Partner

Christian Gersbach, LL.M.

Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law

Languages

German
English
French

Social media

Christian Gersbach is a Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law and the head of our employment and immigration law team.

He joined CMS in 2004 and advises a wide range of corporate clients in all areas of employment matters (e.g. drafting of employment contracts, employee representation matters, dismissals, dispute resolution). His focus lies on international and cross-border matters.

Christian Gersbach served from 2001 until 2005 as an ordinary judge with a part-time workload at the District Court of Aarau. In 2006/2007 he completed postgraduate studies at New York University (Master of Laws, LL.M.) and worked as a foreign associate in a major New York law firm before re-joining CMS in 2007.

Awards & Recognitions

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Christian Gersbach is very skilled, very quick at responding, aware of our needs and strong to work with.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2025
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Christian Gersbach is very efficient, patient and organised.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2025
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I would like to commend Christian Gersbach for his strong service level, based on a deep understanding of our specific business context and requirements.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2025
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Christian Gersbach is our first choice when looking for legal advice.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2025
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I enjoy very much working with Christian Gersbach, he is straight to the point and you can follow his advice.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2024
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"Subject-matter expert in employment law; very responsive; treats others with respect."

IFLR 1000, client feedback, 33rd edition (2023/2024)
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''He is diligent, very responsive, pragmatic and able to find solutions. It's easy to discuss things on the phone with him and he's very experienced. He's just a very good partner for me.''

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2023
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Christian Gersbach is the reason why we work with CMS. He is very pleasant to work with, competent and has the right approach.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2023
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''I refer to Christian Gersbach for more complex questions as he is always super, on top of everything and fast. He has the right feeling for the level of detail that is necessary."

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2023
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"The cooperation with Mr Christian Gersbach was seamless and advice always precise and with view of the business needs."

The Legal 500, Switzerland, Employment, 2022
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"He can think about complex and difficult issues in an extraordinarily short time and support the parties accordingly," notes one satisfied client.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, Employment, Switzerland, 2022
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Christian Gersbach: outstanding work – very knowledgeable, responsive and pragmatic.

The Legal 500, Employment, Switzerland, 2020
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CMS is known for its 'immediate', 'practical and reliable' service level in employment matters, ranging from day-to-day operational and policy queries to transactional and dispute resolution handling. 'Outstanding' team head Christian Gersbach provides 'very knowledgeable, responsive and pragmatic' counsel.

The Legal 500, Employment, Switzerland, 2020
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"Very knowledgeable, responsive and hands-on' key partner Christian Gersbach regularly advises clients including Nike, Accenture and Corning"

The Legal 500, Employment, Switzerland, 2019
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Christian Gersbach of CMS is recognised for his litigation experience in this area, and he also advises on contractual matters. Sources highlight him as being "really hands-on and knowledgeable."

Chambers and Partners, Employment, Switzerland, 2019
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Christian Gersbach of CMS is ‘always very approachable’ and ‘quick to respond to requests,’ and is also ‘practical but with good knowledge.’

Chambers and Partners, Employment, Switzerland, 2018
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CMS delivers ‘great service and clear, comprehensive answers’ to employment law and corporate policy issues, including advice on M&A-related employment and contentious matters. The ‘responsive, professional and very practical’ Christian Gersbach is a ‘pleasure to work with’.

The Legal 500, Employment, Switzerland, 2018

Relevant experience

Advising RUAG on the sale of RUAG Environment to Thommen Group AG
Advising Accenture AG in employment matters
Advising Burger King with regard to employment matters as well as work and residency permits
Advising and representing Denner AG in employment matters
Advising and representing Nike in employment matters

