About Seckler Legal

SECKLER LEGAL is a law firm located in Zug/Switzerland.

Dorothea Seckler is a specialized attorney (Fachanwältin) for international commercial law, and also a trained mediator. 

SECKLER LEGAL: Experienced. Versatile. With a different touch.  

 

Experience

Education and professional training

  • Trainee newspaper journalist, Nürnberg (D), 1986–1988
  • University of Erlangen/Nürnberg (D), First State Exam, 1993
  • Second State Exam and admission to the German bar, 1996
  • University of Bayreuth (D), Dr. iur., 2000
  • University of Leicester (GB), LL.M. European Union (Commercial) Law, 2001
  • Admission to the Swiss bar (Canton Zurich, now Zug), 2004
  • Formation and qualification as mediator, 2014/2015; certified mediator (Germany) since September 2017
  • Conferral of title "Specialist Lawyer for International Business Law" (November 2022) 

Professional experience

  • University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (D), Scientific Assistant, 1995 – 1996
  • Rödl & Partner, Nürnberg (D) and Vienna (AT), Associate, 1996 – 1999
  • Representation of Bavarian Local Authorities, Brussels (B), Vice Director, 1999 – 2001
  • Clifford Chance, Brussels (B), Associate, in charge of Business Development, 2002 – 2003
  • Homburger Rechtsanwälte, Zurich (CH), Senior Associate, 2004 – 2005
  • Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Basel (CH), Senior Legal Counsel, 2005 – 2006
  • SECKLER LEGAL, Zug (CH), since 2007
  • Trained mediator, since 2017

Languages

  • German
  • English
  • French

Publications

  • Manual on Mergers&Acquisitions and Merger Control: Dorothea Seckler / Claudia Seitz, Leitfaden M&A und Fusionskontrolle - Praktische Rechtstipps für Unternehmenskauf und -verkauf (2011, Linde Verlag)
  • Berg/Mäsch (ed.), legal annotations (Praxiskommentar) on German and European Competition Law,  annotations on §§ 48-53 GWB  (5th edition 2025, Luchterhand)
  • Doctoral thesis: «Der Grundsatz der Wirtschaftlichkeit und Sparsamkeit in Bürgerbegehren und Bürgerentscheid»(2000, P.C.O. Verlag Bayreuth)
  • More than 20 publications in specialist journals, in particular on competition law matters 

Expertise

Anti-trust/competition law advice; Compliance

Structural (mergers and joint ventures):

  • Pre-merger assessments
  • Notifications with authorities in the EU, Germany and Switzerland
  • Project management and co-ordination for multi-jurisdictional filings (quality/time/cost controlling)
  • Guidance on behaviour between signing and closing
  • Representation before authorities and courts
  • Tailored seminars for business and in-house counsel
    («train the trainer»)

Behavioural:

  • Proper document drafting and communication
  • Horizontal and vertical restrictions; dominance
  • Particularities of network industries
  • Competition/IP law interface (licenses, patents, know-how protection)
  • Advice on dawn raids and leniency applications
  • Representation before authorities and courts
  • Tailored seminars for business and in-house counsel
    («train the trainer»)

Unfair competition

Compliance

State Aid 

Public Procurement

Commercial law advice

M&A, transactions, new business implementations:

  • Due diligence, data rooms, bid processes, «beauty contests»
  • Drafting and negotiating key documents (letters of intent & terms of reference; memoranda of understanding; signing and closing documents, communications in-house and to the media)
  • Setting up of new enterprises/branches abroad (including several Asian jurisdictions)
  • Labour law aspects

Free trade (EU law; bilateral agreements Switzerland-EU; EFTA)

Protection of intellectual property, distribution systems, trade law:

  • Assignment and protection of patents and other IP rights
  • Research & development agreements
  • Supply, purchase, works and service agreements
  • Strategic alliances, consortia
  • Customs law
  • Transportation law and Incoterms

Alternative dispute resolution/mediation

Litigation

For banking/finance/tax matters and business set-ups, I work closely together with other colleagues, my clients and their advisors.

Philosophy

In my work, I am committed to the following principles:

I am striving for the best quality-price-ratio.

You are cost sensitive, and so am I. SECKLER LEGAL has a lean cost structure, and this advantage is passed on to clients.

I am watching out to advise clients on the most appropriate procedure, also from an economic and monetary point of view.

You are my client.

I am committed to your project, and, beyond this, to a long-lasting relationship with you. During our meetings, you will not find me sneaking a peek at a smartphone or a tablet: they are switched off. With regard to conflicts of interest, I set very strict criteria.

It is key to understand your business.

For almost 30 years I have gained an in-depth understanding of a wide range of business sectors, including pharmaceuticals, insurance, automotive, health care, chemicals, network industries, mechanical engineering, retail (food/non-food) and basic industries.

As a former in-house counsel, I am familiar with decision-making and the «commercial-legal» dynamics within enterprises.

I focus on empowerment.

Tailored seminars, training and specific tools for risk self-assessment and establishing organizational compliance (e.g. checklists, guidelines handbooks), often developed jointly with my clients, form part of my core activities.

This is also where my contribution as certified mediation comes in: The aim is to find solutions to a conflict which are both sustainable and mutually satisfying. A mediator helps with the setting and walks the parties through the different stages of this process.

Information: The title "certified mediator", as per the German ordonnance on mediators' formation ("Mediations-Ausbildungsverordnung"), in force since 1 September 2017, is reserved to mediators with an in-depth training (at least 120 contact hours), with continuous case and supervision experience; ongoing training courses are mandatory.

Prevention is better than cure.

In my practice, I aim to identify potential pitfalls and to mediate conflicts between my client and other parties as early as possible instead of immediately «going legal». Naturally, I do represent clients in contentious matters, but will always try first to seek sustainable solutions outside court.

I am convinced that each conflicts already carries its solution: As trained mediator, I am seeking to help conflict parties to avoid escalations, and to find good ways for further co-operation.

Thinking outside the box is important.

My own background, professional experience and outreach particularly qualify me to advise clients on cross-border and international activities.

I am particularly sensitive and alert to the intercultural dimension and its dynamics: more than often these are key to success.

I am striving for the best quality-price-ratio.

You are cost sensitive, and so am I. SECKLER LEGAL has a lean cost structure, and this advantage is passed on to clients.

I am watching out to advise clients on the most appropriate procedure, also from an economic and monetary point of view.

Contact

SECKLER LEGAL
Bahnhofstrasse 16
CH-6300 Zug

M +41 79 689 24 90

info@secklerlegal.com