Profile
Ernst F. Schmid is the former head of the Dispute Resolution group at Niederer Kraft Frey. He regularly acts as counsel in national and international litigation and arbitration cases, and as an arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional arbitration proceedings.
Experience
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Ernst F. Schmid has extensive experience in all aspects of state court litigation, including administrative court proceedings, and domestic and international arbitration (ICC, Swiss Rules, etc. and ad hoc).
Recent experience includes:
- Presiding arbitrator in a VIAC arbitration between an international bank and a software developer relating to a core bank application
- Presiding arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between two groups of companies producing and marketing commodities
- Presiding arbitrator in a Swiss Rules arbitration in a construction dispute relating to a hotel
- Co-counsel in an ad hoc arbitration for a Swiss chemical company relating to remediation of a contaminated site
- Presiding arbitrator in a Swiss Rules arbitration between a Swiss claimant and a Dubai respondent relating to consumer goods
- Co-counsel on Swiss law in a litigation in Bermuda
- Enforcement of a Kazakh arbitral award in Switzerland against Swiss defendant
- Co-arbitrator in a Swiss Rules arbitration in the railways sector
- Representing a defendant in a series of D&O claims brought by the liquidator in connection with the bankruptcy of one of the largest Swiss groups of companies
- Advising an international bank in the context of the misappropriation of client funds by a customer relationship officer; representing the bank in criminal and civil proceedings against the CRO and clients
- Presiding arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between two BVI companies on commodities trading
- Presiding arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a German manufacturer and a Singaporean distributor of medical equipment
- Co-arbitrator in an ad hoc arbitration between a US foundation and Austrian respondents for the restitution of art works
- Chairman in a Swiss Rules arbitration between a Swiss and a Spanish company concerning commodities
- Co-arbitrator in a Swiss Rules arbitration between a BVI company and a Swiss company relating to a joint venture
- Chairman of an arbitration between US claimants and a Swiss individual for the repayment of the investment in a Swiss company
- Sole arbitrator in a Swiss rules arbitration between a Jersey company and Austrian respondents in relation to an agency contract
- Sole arbitrator in a Swiss Rules arbitration between a Swiss company and an Italian company regarding commodities
- Entwicklungen in Zivilprozessrecht und Schiedsgerichtbarkeit, yearly article in Schweizerische Juristen-Zeitung
- Kommentierte Musterklagen in: Willi Fischer/Fabiana Theus Simoni/Dieter Gessler: Kommentierte Musterklagen, 2nd ed. Zurich/Basel/Geneva 2022
- Kommentierung von Art. 46-55 SchKG (Betreibungsort) in: Adrian Staehelin/Thomas Bauer/Daniel Staehelin (Hrsg.): Kommentar zum Bundesgesetz über Schuldbetreibung und Konkurs, 3rd ed. Basel/Genf/München 2021
- Kommentierung von Art. 160-167 ZPO in: Karl Spühler/Luca Tenchio/Dominik Infanger (Hrsg.): Basler Kommentar, Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung, 3rd ed. Basel 2017
- Sukzessivlieferungsvertrag in: Peter Münch/Sabina Kasper Lehne/Franz Probst (eds.): Schweizer Vertrags-Handbuch, 3rd edition, Basel 2017
- 5 Jahre ZPO aus Sicht der Praxis – Wünsche für die nächsten fünf Jahre in: Annette Dolge (ed.): 5 Jahre ZPO, Zurich 2016, p. 21 et seqq.
