Jacques Johner

About the Lawyer

Jacques Johner is a Partner at MLL Legal Ltd, based in Switzerland, specializing in real estate law among other areas. He brings a comprehensive approach to his legal practice, combining expertise in real estate, construction law, land and use planning law, and public procurement law. His multilingual capabilities cover French, English, Italian, and German, facilitating communication in diverse legal contexts. Before joining MLL Legal as a junior associate in 2015, he worked for five years as an in-house lawyer for the City of Lausanne in the energy and telecommunications department. Jacques Johner is recognized for handling complex real estate transactions and development projects, serving a client base that includes corporates, asset managers, and financial institutions.

Experience

Jacques Johner was admitted to the Swiss Bar in 2016 and has been practicing law professionally since at least 2010, when he completed his master’s degree. He joined MLL Legal in 2015 initially as a junior associate and was promoted to Associate in 2017, Senior Associate in 2021, and then to Partner as of January 1, 2024. His career includes significant in-house legal experience with the City of Lausanne, where he worked within the energy and telecommunications department for five years before entering private practice. At MLL Legal, he leads and contributes to major real estate transactions, including acquisitions, sales, lease agreements, and development projects in the residential and hospitality sectors. His role also includes advising on sale and leaseback transactions and construction projects related to real estate.

Specialty

Jacques Johner's specialty lies in real estate law, with a focused practice on:

• Property acquisitions and sales
• Lease agreements across residential and commercial sectors
• Residential and hospitality development projects
• Sale and leaseback transactions
• Construction law and public procurement related to real estate
• Land and use planning law

He serves a range of clients including corporates, asset managers, and those from the financial services sector, providing strategic counsel in complex real estate matters.

Education

Jacques Johner earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Law from the University of Lausanne, graduating magna cum laude with specializations in business law and litigation. He also holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Legal Professions (ECAV) from the University of Geneva. Additionally, he completed training in Collaborative Law in 2022, further enhancing his dispute resolution skills.

• Promotion to Partner at MLL Legal (2024): Jacques Johner was promoted to Partner as of January 1, 2024, recognizing his strong commitment, professional skills, and extensive experience in real estate and construction law within the firm3.

• Completion of Real Estate Collective Investments Course (2022): Successfully completed the ImmoCapital course on real estate collective investments offered by USPI and COPTIS, enhancing his expertise in legal, regulatory, and tax aspects of real estate collective investments2.

• Recognition as a Key Lawyer in Real Estate at MLL Legal: Listed as a key lawyer in the Real Estate practice group alongside other leading partners, acknowledged for his role in advising on significant real estate transactions and developments4.

• Leadership Role in Real Estate M&A Practice: Serves as a Partner in the Geneva and Lausanne offices, leading real estate and construction law matters, including property acquisitions, sales, lease agreements, and development projects5.

• Major Case and Transaction Involvements: Contributed to advising clients on complex real estate transactions such as property sales, acquisitions, and financing, supporting projects with significant market value, including portfolios exceeding CHF 1 billion4.