PROF. DR. NICOLE CONRAD-FORKER, LL.M.
Attorney at Law, Partner
Nicole Conrad-Forker worked primarily as an attorney in family and business law from the start of her professional career. The combination of these two areas of law makes her a recognized expert in consulting on complex family and inheritance law matters for a clientele working in business, as well as in national and international respects. She provides consulting services for Swiss and foreign private clients and companies dealing with Family Governance structures as well as inheritance, succession and estate planning matters including foundation law. Her many years of experience in dealing with a demanding clientele as well as regular continuing education have given her the necessary alertness and sensitivity and tools of the trade, she needs in order to bring cases that at first sight seem insoluble to a mutually satisfactory resolution.
Another main area of Nicole Conrad-Forker’s expertise is energy law. Moreover, she is an experienced board member in companies of various branches and sizes.
She shared her extensive knowledge as a Professor for Business Law at the Zurich College of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). Mrs Conrad-Forker is currently lecturing at various institutions of higher education in Switzerland and abroad.
Areas of Expertise
- General Business and Contract Law
- Family and Inheritance law
- Foundations / Trusts / Family Companies
- Corporate Succession
- Family Governance
- Conflict Management and Mediation
- Private Clients
- Conducting Cases and Arbitration
Languages
- German (native speaker)
- English (business fluent)
Education
- University of Kassel (Faculty for Business and Economics, Dissertation in European Law (Dr. rer. pol.), 2003)
- University of Zurich (Faculty of Law, Postgraduate Studies in International Business Law, Master in International Business Law (LL.M.), 2000)
- German Institute for Attorneys and Notaries (Attorney specialising in Family Law, 1998)
- Hessian Ministry of Justice / District Court of Kassel (2nd State Examination in Law / Bar exam, 1995)
- Georg-August-University of Göttingen (Faculty of Law, 1st State Examination in Law, 1992)
Professional Career
- Attorney and Partner at ATAG Attorneys Ltd., Basel (since 2016)
- Member of the Board of Directors at ATAG Family Office Ltd., Basel (since 2016)
- Attorney at law and Partner Counsel at ATAG Private & Corporate Services Ltd., Basel (2014-2016)
- Deputy Director of the Centre for Competition and Commercial Law at the Zurich College for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Zurich-Winterthur (2011-2018)
- Professor for Business and Procedural Law at the Zurich College for Applied Sciences, Zurich -Winterthur (ZHAW) (2010-2020)
- Visiting Lecturer for International Arbitration Law, Perdana University, Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia (2015)
- Visiting Lecturer for International Arbitration Law at the University of Nanchang, Nanchang/China (2009)
- Member of the Working Group for German – Chinese Dialogue on Constitutional Government with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Berlin/Germany (2007-2010)
- Research Director Mainz University of Applied Sciences: „Alternative Methods for Dispute Resolution in Asian Business“, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore (2007-2010)
- Professor for Business Law at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences (2005-2010)
- Part-time Managing Director of a European Union Project for the Support of the Cultural and Artistic Potentials of the Region of North Hesse, Cassel Creative Competence e.V., www.cccev.de (2002-2004)
- Attorney at Law and Partner Conrad & Kollegen, Conrad Legal Consulting Ltd, Kassel/Zurich (1995-2016)
