always admired its focus on being true sector specialists. HFW combines a formidable global aviation platform with a strong Geneva presence, and I am excited to bring that world-leading capability and multi-jurisdictional coverage to aviation and aerospace clients in the Swiss market.”

Laurent’s arrival also continues the growth of HFW’s Geneva office, following the arrival in January of leading international arbitration expert Vanessa Liborio. HFW has been in Geneva for more than 15 years, advising clients on all areas relating to commodities, trade finance, shipping, and now aviation, including corporate, commercial, disputes, regulatory, sanctions, and compliance.