Publications

Christian Gersbach/Christina Winter, Sozialpläne – Aktuelle Entwicklungen, in: Wolfgang Portmann/Gabriel Aubert/Roland A. Müller/Roger Rudolph (Hrsg.), Festschrift für Adrian von Kaenel, Zurich 2022, p. 161–171
Arbeitsvertrag, Werkvertrag oder Auftrag? Zürcher Wirtschaft 09/22
Nebentätigkeiten, Zürcher Wirtschaft 06/2022
Homeoffice aus arbeitsrechtlicher Sicht, Zürcher Wirtschaft 02/2022
Nachvertragliche Konkurrenzverbote, Zürcher Wirtschaft 01/2022
Stämpflis Handkommentar Arbeitsvertrag, june 2021, commentary on Art. 319 and 334 CO (co-author: Marcel Gross)
Personalabbau aus wirtschaftlichen Gründen - Massenentlassung und Änderungskündigung, personal Schweiz 02/2021 (co-author: Miryam Meile)
Offene Fragen zum Vaterschaftsurlaub, Zürcher Wirtschaft, 02/2021 (co-author: Miryam Meile)
Arbeitsrecht: Ist Ihr Arbeitsvertrag noch aktuell?, Zürcher Wirtschaft 08/2019
Befristete Arbeitsverhältnisse, Züricher Wirtschaft 03/2019
Arbeitsrecht: Kündigungsfreiheit – das war einmal?, Zürcher Wirtschaft 12/2017
Arbeitsrecht: Nebenbeschäftigungen, Zürcher Wirtschaft 11/2015

Memberships & Roles

Zurich Bar Association (ZAV)
Swiss Bar Association (SBA)
Employment Law Practice Group of Zurich Bar Association

Awards & Rankings

The Legal 500 | Employment, Switzerland, 2025 | Leading Partner
Chambers and Partners | Employment, Switzerland, 2025 | Europe | Band 3
Leaders League | Labor Litigation, Switzerland, 2025 | Excellent
Leaders League | Labor Advisory, Switzerland, 2025 | Highly recommended

Lectures list

Weblaw Academy, Webinar im Arbeitsrecht: «Restrukturierungen», 2 July 2025
Tagesseminar Update Arbeitsrecht, STS Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule, 14 November 2024 Zurich
Herausforderungen bei der Flexibilisierung der Arbeit, 33. Herbstseminar von Treuhand Suisse, 25 October 2024 Interlaken
Neuerungen im Arbeitsrecht, STS Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule, 16 January 2024 Zurich, 18 January 2024 Basel, 22 January 2024 Bern
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS - Aktuelle Rechtsfragen zum Thema Homeoffice, Lucerne 30 June 2022
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Die wichtigsten Änderungen im Arbeitsrecht 2022, Zurich 18 January 2022, Basel 20 January 2022 / Berne 25 January 2022
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Home-Office - Eine arbeitsrechtliche Betrachtung, Zurich, 9 September 2021
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – TREUHAND | TAKEOFF® – Neuerungen im Arbeitsrecht 2021, Webinar, 21 and 28 January 2021
Institut für Rechtswissenschaft und Rechtspraxis, Universität St. Gallen - St. Galler Tagung zum Arbeitsrecht 2020 "Sozialpläne – Aktuelle Entwicklungen", Lucerne, 10 September 2020
CMS Webinar "Aktuelle Rechtsfragen im Zusammenhang mit COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Fokus Schweiz", 9 April 2020
CMS Webinar "Aktuelle Rechtsfragen im Zusammenhang mit COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Fokus Schweiz", 19 March 2020
CMS Webinar "Internal investigations in HR cases - best practices", 3 March 2020
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Die wichtigsten Änderungen im Arbeitsrecht 2020, Bern, 21 January 2020 / Zurich 23 January 2020
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Update Arbeitsrecht, Zurich, 18 November 2019
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Die wichtigsten Änderungen im Arbeitsrecht 2019, Bern, 22 January 2019 / Zurich 24 January 2019
Bundesverband der Arbeitsrechtler in Unternehmen BVAU (Deutschland) – Einführung in das Schweizer Arbeitsrecht, Frankfurt am Main, 19 November 2018
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Update Arbeitsrecht, Zurich, 7 November 2018
Schweizerische Treuhänder Schule STS – Die wichtigsten Änderungen im Arbeitsrecht 2018, Bern, 23 January 2018 / Zurich 25 January 2018
Webinar "Work Smart, Not Hard – Legal Challenges in the Modern Workplace", 23 January 2018
Europa Institut an der Universität Zürich – Aktuelle Fragen zum Ferienrecht, Zurich, 27 June 2017

Education

2014 - Certified Specialist SBA Employment Law
2007 - Master of Laws, LL.M., New York University in New York (USA)
2004 - Bar Admission
2001 - Lic. iur, magna cum laude, Universität Zürich (exchange studies at Université François Rabelais, Tours, France)

Practice Areas

Employment, Labour & Pensions Dispute Resolution

Insights

Global Reach