About us

GTLaw® is an exclusive boutique law firm based in Switzerland specialising in finance and trade law, with a particular emphasis on commodity trading, commodity finance and capital markets and international arbitration. Gilles Thieffry, the founder of GTLaw ®, has over 35 years’ experience, primarily in the City of London where he was a partner in two leading international firms (see Profile). Gilles Thieffry can properly be regarded as one of Europe's leading specialists in commodity finance, structured finance and derivatives and commodity trading.

GTLaw® acts in both transactions and litigation (arbitration). GTLaw can act both as counsel or arbitrator in arbitrations under most recognised rules (notably ICC, Swiss Arbitration Centre, LCIA). GTLaw has been involved in several arbitration cases. In 2015, GTLaw ® won a high-profile arbitration (claim of over $100 million) in relation to an international oil trading dispute.

As a small, highly focused, practice without the infrastructure and overheads of a major law firm GTLaw® is able to offer skilled counsel and value added service at highly cost-effective rates. The firm's philosophy is based on personal proactive and results oriented service. Clients instructing GTLaw® will not find that their matter is dealt with by someone they have never met. Nor will they pay for teams of assistants and trainee lawyers. Indeed GTLaw ® is very happy to work alongside a client's regular, mainstream, legal and/or accounting advisors.

Who should instruct GTLaw®?

Any organisation or individual requiring specialist advice on a complex financing transaction, commodity transaction, regulatory issues, acquisitions/expansion, corporate and commercial law or dispute resolution from a recognised specialist who will provide a dedicated personal and pragmatic service, combining extensive experience with a multi-cultural approach, at a reasonable cost. For example, if the following applies to you, then you should probably speak to GTLaw®:

  • I need specialist but practical advice from a senior, experienced practitioner
  • Value added is more important to me than "brand" recognition
  • I want an advisor who will wish to develop a long-term professional relationship based on mutual trust
  • I do not want a lawyer who will endlessly argue about trivial drafting points
  • I want a pragmatic lawyer offering practical solutions
  • I want a lawyer who will build good working relationships with other lawyers involved in the transaction

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

Profile

Gilles Ythieffry

Gilles Thieffry

International finance and business lawyer with over 35 years’ experience. Partner in major law firms. Specialist in structured finance and commodity finance (transactional and arbitration). Experience in oil industry. Independent non-executive director of companies (both listed and not listed). Recognised academic achievements.

Qualifications

  • Solicitor, Law Society of England and Wales
  • Attorney and counselor at Law, New York bar
  • Avocat au Barreau de Genève
  • Avocat Honoraire, Ordre des Avocats de Paris

Professional background

Partner and founding partner(2007 to date)

GTLaw ®.

Partner (2004 to 2007)

Pestalozzi Lachenal Patry, Geneva, Switzerland - Partner specialised in finance. Practice covers commodity finance, structured finance and M&A.

Head of the Legal Department, Member of the Executive Committee (2002 to 2004)

BNP Paribas, Geneva, Switzerland.

Partner, Global head of Capital markets. (2001 to 2002)

Andersen Legal, London, UK - Joined to create the global capital markets practice of Andersen Legal, part of Arthur Andersen. As a result of Enron, Andersen Legal was disbanded in the UK in June 2002.

Partner, Head of ISG (1995 to 2001)

Norton Rose, London, UK - Partner. Established this top 20 City law firm in capital markets, derivatives and securitisation.

Head of Legal Department (1992 to 1995)

BNP Capital Markets Limited, London, UK - Head of legal department in charge of documenting the activities of BNP Capital Markets.

Counsel (1992 to 1992)

EBRD, London, UK - Lawyer in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC).

Director (1988 to 1992)

UBS Phillips & Drew, London, UK - Director and deputy-head of the Corporate Finance transaction management team.

Officer (1987 to 1988)

Credit Suisse First Boston, London, UK - Joined the transaction management team as a lawyer.

Non- executive directorships

Gilles Thieffry has acted and acts as non-executive director on the Board of Directors of several companies (listed or non-listed).

Education

LL.M, Master, Law 1985

University of Pennsylvania, Law School, Philadelphia, PA, USA. - Post graduate law programme at this Ivy league University (Wharton).

Diploma, Law and International relations 1984

Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI), Geneva, Switzerland - Diploma of the Institute. Diploma awarded with very high honours.

LL.B, Law 1982

Université de Franche-Comté, Faculté de Droit, Besançon, France - Licence en droit (Bachelor of law), awarded with honours.

Baccalauréat D, Sciences 1978

Lycée d'Etat, Saint-Gaudens, France - Baccalauréat (D, major in Sciences). Awarded with honours.

Affiliations

  • Member, Law Society of England and Wales, Ordre des Avocats au barreau de Paris, New York State Bar Association, American Bar Association. Member of the Geneva Bar association.
  • Association Suisse d'Arbitrage (ASA).
  • London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).
  • Teaching position at the University of Geneva Law School on Commodities finance and on Structured finance.
  • Member, Oriental Club, London.

