Joachim Frick

About the LawyerProf. Dr. Joachim G. Frick, LL.M./J.S.D., is a partner at Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG and practices primarily in dispute resolution, with a strong focus on international and domestic arbitration. He regularly represents clients as party counsel in complex arbitration proceedings, particularly in matters arising out of corporate, insurance, and post-M&A disputes. Based in Zurich, he leads the insurance practice in the Zurich office and co-heads the European Financial Services & Insurance Group’s steering committee, roles that frequently involve arbitration of high-stakes commercial and regulatory conflicts.Frick’s arbitration work includes representing clients in shareholder disputes, arbitrations under licensing agreements, and warranty claims under share purchase agreements, as well as insurance regulatory proceedings and reinsurance coverage litigation. His practice spans diverse sectors such as insurance and reinsurance, banking and aircraft finance, pharmaceuticals, energy, and technology, where arbitration is a primary dispute resolution mechanism. In addition to his work in Switzerland, he has practiced with Baker McKenzie in Taipei and Chicago, giving him significant cross-border arbitration experience and familiarity with different legal cultures and institutional rules.Alongside his practice, Joachim Frick is a professor of law (Titularprofessor) at Zurich University, where he teaches and writes on Swiss and international commercial arbitration. He has authored multiple publications on arbitration and contributed expert analysis on Swiss arbitration decisions, including co-authoring the Switzerland chapter of the Baker McKenzie International Arbitration Yearbook 2024–2025.ExperienceProf. Dr. Joachim G. Frick has been with Baker McKenzie for many years and became a partner at Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG in 2001. Over more than two decades in partnership, he has built a substantial arbitration-focused practice within the firm’s dispute resolution group. His experience encompasses acting as party counsel in institutional and ad hoc arbitrations, often involving complex commercial relationships and multi-jurisdictional elements.He regularly represents clients in arbitrations arising out of:

• Shareholder and joint venture disputes
• Licensing and distribution agreements
• Warranty and purchase price adjustment claims under share purchase agreements
• Reinsurance and coverage disputes, including matters related to large-scale events such as COVID-19 claims
• Financial services and banking-related disputes, including aircraft finance transactions

Frick’s representative arbitration matters include acting for foreign manufacturers in licensing agreement arbitrations, representing Swiss sellers in warranty claims under share purchase agreements, and acting for Swiss and foreign insurance carriers in arbitration proceedings concerning reinsurance and coverage issues. He also appears before arbitral tribunals in disputes involving regulatory questions and complex financial products, often coordinating proceedings that run parallel to court or regulatory investigations.Beyond case work, he plays a strategic role in Baker McKenzie’s arbitration offering for Swiss and international clients. He is a key member of the firm’s dispute resolution leadership, and his Zurich-based practice is integrated into the firm’s broader international arbitration network. His participation in specialist arbitration organizations and conferences, as well as his contributions to arbitration yearbooks and scholarly publications, further reflect his standing and experience in the field.SpecialtyJoachim Frick specializes in arbitration and dispute resolution, with particular emphasis on commercial, corporate, insurance, and financial services-related disputes that are resolved before arbitral tribunals. His arbitration expertise includes:

• Commercial and corporate arbitrationHe acts in disputes related to shareholder agreements, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, and post-M&A conflicts. This includes arbitrations over warranty claims, purchase price adjustments, and indemnification obligations under share purchase agreements, as well as conflicts among shareholders and corporate governance disputes.
• Insurance and reinsurance arbitrationFrick has deep experience in insurance and reinsurance litigation and arbitration. He represents Swiss and international insurers and reinsurers in coverage disputes, reinsurance treaty arbitrations, and arbitrations arising from complex claims scenarios such as pandemic-related losses. His work often involves interpreting policy wording, allocation of losses, and disputes over reinsurance recoveries, all within arbitral frameworks.
• Regulatory and financial services-related arbitrationHis practice extends to financial services disputes where arbitration is used to resolve conflicts involving banks, financial institutions, and investors. This includes matters linked to aviation and aircraft financing and other structured financing transactions that incorporate arbitration clauses for dispute resolution.
• Sector-specific commercial arbitrationFrick handles arbitrations across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, energy, technology, transport, and infrastructure, where long-term commercial contracts, distribution agreements, and licensing arrangements frequently give rise to arbitration. He has experience with major arbitral institutions and rules and regularly advises on the drafting and negotiation of arbitration clauses in commercial contracts.

In all these areas, his role typically involves representing parties as counsel, developing arbitration strategy, managing complex evidentiary issues, and coordinating cross-border legal teams. His dual profile as a practitioner and academic in arbitration allows him to combine practical case management with rigorous analysis of procedural and substantive arbitration law.EducationJoachim Frick earned his Doctor of Law (Dr. iur.) degree from Zurich University in 1992. He previously completed his lic. iur. (law degree) at Zurich University, providing the foundation for his subsequent specialization in commercial and arbitration law. He went on to obtain an LL.M. (Master of Laws) from Yale Law School in 1996, followed by a J.S.D. (Doctor of the Science of Law) from Yale Law School in 2000.In addition to his formal degrees, he serves as a professor of law at Zurich University, where he teaches courses and seminars on arbitration and related fields of commercial law. His academic work, including publications and contributions to international arbitration yearbooks, reflects his advanced education and ongoing engagement with the development of arbitration doctrine and practice.

• Awards / honors: Prof. Dr. Joachim G. Frick was selected as Global Law Experts’ Exclusive Member for Arbitration Law in Switzerland, which is an explicit recognition tied to his arbitration practice at Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG.3
• Industry rankings: No reliable source in the provided results directly identifies a ranking for Joachim Frick in arbitration.
• Leadership roles: Joachim Frick is a Partner at Baker McKenzie Switzerland AG in Zurich, and his biography states he became a partner in 2001.1
• Major case successes: No reliable source in the provided results directly mentions a specific case success for Joachim Frick.
• Contributions to award-winning projects: No reliable source in the provided results directly attributes an award-winning project contribution to Joachim Frick.