Cabinet d'avocat de Maître Olivier Flattet
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The Cabinet d'avocat of Maître Olivier Flattet is a established law practice in Lausanne, located in the city's Colisée Saint Pierre building. The practice is known formally as the Cabinet d'avocat de Maître Flattet, with Me Olivier Flattet as the founding and managing avocat. The firm has operated continuously since 1984, meaning it has now served clients for over four decades. The site notes that the practice perpetuates a family tradition spanning three generations, suggesting a lineage of legal practice in the Flattet family that extends beyond the 1984 founding date. For arrivals, this deep local anchoring and multi-generational background often translates to established relationships with cantonal authorities and familiarity with application procedures that can accelerate permitting.
For someone arriving in the Lausanne region or canton Vaud, Flattet positions immigration law as a core service. The firm's practice description identifies "Droit des étrangers" (foreigners' law) as a distinct offering, with specific emphasis on authorization to reside and work in Switzerland. The site says "Avocat généraliste, Me Flattet veillera au conseil relatif à l'autorisation de séjourner et à travailler en Suisse" (as a general-practice avocat, Me Flattet will oversee counsel regarding authorization to reside and work in Switzerland). This direct statement is valuable: it means the firm does not treat immigration as a secondary referral matter or a byproduct of other practice areas. The explicit mention of both residence (séjourner) and work (travailler) authorization signals understanding that these operate as separate legal tracks in Switzerland, even though an arrival typically must navigate both in parallel.
The practice encompasses several interconnected areas relevant to arrivals. Family law (droit de la famille) features prominently, and this intersection with immigration law is crucial for many arrivals. Many people moving to Switzerland are doing so as part of a family unit, whether married, partnered, or with dependent children. Swiss law treats family status as a material factor in residency eligibility and permit classification. For a spouse or partner of a Swiss citizen or approved resident, the legal pathway to authorization differs from that for an independent arrival. Flattet's combination of family and immigration expertise means the firm can address this interplay. Dependent children, guardianship questions, and spousal sponsorship all appear in the practice scope, and each of these can affect the immigration application strategy.
The firm also offers criminal law services and provides broader legal counsel. The website lists "Droit pénal" (criminal law), "Droit des personnes" (persons' law, covering fundamental concepts of capacity and civil rights), and general legal counsel. These additional areas mean that if an arrival encounters a criminal matter or a civil-law question, they can address it with the same firm without referral. This is a minor point but sometimes valuable for people managing multiple legal needs during a transition.
The office is located at Le Colisée, Rue Saint-Pierre 3, 1003 Lausanne. The Colisée Saint Pierre is a centrally located building in Lausanne, easily accessible by public transport. The firm publishes office hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The email address is flattet.avocat@bluewin.ch. These published hours and contact details indicate a firm that expects direct client outreach and has structured appointment availability, which contrasts with practices that require intermediary referral or operate by referral networks alone.
A substantial gap exists in the information the firm publishes online. The site does not specify how the firm charges for its services. No hourly rate, fixed fee structure, or initial consultation cost is listed. For immigration matters, fees can vary widely depending on the complexity of the case, whether the applicant is a sole arrival or a family unit, and whether complications such as prior visa denials or professional licensing questions arise. The lack of published fees means someone considering engagement would need to call or email to get cost information before committing. This is typical in Swiss legal practice, where fees are often negotiated after a preliminary discussion of the matter. However, for arrivals managing moving costs and unsure of their budget for legal assistance, the absence of at least an indicative fee structure or hourly rate creates an additional uncertainty in the planning phase.
The site also does not describe the experience level or credentials of Me Flattet beyond his title and the founding date of the practice. No information is provided about his education, prior experience, professional affiliations, or any specializations he might hold beyond the practice areas listed. The multi-generational family tradition is mentioned but no specific biographical details are given. For a solo practice, this spareness is not unusual in Switzerland, but it means someone evaluating the firm must rely primarily on the fact that the practice has existed for over four decades and on the recommendation of others to assess whether Me Flattet is the right fit for their situation.
One notable credential appears almost incidentally: the site states that Me Flattet is "Vice president of the international committee for the dignity of the child" (Vice président du comité international pour la dignité de l'enfant). This suggests involvement in children's rights and child protection matters, which may indicate specialized knowledge in family and adoption law relevant to arrivals relocating with minor children. The precise nature and scope of this role is not further described on the site.
For someone relocating to Lausanne or canton Vaud, Flattet represents a locally rooted option with explicit immigration-law competence. The combination of immigration and family law, the published office hours, and the long operating history suggest a firm oriented toward direct client service and accustomed to handling the legal transitions that accompany relocation. The main uncertainties for a prospective client are the fee structure, which requires a preliminary call, and the particular depth of experience in immigration matters, which the site does not detail.
Summary for the arriving client
Cabinet d'avocat de Maître Olivier Flattet is a suitable choice if you are moving to Lausanne or canton Vaud and seeking immigration counsel alongside family-law support. The firm's explicit focus on residence and work authorization, combined with its family-law expertise, means one engagement can address multiple intertwined needs common to arrivals. The published office hours and email contact suggest accessibility. Fees and the detailed scope of immigration experience require direct conversation. The firm's multi-generational history and four-decade track record indicate local establishment and stability, which can matter when pursuing regulatory approvals that may take several months.