WRS | It's the Law

It's the Law: Uncovering the legal technicalities of banking secrecy
Monday, 4 April, 2011Swiss bankers are obliged to keep information about you or your account strictly confidential. Banking secrecy is not only a law in this country, but an age old tradition dating back to the early 18th century when Genevan bankers worked for the King of France. Stéphanie Fuld, from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva, explains the legalities of banking confidentiality:

Swiss bank notes--bills of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1000 Swiss francs (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Recognizing a bribe and its legal consequences
Monday, 28 March, 2011Corruption laws were originally drawn up to target dishonest officials within Switzerland. Stéphanie Fuld, from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva, talks about how the legislation has evolved and how to recognize an illegal bribe:

All of the available Swiss bank notes: bills of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 1000 Swiss francs, pictured on August 12, 2010. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Registering same-sex partnerships
Monday, 21 March, 2011Stéphanie Fuld, from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva, discusses same-sex partnerships, which were federally approved in Switzerland in 2007. While such partnerships offer some of the benefits of marriage, big differences remain between the two forms of union, for example, with regard to adoption and passports:

In this file photo from June 17, 2008, John Lewis, left, puts a wedding ring on the hand of Stuart Gaffney as they exchange marriage vows at City Hall in San Francisco. On Tuesday, California voters will be given the chance to turn back the clock on gay marriage. Given California's size and influence, the vote on Proposition 8 is being anxiously watched as a popular referendum on sexual orientation and civil rights. (AP Photo/Darryl Bush, file)

It's the Law: Respecting all those traffic rules and regulations
Monday, 14 March, 2011There is a vast amount of legislation and various directives that define how drivers are to behave on the road. Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law talks about the rules you need to be aware of to avoid sanctions and accidents:

Cars wait in traffic in Zurich. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Getting married without a hitch
Monday, 7 March, 2011If only getting hitched was as simple as presenting a ring on bended knee. Choosing a civil or a religious ceremony, deciding what spouse’s surname to take and collecting the proper documentation are among the more prosaic aspects of the process in Switzerland. Stéphanie Fuld, from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva, runs through the basics of what must be done before the happy couple can say, “I do”:

Urs and Viviane I. exchange their wedding rings during their wedding at the Protestant Church in Affeltrangen in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland, pictured on August 22, 2009. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Meeting the requirements to adopt children
Monday, 28 February, 2011Child adoption can be a very complicated process, no matter where you live. In Switzerland, the Civil Code sets requirements designed to ensure the wellbeing and personal development of children. Stéphanie Fuld, from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva, explains what parents hoping to adopt a child need to know:

parent holding a child by the hand outside the joint nursery and primary school Olga Rovere in the small town of Rignano Flaminio, near Rome, on 24 April 2007. Six people, including three female teachers at the school, have been arrested and are accused of involvment in sexual abuse of some 15 children aged three and four. Allegedly, in some cases the children were drugged and filmed while they were forced to take part in sexual acts. EPA/MASSIMO PERCOSSI

It's the Law: Finding out more about Swiss job certificates
Monday, 21 February, 2011If you are looking for employment, you may be asked for work certificates from previous jobs. Employers in Switzerland are obliged to provide this document, detailing the position held, duties, length of employment and sometimes overall performance ratings, as well as records of illness. Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva explains what should and should not be included on this certificate:

An employee calculates a tender anew in an office of the printing company Haderer in Unterengstringen, Switzerland, pictured on January 14, 2008. The family enterprise was established in 1931 and is specialized amongst others in prospectuses, advertising matters, brochures, business reports, journals, account books and private printing matters. (KEYSTONE/Martin Ruetschi)

It's the Law: Challenging a contract as a consumer
Monday, 14 February, 2011There are a lot of different ways to buy goods and services these days, whether you purchase something online or are bargaining for a used car. So if you are unhappy with the transaction, the first thing to do is to identify the right law for your situation. Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva explains how to protect yourself:

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk (R) shakes hands with his Macedonian counterpart Nikola Gruevski at the beginning of the European People's Party Congress in Warsaw April 29, 2009. Poland's centre right government hosts a two-day gathering of political leaders representing the biggest centre right grouping in the European Parliament to mark the start of campaigning for June EP elections. REUTERS/Peter Andrews (POLAND POLITICS)

It's the Law: Naming children and their citizenship rights
Monday, 7 February, 2011Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva dives into the legal peculiarities of children’s rights, choosing names for newborns and questions about the citizenship of the offspring of parents who are not married:

A mother and her children enjoy the warm evening with bubbles in Zurich. (KEYSTONE / Alessandro Della Bella)

It's the Law: Employees' rights
Monday, 31 January, 2011Swiss federal law spells out certain rights for employees, covering such areas as safety, health and consultation, as Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva explains:.

Employees of SBB Cargo direct the rail traffic on the track field of railroad yard Limmattal in Spreitenbach in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland, pictured on May 25, 2009. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally) Angestellte der SBB Cargo lenken am 25. Mai 2009 den Schienenverkehr auf dem Gleisfeld des Rangierbahnhofs Limmattal in Spreitenbach im Kanton Aargau. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Intellectual property
Monday, 24 January, 2011How should you protect your brilliant ideas and prevent them from being stolen? Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva talks about intellectual property law:

A fake LVMH handbag (R) purchased and shipped from a China -ased online website is pictured next to products on display at a Louis Vuitton store in Chevy Chase, Maryland, October 5, 2010. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates the amount of counterfeit goods and pirated copyrights in world trade grew from about $100 billion in 2001 to about $250 billion in 2007, the last year for which they have made an estimate. In the 2009 budget year, U.S. Customs agents and other officials made 14,481 seizures valued at $260.7 million dollars. Picture taken October 5, 2010. (REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang)

It's the Law: Background checks
Monday, 17 January, 2011Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva talks about what is legal and what is not when it comes to background checks:

A railroad policemen makes a phone call during a top priority check of the Zurich Public Transport Group's (ZVV) transport network in the S3 train on the way between Dietikon and Lenzburg, Switzerland, pictured on February 2, 2009. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Transparency and data protection
Monday, 10 January, 2011There’s been a new regime in force in Switzerland since 2006. Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva takes us through it:

It's the Law: Visa rules for business travel
Monday, 3 January, 2011Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva talks about visiting Switzerland solely for business and how to obtain a visa for this type of stay:

A man with a briefcase waits for a tram at the Paradeplatz square stop in Zurich. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

It's the Law: Divorce
Monday, 13 December, 2010Stéphanie Fuld from BCCC Attorneys-at-Law in Geneva tackles the thorny issue of divorce, and what you should know if you are filing for one:

Urs and Viviane I. get married at the Protestant Church in Affeltrangen in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland, pictured on August 22, 2009. (KEYSTONE/Gaetan Bally)

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It's the Law