| Pestalozzi Attorneys at Law

Lukas Rusch is partner and member of Pestalozzi’s litigation and arbitration group in Zurich. He acts as counsel in commercial arbitrations, both institutional and ad hoc, as well as in court proceedings. His practice further covers setting aside proceedings against arbitral awards, enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards, including attachment of assets, and contentious aspects of insolvency proceedings.

Lukas handles a wide range of complex commercial and corporate disputes across different industries. He has particular experience in construction and infrastructure, energy, commodity and trade, post-M&A, banking and insurance, pharmaceutical, as well as investor-state disputes.

Lukas is trained in both civil and common law jurisdictions. Before joining Pestalozzi, Lukas worked at leading international law firms in Princeton, Washington (DC) and London. Lukas holds degrees from the University of St Gallen (MA HSG in Law) and Queen Mary, University of London (LLM in Comparative and International Dispute Resolution). He has been a lecturer at the University of St Gallen and coach of the university's team for the Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court for several years.

Lukas is vice-president of the AIJA (International Association of Young Lawyers) International Arbitration Commission and serves as a regional representative for the DIS40 (German Arbitration Institution). He regularly speaks and publishes in his area of expertise.

Lukas Rusch is named as a future leader in arbitration by GAR/Who's Who Legal (2020/2021).

2021

Partner at Pestalozzi
Regional Representative for DIS40 (German Arbitration Institution)

2019

Senior Associate at Pestalozzi
Vice-President of AIJA (International Association of Young Lawyers) International Arbitration Commission

2013

Associate at Pestalozzi
Lecturer at University of St. Gallen
Bar admission: Switzerland

2012

Secondment at a leading global medical device company

2010

Junior Associate at Pestalozzi
Queen Mary, University of London: LL.M.

2009

Legal intern at WilmerHale, London
University of St. Gallen: M.A. HSG in Law

2008

Research and teaching assistant to Prof. Anne van Aaken at University of St. Gallen

Languages

German, English, French

Expertise & Industries

Droit de l'énergie
Infrastructure
Contentieux & Arbitrage

Membership

Swiss Bar Association
Zurich Bar Association
AIJA
DIS40 (German Arbitration Institution)
ASA Below 40
YIAG
Young ICCA
ICC YAF

Publications

Joinder of Third Parties in International Arbitration - Recent Reforms and Developments

By Lukas Rusch: MAA Inaugural Speaker Series, 24 February 2021

Umgang mit Komplexität in Baustreitigkeiten (handling complexity in construction disputes)

By Lukas Rusch: DIS40 Webinar, 25 November 2020

Co-author Basler Commentary on Swiss Private International Law Act, article 179 (appointment of arbitral tribunal)

By Lukas Rusch: Grolimund/Loacker/Schnyder (eds.), 4th ed., Basel 2020

Opening bankruptcy proceedings during COVID-19 pandemic

By Lukas Rusch, Beat Mumenthaler, Alain Muster: International Law Office, London, 2020

Was tun, wenn die Produktion plötzlich stillsteht?

By Lukas Rusch: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 23 March 2020

Obtaining attachment on cryptocurrencies in Switzerland

By Lukas Rusch, Beat Mumenthaler, Alain Muster: International Law Office, London 2020

Parallel proceedings and third party claims in post-M&A disputes

By Lukas Rusch: panelist at ASA below 40 Fall Seminar, The deal is closed – let the dispute begin! Post‐M&A disputes, 25 October 2019

Streamlining the Swiss Rules of Mediation

By Lukas Rusch, Florian Mohs: LexisNexis, London 2019

Who pays the bill? Separate deposits, security for costs and allocation of costs

By Lukas Rusch: 11th AIJA Annual Arbitration Conference, Zurich, 29 June 2019

Force Majeure and Hardship under the CISG

By Lukas Rusch: Panelist at the 13th Annual Generations in Arbitration Conference, Hong Kong, 31 March 2019

Lukas Rusch

He is deeply knowledgeable and efficient; straight to the point.

Lukas is a stellar arbitration lawyer with an outstanding commitment to client service

An exceptional, hard-working and client-focused lawyer.