Partner

Daniel Kinzer

Languages

French
English
German
Spanish

Social media

Daniel Kinzer advises and defends businesses and individuals in regards to contentious matters in the areas of criminal law, economic criminal law, administrative criminal law, contractual and financial litigation, real estate law (public and private), employment law (public service and private law), computer law and data protection.

Following his graduation from the University of Oxford (UK) with an MA in Physics and Philosophy, Daniel Kinzer obtained a degree in Swiss law and a Master's degree in French law (Fribourg – Paris) in 2003 with honors. He passed the bar exam in 2005, graduating at the top of his class.

Daniel Kinzer joined the firm in 2006 and has been a Partner since 2012. He regularly participates in conferences as a speaker on legal issues related to criminal procedure and real estate law.

Since April 2024, Daniel Kinzer has served as the Deputy Chairman of the Geneva Bar Association.

Awards & Recognitions

01 –

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He has a very good profile. He is technical, clever and someone who works a lot.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, White-Collar Crime, Switzerland, 2024
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He is an excellent lawyer and is very eloquent.

Chambers & Partners, Europe, White-Collar Crime, Switzerland, 2024
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"Daniel Kinzer: Very competent and highly dedicated, very responsive, able to deliver excellent results under pressure."

The Legal 500, Switzerland, Dispute Resolution: Litigation, 2023

Publications

Real Estate

"La surveillance et le contrôle des loyers dans le temps", in : Imprescriptibilité, contrôle et responsabilité - Les effets du droit de propriété dans le temps, Foëx/Hottelier (eds.), Collection genevoise, Schulthess Éditions Romandes, 201

Criminal Law

"Les no-goes de la défense pénale", Revue de l'avocat, June-July 2019
Code pénal II: Art. 111-392 (Commentaire romand), Helbing & Lichtenhahn (articles 251 and 252 CP), 2017

Memberships & Roles

Deputy Chairman of the Geneva Bar Association (April 2024 to present)
Moderator of the Criminal Law Forum of the Geneva Bar Association (November 2017 to present)
Member of the Criminal Law Commission of the Geneva Bar Association (2010 to present)
Member of the special Criminal Law Commission of the Swiss Bar Association (2017 to present)
Member of the Training Committee of FSA specialist lawyers in criminal law (2018 to present)
Geneva Association of Business Law (AGDA)

Awards & Rankings

The Best Lawyers 2025 | Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Switzerland 2025 for Criminal Defense and Litigation
Best Lawyers | Litigation, Switzerland, 2023 | Lawyer of the Year
Best Lawyers | Criminal Defense, Switzerland, 2023
Who's Who Legal | Litigation, 2021 | National Leader
Who's Who Legal | Construction and Real Estate, 2021 | National Leader

Lectures list

Lecturer at Geneva Law School (“Ecole d’avocature”) (since 2014)
"Les faux dans les titres", lecture to future FSA specialist lawyers in criminal law, Geneva, June 9th 2018
"P&P, risques et mesures – aspects juridiques", training about information security, University of Geneva, Geneva, June 20th 2018
"CMS Talks | 5 perspectives sur le trust" (criminal law aspects), Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, November 20th 2018
"La relativité restreinte en matière de hausse et de baisse de loyer", real estate seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Geneva, March 20th 2018
"Le secteur financier face à l’évolution du droit pénal fiscal", Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, November 21st 2017
"Vente d’un appartement au locataire en place : affiner la machine à pronostics", "Les Sprints de l’Immobilier 2017" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Geneva, June 22nd 2017
"LDTR, la vente d’appartements", "La pratique de la LDTR - Thèmes choisis d’actualité" seminar organised by Geneva Bar Association, Auditorium FER (Fédération des Entreprises Romandes), Geneva, December 4th 2015
"Contrat d’entreprise : nouvelles jurisprudences relatives à l’interruption de l’exécution par le maître", "Les Sprints de l’Immobilier 2015" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Genève, September 17th 2015
"La responsabilité pour recours abusifs", "Les Sprints de l’Immobilier 2014" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Geneva, September 25th 2014
"La hausse de loyer après la période de blocage LDTR", "Travaux et augmentation de loyer" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Geneva, March 25th 2014
"La répartition des coûts de rénovation de l’immeuble sur les loyers", "Les Sprints de l’Immobilier 2013" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Genève, September 26th 2013
"Les procédures spéciales (ordonnance pénale et procédure simplifiée) et quelques particularités s’agissant de l’indemnisation et du statut de la victime", "Nouveau CPP : Quel bilan deux ans après l’entrée en vigueur ?" seminar organised by the Training Committee of Geneva Bar Association, University of Geneva, Geneva, June 24th 2013
"Les conséquences judiciaires d’une erreur médicale", "Bien-être au travail dans les hôpitaux : une autre approche de la qualité" seminar organised by Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), Geneva, June 21st 2013
"PLQ, LGZD, Loi sur les surélévations : qu’est-ce qui prime ?", "Les Sprints de l’Immobilier 2011" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Genève, September 29th 2011
"Modifications dites mineures dans un PLQ en force", "Les Sprints de l’Immobilier 2010" seminar organised by CGI Conseils, Geneva, September 30th 2010

Education

2005 – Bar exam
2000-2002 – Master of Laws, University Paris II (Pantheon-Assas) (France)
1998-2002 – Law degree, University of Fribourg (Switzerland)
1990-1993 – MA Phys. Phil, University of Oxford (United Kingdom)

Practice Areas

Dispute Resolution Employment & Pensions Real Estate Banking & Finance

sectors

TMC – Technology, Media & Communications

Insights

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Daniel Kinzer

Languages

Social media

Publications

Memberships & Roles

Awards & Rankings

Lectures list

Education

Practice Areas

sectors

Insights by Daniel

CMS Switzerland ranked in Chambers and Partners Europe Guide 2024

International Disputes Digest - 2023 Summer Edition

CMS Switzerland recommended among the best law firms in Switzerland by...

CMS Switzerland recognised by The Legal 500