Category Archives: Initial interview & Attorney’s fees

About me / Resume / Professional Experience

Our law firm is located in the heart of Zurich. We advise and represent foreigners in migration law and offer comprehensive legal advice regarding residence, work and settlement permits. In addition, we are available to assist you in immigration law and appeal proceedings throughout Switzerland.

lic. iur. Sara Brandon-Kaufmann Attorney at Law LL.M., is admitted to the Swiss Bar Association (SAV) and authorized to represent clients before all authorities and courts including the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.

As an attorney and lawyer, I have been solving everyday and complex legal cases for over twenty years. I will be ready to help you analyze the core underlying issues. Talk about your problems, formulate your questions and get advice at an early stage.
General practitioner with a particular focus on administrative and social security law: foundation law, pension funds and occupational benefits, AHV contribution law, inheritance law, business law, insurance law and contract law.
Sara Kaufmann was born and raised in Zurich-Wipkingen. After graduating from high school she studied at the University of Zurich. As a lawyer she worked in various positions in courts, judiciary and public prosecutor’s office, private and state institutions.
EDUCATION:
2013 Master of Laws (LL.M.) UBC
2005 Leader management training in Zurich
2001 Acquisition of the license to practice law (Bar Admission )
1995 Study of law at the University of Zurich
1988 Matura type D at the Cantonal High School Stadelhofen Zurich
PROFESSIONAL SCOPE:
2014-2017 | Legal service of the compensation Fund of the SVA Zurich (contribution law, calculation and payment of AHV/IV benefits, supplementary benefits and consumption/depletion of assets)
2008-2011 | Legal service of the Social Insurance Institution of the Canton of Zurich (employer liability, AHV contributions, liability of governing bodies for unpaid AHV contributions, reimbursement and remission procedures, payment agreement, request for payment in installments/deferments of contributions)
2005-2006 | Zürcher Kantonalbank (training for pension fund managers, executive bodies & boards of trustees)
2004-2006 | Office for occupational pensions and foundations of the Canton of Zurich (pension fund supervision)
2003 | Business law firm Zurich (civil law, corporate law, commercial administrative law, asset recovery, mutual legal assistance and international arbitration)
2001-2003 | Chief Public Prosecutor of the Canton of Zurich (white-collar crime, economic delinquency & money laundering proceedings)
1997-2001 | District Court of Zurich (inheritance matters, matrimonial / marriage protection, labor court, bankruptcy and inheritance)
1996 | Directorate of Justice and of Internal Affairs -> Department of Justice of the Canton of Zurich
MEMBERSHIP:
Swiss Bar Association SAV / FSA
(Schweizerischer Anwaltsverband) www.sav-fsa.ch
Zurich Bar Association (Zürcher Anwaltsverband www.zav.ch)
Democratic Lawyers Zurich (DJZ www.djz.ch)
Entered in the Register of Attorneys of the Canton of Zurich ( Higher Court of the Canton of Zurich ).
Entered in the Cantonal Register of Lawyers by decision of the Supervisory Commission over the attorneys at law.

Initial interview and our legal fees

The first meeting

Before the first interview, you should collect important documents and note down questions and ambiguities.
Think about how you can describe your personal situation to me.
Bring all the necessary documents with you.
The first interview includes:
  • Mandate and granting of power of attorney
  • First assessment of the opportunities and risks of the case
  • Adding files resp. File inspection request
  • Show the next steps and what you can do yourself
  • Costs for legal efforts, court and other fees
  • Explanations for the billing of services rendered

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Legal fees:

I charge the lawyer’s fee according to the time spent. When taking on your mandate, I will inform you about the amount of my hourly rate and the basis of invoicing.
I usually ask for an advance payment. When determining the amount of the advance payment and the hourly rate, I take into account your financial circumstances, the amount in dispute, the importance of the mandate and the associated responsibility, special technical and foreign language skills and, in particular, the difficulties of your case.
As a guide, my hourly rate is usually between
CHF 220.00 and 350.00. In addition, there are expenses and VAT.
In the event of financial bottlenecks, I will check your right to free legal aid. The prerequisite for a successful application is your cooperation in providing
the necessary documents about your financial circumstances.