Mediation · Switzerland
Find a mediation lawyer in Switzerland for your dispute
Mediation lets you and the other side shape the outcome yourselves, privately, instead of waiting for a judgment. Tell us what has happened and we match you with a lawyer who handles mediation in your field of law and in your canton.
- Free, no-obligation matching
- Lawyers admitted in Switzerland under the BGFA
- Cases handled in German, French or Italian
Free and confidential. No obligation to instruct a lawyer afterwards.
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Why this page
Mediation in a country of 26 court systems
Disputes in Switzerland rarely follow one single script. Substantive law is federal — the Civil Code and the Code of Obligations apply across the country — but the courts are organised by the 26 cantons, each with its own practice, its own tariff for court fees and party compensation, and its own procedural language. A mediation lawyer in Switzerland helps you work within that framework while trying to reach a settlement instead of a judgment. Whether your dispute concerns a contract, a tenancy, a divorce, an inheritance or a cross-border claim, you want a lawyer who knows the canton, the deadlines and the negotiation culture involved. Tell us what has happened, in your own words. We review your situation and match you, free of charge, with a lawyer who handles mediation in your area of law.
Switzerland in practice
How mediation works within the Swiss legal framework
Switzerland applies unified federal private law through courts that belong to the cantons. That combination shapes every mediation here: the substantive rules are the same in Zürich and Genève, but the procedure, the language, the fees and the pace can differ from one canton to the next.
One federal code, 26 cantonal court systems
Since 2011 the Swiss Civil Procedure Code has provided a single federal code of civil procedure, replacing the 26 former cantonal codes. Court organisation, the composition of the judiciary and the rules on court fees and party compensation nevertheless remain largely cantonal, so the same federal law is applied through 26 different court systems.
Who may act for you
In Swiss civil procedure there is no general obligation to be represented by a lawyer: parties may appear in person and may instruct any person capable of acting as their representative (Art. 68 CPC). Before the Federal Supreme Court, however, representation by an admitted lawyer is required in civil matters (Art. 40 BGG).
One admission, valid across the country
Under the Federal Act on the Free Movement of Lawyers (BGFA), a lawyer admitted in one canton may practise and represent parties before judicial authorities throughout Switzerland. Lawyers are entered on the roll of the canton where they have their place of business and are supervised by the cantonal authorities; the FSA/SAV is the national umbrella body.
Deadlines do not pause while you negotiate
Swiss limitation periods run independently of settlement talks. General contractual claims lapse after ten years and periodic payments after five, while tort claims follow a relative three-year and an absolute ten-year rule. An unfair dismissal claim must be brought within 180 days and an inheritance renounced within three months.
Costs, tariffs and legal aid
Court fees are set by cantonal tariffs for cantonal proceedings, and the claimant generally pays an advance on costs (Art. 98 CPC); the unsuccessful party bears the costs of the proceedings (Art. 106 CPC). Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed or based on cantonal schedules, as there is no binding federal tariff.
Language and cross-border disputes
Switzerland has four national languages, and proceedings are conducted in German, French or Italian depending on the canton. Switzerland is not an EU member: cross-border jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments with EU states are governed by sectoral bilateral agreements and the Lugano Convention of 2007, which a settlement should take into account.
Key time limits — Litigation & Dispute Resolution
| Matter | Time limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| General contractual claims (debt recovery) | 10 years | The ordinary limitation period for contractual claims under the Code of Obligations. |
| Tort / non-contractual damages claims | 3 years (relative) / 10 years (absolute) | The relative period starts when the injured party knows the damage and the liable person. |
The country information on this page is taken from official Swiss sources — Fedlex, the federal authorities and the FSA/SAV — and was last reviewed in 2025.
- Swiss Civil Procedure Code (CPC), SR 272 — Fedlex
- Federal Act on the Free Movement of Lawyers (BGFA) — Fedlex
- Code of Obligations — limitation periods (SR 220) — Fedlex
- Swiss Civil Code (SR 210) — Fedlex
- Federal Supreme Court Act (BGG) — Fedlex
- Federal Administrative Procedure Act — Fedlex
- Fédération Suisse des Avocats / Schweizerischer Anwaltsverband (FSA/SAV)
- Lugano Convention 2007 — Federal Office of Justice
Common situations
When a settlement route makes sense
Most people who contact us are not looking for a fight. They are looking for a clear, workable answer that holds up legally.