- Kommentierung von Art. 921-925 OR in: Heinrich Honsell/Nedim Peter Vogt/Rolf Watter (Hrsg.): Basler Kommentar zum Schweizerischen Privatrecht, Obligationenrecht II , 5th ed. Basel/Genf/München 2016
- Die Nebenfolgen bei vorsorglicher Beweisführung – Belohnung des widerspenstigen Gesuchsgegners in: Peter Breitschmid et al. (ed.), Tatsachen, Verfahren, Vollstreckung, Festschrift für Isaak Meier zum 65. Geburtstag, Zürich /Basel/Genf 2015
- Swiss Arbitration – Practical aspects and new developments, 2015 NKF Schriftenreihe Publikation #19 (322 Pages; 1425 kb)
- Dispute Resolution in Switzerland in: Getting The Deal Through, Dispute Resolution, p. 224 et seqq., 2011
- Die Schiedsgerichtbarkeit nach der schweizerischen Zivilprozessordnung in: NKF-Schriftenreihe Publikation “Das schweizerische Prozessrecht im Umbruch” # 16
- Schiedsvereinbarung und provisorische Rechtsöffnung in: SJZ 105 (2009) 537-544
- Prozessuales zur aktienrechtlichen Verantwortlichkeitsklage in: Gaudenz G. Zindel/Patrik R. Peyer/Bertrand Schott (ed.): Wirtschaftsrecht in Bewegung. Festgabe zum 65. Geburtstag von Peter Forstmoser, Zürich/St. Gallen 2008 and Zürich/Basel/Genf 2008, p. 601 et seqq.
- Prozessuales zur aktienrechtlichen Verantwortlichkeitsklage in: Gaudenz G. Zindel/Patrik R. Peyer/Bertrand Schott (ed.): Wirtschaftsrecht in Bewegung. Festgabe zum 65. Geburtstag von Peter Forstmoser, Zürich/St. Gallen 2008 and Zürich/Basel/Genf 2008, p. 601 et seqq.
- Country Report Switzerland in: Charles Platto (ed.): Economic Consequences of Litigation Worldwide, The Hague/London/Boston 1999
- Veränderte Voraussetzungen für den Ausländerarrest, Einschränkungen von noch unklarer Tragweite in: NZZ vom 28./29.12.1996 (Nr. 302), S. 23
- Zur prozessualen Umsetzung der Kostenpflicht der Gesellschaft im vom Aktionär eingeleiteten Verantwortlichkeitsprozess (Art. 756 Abs. 2 OR) in: Walter R. Schluep/Peter R. Isler (ed.): Neues zum Gesellschafts- und Wirtschaftsrecht. Zum 50. Geburtstag von Peter Forstmoser, Zürich 1993, p. 341et seqq.
- Country Report Switzerland in: Michael G. Dickson/Wolfgang Rosener/Paul M. Storm (ed.): Security on movable property and receivables in Europe, ESC Publishing Limited (Oxford 1988)
- Genossenschaftsverbände (Dissertation) in: Schweizer Schriften zum Handels- und Wirtschaftsrecht vol. 39, Zürich 1979
1984
Cambridge, England, Master of Law, LL.M.
1981
Admitted to the Bar, Rechtsanwalt
1979
University of Zurich, Doctor iuris, Dr. iur.
1975
University of Zurich, Licentiatus iuris utriusque, lic. iur.
Best Lawyers 2011 – 2025
Chambers Global 2008 – 2024
Chambers Europe 2008 – 2024
The Legal500 EMEA 2018 – 2024 – Recommended
Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Switzerland 2021 – 2023
Who’s Who Legal: Global 2019 – 2024
Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland 2016 – 2024
Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders – Switzerland 2019
- Zurich, Swiss and International Bar Associations (ZAV, SAV, IBA)
- ASA Association Suisse de l’Arbitrage
- DIS Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit
- Member of the Advisory Committee of the Swiss Arbitration Academy
- Association d’études juridiques et fiscales
- Ethics Court of the Zurich Bar Association (Standesgericht) (vice-chairman)
- Teacher at the University of Zurich for Arbitration Law and the Rules of the Legal Profession
2021
Of Counsel, Niederer Kraft Frey
1991
Partner, Niederer Kraft Frey
1984
Associate, Niederer Kraft Frey
1982
Associate with Zurich law firm
1980
Clerk with the Commercial Court of the Canton of Zurich
1978
Clerk with the District Court of Meilen
1975
Scientific Assistant to Professor Peter Forstmoser, Chair for company law at the University of Zurich
German
English
French
Italian