Personal data

Nationality: - British, French and Swiss.

Languages - Bilingual French and English. German (basic)

Amy Meyer

Amy Meyer

International lawyer with over 28 years of experience with leading international law firms specializing in international arbitration primarily in the area of commodity trading, corporate and commercial law, cross border legal issues including international transactions, project development as well as international cross-jurisdictional planning, estate, trust and corporate structuring.

Qualifications

  • Member of the State Bar of California since 1994
  • Member of the Geneva Bar - L’Ordre des avocats de Genève (SABE)

Professional background

Senior Attorney with GTLaw ® since 2008

Senior Lawyer / Manager (2007 to 2008)

Amas Trust Services SA, Geneva, Switzerland - Senior Manager and lawyer responsible for legal, trust and global wealth structuring issues; including work relating to international acquisitions, regulatory, compliance litigation and banking law.

Attorney (1999 to 2006)

Schellenberg Wittmer, Geneva, Switzerland - Attorney in leading Swiss law firm advising private clients on multi-jurisdictional structuring and estate and tax planning matters including the formation and management of trusts, foundations and holding companies in European and “low-tax” jurisdictions as well as international commercial and corporate matters and mergers and acquisitions of privately held companies.

Attorney (1997 to 1999)

Baker & McKenzie, Almaty, Kazakhstan – Attorney advising Western clients investing in Kazakhstan and Central Asia on large infrastructure projects, primarily in the electricity and oil & gas sectors, international transactions, commercial and corporate matters and the structuring of Kazakh joint ventures and international holding structures.

Rule of Law Liaison (1996 to 1997)

American Bar Association Central and East European Law Initiative (CEELI/ABA Rule of Law Initiative), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan- Country Manager responsible for coordinating and managing rule of law related activities in Krygyzstan, including the identification, development and implementation of technical assistance projects in partnership with Kyrgyzstan’s legal community and government representatives, interactive training workshops, public hearings on draft legislation and analysis & commentary on draft laws.

Attorney (1995 to 1996)

Franck & Franck, San Francisco, California - Partner in a law firm specializing in agro-business development projects and tenders for U.S. and German juice bottling clients in Ukraine, Moldova, Hungary and Poland and U.S. civil and commercial litigation including all phases of trial and appellate cases involving business and partnership disputes, real estate and civil rights.

Paralegal/Law Clerk (1991 – 1994)

Proskauer Rose Goetz & Mendelsohn, San Francisco, California - Assisted in all phases of complex litigation and labor cases including; discovery, investigations, research, trial preparation and trial assistance.

Paralegal (1989- 1991)

Nossaman LLP (Formerly, Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliot), San Francisco, California

Assisted in complex large-scale insurance coverage related litigation, primarily on The Flintkote Company v. American Mutual Insurance Co., et al.

Education

LL.M in International Legal Studies, 1996

Golden Gate University School of Law – San Francisco, California

The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law – Krakow, Poland Central & Eastern European Business & Trade Law Summer Program, 1995

Juris Doctor, 1993

San Francisco Law School – San Francisco, California

Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology/Sociology, 1986

Denison University – Granville, Ohio

Loyola University Rome Center – Rome, Italy

Fall Semester, 1984

Personal data

Nationalities – Switzerland, U.S.A. and France

Practice

GTLaw ® currently advises many types of clients in the following fields:

  • Commodity traders and exporters - negotiating large structured finance transactions, negotiating investments and joint ventures representing clients in arbitration and litigation.
  • Banks - designing new products and solutions in commodity finance and structured products.
  • Banks and financial institutions: advice on capital market products and derivatives. High end advice on a complex multi jurisdiction restructuring.
  • Dispute resolution (International arbitration).
  • Mergers and acquisitions: cross border advice.
  • Cross-border structuring, family office and trust advice.

Publications

GTLaw ® currently advises many types of clients in the following fields:

Contact us


Gilles Thieffry

Solicitor (England and Wales), Member of the New York bar, Avocat au Barreau de Paris

Address: GTLaw - Case postale/PO Box 4 - 1294 Genthod - Geneva - Switzerland
For hand delivery only: Route de Collex 32 -1294 Genthod - Geneva - Switzerland

DDL +41 (0)22 774 03 97
Fax +41 (0)22 594 8585
Mobile +41 (0) 79 230 51 41

Email Address gilles.thieffry@gtlaw.ch


Amy Meyer

Address: GTLaw - Case postale/PO Box 4 - 1294 Genthod - Geneva - Switzerland
For hand delivery only: Route de Collex 32 -1294 Genthod - Geneva - Switzerland

DDL: +41 (0) 22 592 94 96
Fax: +41 (0)22 594 8585
Mobile: +41 (0)22 594 8585

Email Address:amy.meyer@gtlaw.ch