You are unsure whether to litigate or settle
Court proceedings in Switzerland can be lengthy and public, and no outcome is guaranteed. Many clients want an agreement they can live with rather than a judgment, but do not know how to open that conversation with the other side.
Your case crosses a cantonal or national border
Each of the 26 cantons organises its own courts and sets its own fees, and proceedings run in German, French or Italian. If the other party is abroad, jurisdiction and enforcement questions arise from the very beginning.
A deadline is running while you talk
Contractual claims can become time-barred, an inheritance can only be renounced within a fixed period, and an unfair dismissal claim has a very short window. Negotiation does not automatically stop these clocks.
How we help
A lawyer who fits your dispute and your canton
We do not give legal advice ourselves. We listen to your situation and introduce you to a lawyer whose practice matches it.
A lawyer who works with mediation
We match you with a lawyer who regularly handles mediation in your field of law, so you can explore a settlement without giving up the option of going to court later.
Cantonal know-how
Your lawyer knows the court practices, the tariff structure and the procedural language of the canton where your dispute sits — from Zürich, Bern and Basel to Genève, Lausanne and Lugano.
One admission, nationwide reach
Under the BGFA, a lawyer admitted in one canton may represent you before judicial authorities throughout Switzerland, which makes cross-cantonal cases considerably simpler to run.
Costs discussed before you commit
Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed, so the basis of the mandate can be fixed in writing at the outset. Where the conditions are met, legal aid may include a court-funded representative.
Cross-border
Disputes that cross a Swiss border
Switzerland is not an EU member, so cross-border matters follow a distinct route: sectoral bilateral agreements and the Lugano Convention of 2007. If the other party lives or holds assets in one of these countries, tell us when you contact us.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What does a mediation lawyer in Switzerland actually do?
A mediation lawyer in Switzerland advises you on your position under the Civil Code and the Code of Obligations, helps you structure a settlement that will hold, and negotiates on your behalf or beside you. Because parties in Swiss civil proceedings may appear in person and instruct a representative of their choice (Art. 68 CPC), the process stays private.
Do I have to be represented by a lawyer in a Swiss civil case?
Not in general. Art. 68 of the Civil Procedure Code allows parties to appear in person and to instruct any person capable of acting as their representative. The exception is the Federal Supreme Court, where parties in civil matters must be represented by an admitted lawyer (Art. 40 BGG).
Which deadlines matter while I am negotiating a settlement?
General contractual claims lapse after ten years and periodic payments after five. Tort claims follow a relative three-year and an absolute ten-year period. Compensation for abusive dismissal must be claimed within 180 days, and an inheritance can only be disclaimed within three months. Your lawyer will check which period applies to you before talks begin.
Can a lawyer admitted in another canton represent me in Switzerland?
Yes. Under the Federal Act on the Free Movement of Lawyers (BGFA), a lawyer admitted in one canton may practise and represent parties before judicial authorities throughout Switzerland. The practising certificate is recognised nationally, even though lawyers are entered on a cantonal roll and supervised by the cantonal authorities.
My dispute involves a party in the European Union — what applies?
Switzerland is not an EU member. Its relations with the EU rest on sectoral bilateral agreements, and for civil and commercial litigation the Lugano Convention of 2007 aligns the rules on jurisdiction and on the recognition and enforcement of judgments with the EU regime. That matters when a settlement must be enforceable across the border.
What will mediation cost, and can I get legal aid?
Lawyers’ fees in Switzerland are freely agreed between lawyer and client or, absent an agreement, set by cantonal schedules; there is no binding federal tariff. Court fees follow cantonal tariffs and are broadly proportional to the value in dispute, with a claimant usually paying an advance (Art. 98 CPC). Legal aid under Art. 117–123 CPC may include a court-funded representative.
Next step
Tell us about your dispute
Describe your situation in a few sentences — in English, German, French or Italian. We keep it confidential and match you with a lawyer who handles mediation in your field of law and in your canton.