Memberships
- European Institute at the University of Zurich
- Association Turicum International Business Law Alumni, Zurich
- Business Women Switzerland
- Rotary Club Zurich -Adlisberg
- Swiss Bar Association
Publications
- Der Anwendungsbereich einseitiger Schiedsklauseln aus deutscher und Schweizer Sicht, Nicole Conrad-Forker, Mareike Klappert, in: Festschrift für Professor Roderich Thümmel, de Gruyter 2020
- «Building on solid», Interview with Nicole Conrad, in: “Julius Bär Global Families” 09/2020 by John Franklin
- Opportunities and risks of Family Businesses and models for economic and Family Stability (Part 2), Nicole Conrad-Forker, in: ATAG-Newsletter September/Oktober 2020
- Successful Management of Family Businesses with professional Family Business Governance (Part 1), Nicole Conrad-Forker, in: ATAG-Newsletter Juni/Juli 2020
- Smart Contracts in der Rechtspraxis, Nicole Conrad, Rahel Providoli, in: CH-D Wirtschaft, Handelskammer Deutschland-Schweiz, 2019
- Die Stiftung als Instrument der Asset Protection, ein Rechtsvergleich Schweiz-Deutschland, Nicole Conrad, in: LES/LJZ, December 2017
- Konfliktlösungsmechanismen in Familienunternehmen, Nicole Conrad, in: Family Offices, Peter Sester (Hrsg.), Zürich, 2017
- Nachfolgeplanung im Lichte des Erb- und Familienrechts sowie Gesellschaftsrechts, Nicole Conrad, Heller Damiano, in: Family Offices, Peter Sester (Hrsg.), Zürich, 2017
- Gasmarktliberalisierung in der Schweiz: Gesetzliche Rahmenbedingungen der Transportpflicht und Konfliktlösung, einschliesslich des Schiedsverfahrensrechts, Nicole Conrad, in: Umsetzung der Energiestrategie 2050, Herausforderungen und Chancen für Staat und Wirtschaft, Winterthur, 2016
- Das Schiedsverfahrensrecht in der Paralegal Praxis, Nicole Conrad, in: Iusful, 2014, S.96 ff.
- Kommentierte Rechtsschriften für Studium und Praxis, Nicole Conrad, Schulthess Verlag Zürich, 2014
- International Commercial Arbitration - Model Clauses, Forms and Documents - A Commentary, Nicole Conrad, Peter Münch, Jonathan Black-Branch (eds.), in: Helbing Lichtenhahn, Basel, 2013
- UNCITRAL Rules, A Commentary, Nicole Conrad, Ömer Cilingir, Barbara Baumann, in: Conrad Nicole, Münch Peter; Black-Branch Jonathan (eds.), International Commercial Arbitration - Model Clauses, Forms and Documents, Helbing Lichtenhahn, Basel, 2013
- Hong Kong International Arbitration Center Arbitration Rules, Nicole Conrad, Louise Barrington, in: Conrad Nicole, Münch Peter, Black-Branch Jonathan (eds.), International Commercial Arbitration - Model Clauses, Forms and Documents - A Commentary, Helbing Lichtenhahn, Basel, 2013
- Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit und Wirtschaftsmediation bei energierechtlichen Konflikten, Nicole Conrad, in: Zeitschrift für Konfliktmanagement, 2013
- Einstweiliger Rechtsschutz in energierechtlichen Schiedsverfahren, Nicole Conrad, Peter Gussone, in: Zeitschrift für das gesamte Recht der Energiewirtschaft, 2013, S. 304 ff.
- Die Bekämpfung der Marken- und Produktpiraterie in China, Nicole Conrad (Hrsg.), Hamburg, 2011
- China Business für den Mittelstand Band II, Nicole Conrad (Hrsg.), Melsungen, 2010
- China Business für den Mittelstand Band I, Nicole Conrad, Melsungen, 2009
- 100 Rechtsbegriffe für Unternehmer, Nicole Conrad, Wiesbaden, 2009
- Schiedsverfahren in China; Update, Nicole Conrad, FH Mainz, 2009, S. 28 ff.
- Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit zur Beilegung von Rechtsstreitigkeiten in China; by Nicole Conrad, in: DASV Mittelstandsdepesche 05/2007, 2007
- Die Umsetzung der Binnenmarktrichtlinie Erdgas 98/30/EG in deutsches Recht (Diss.), Nicole Conrad, Hamburg, 2003
Foundation board memberships pro Bono
- CUP & CINO Foundation, founding member and member of the foundation board since 2017