BERGEOT PAOLI Associés

What BERGEOT PAOLI Associés Is

BERGEOT PAOLI Associés is a law firm based in Switzerland specializing in Franco-Swiss and international tax law. The firm's central claim is "excellence in service for Franco-Swiss and international cross-border issues," making it a natural fit for arrivals from France or other countries navigating Switzerland's tax environment. The firm's founders are François-Laurent Paoli (Swiss-based partner managing the firm) and Antoine Bergeot (Paris-based independent lawyer handling French law matters).

The firm describes its scope as supporting entrepreneurs, business leaders, family enterprises, family offices, and a broader private clientele "on all their legal, tax, wealth, and real estate issues, both nationally and in Franco-Swiss and international cross-border contexts." Unlike a one-office practice, BERGEOT PAOLI operates with a network model: Swiss-based for international and cross-border matters, French-based counsel for French law questions.

For Someone Moving to Switzerland

The firm's explicit focus on "expatriation and impatriation" places arrivals at the center of its practice. Someone leaving France for Switzerland faces an immediate set of questions: how is existing French wealth taxed after moving to Switzerland, what planning can minimize total tax, what does residency establishment entail, and how do French and Swiss employment income interact? BERGEOT PAOLI exists to answer these questions.

The site lists "expatriation and impatriation" alongside "fiscal structuring and wealth planning," positioning it as a core service. For an arrival from France with business interests, real estate, or substantial assets still in France, the firm offers integrated counsel covering both jurisdictions without separate advisors in each country. An arrival might also seek "relations with tax authorities," the firm's service addressing dealings with Swiss cantonal and federal tax offices and French tax authorities, which many arrivals must navigate if they did not file abroad as residents before moving.

The firm also addresses property and estate planning: "placements and real estate taxation" covers both acquiring Swiss property and managing existing foreign holdings. "Business taxation" covers both Swiss operations and French business interests. This breadth suits an arrival starting a business in Switzerland while still connected to France. The "wealth structuring and planning" service offers a packaged approach to the entire move, integrating tax, legal, administrative, and wealth considerations rather than tackling them piecemeal.

An arrival from France does not need to choose between a Swiss and a French advisor or coordinate between the two; BERGEOT PAOLI handles both sides. This is particularly valuable in Year 1, when the tax complexities of moving (declaration of foreign assets, disposal of French assets, the timing of residency, dual reporting) are highest.

What the Site Publishes

François-Laurent Paoli holds a Master in Advanced Tax Law (Université Paris Dauphine), a Master in Economics (Université Paris Panthéon-Assas), and a civil engineer diploma (École d'ingénieurs de Genève). He has "more than ten years of experience in tax law" and was previously a "wealth planner specializing in tax law within a family office in Switzerland" before co-founding BERGEOT PAOLI. He is described as "animated by a strong interest in entrepreneurship, real estate investment, and fiscal and wealth issues" and is a member of the International Fiscal Association (IFA).

Antoine Bergeot holds a Master in Private Law (Université Paris Panthéon-Assas), a Superior Diploma in Notary (Université Paris Panthéon-Assas), a Master in Advanced Tax Law (Université Paris Dauphine), a Master in Business Strategy (Université Paris Panthéon-Assas), and a diploma from the Paris Institute of Business Law. He was "a notary partner in France for more than twenty years," specializing in tax law, succession and wealth planning, and real estate, with "specific expertise in Franco-Swiss matters." He intervenes as an independent lawyer under his own professional responsibility and ethics, not as an employee of the Swiss practice. He is a member of the Institute of Tax Counsel Lawyers (IACF).

The firm's services include:

• Fiscal des personnes (individual taxation): personal taxation within Switzerland, administrative relations, and fiscal optimization.
• Fiscal des affaires (business taxation): cross-border business taxation and international matters.
• Fiscal des placements et de l'immobilier (placements and real estate taxation).
• Expatriation et impatriation (expatriation and repatriation): assisting with cross-border moves on fiscal, wealth, and administrative aspects upstream of relocation.
• Relation avec les administrations fiscales (relations with tax authorities): assistance and counsel on tax authority matters.
• Structuration et planification patrimoniale (wealth structuring and planning): "complete and personalized service covering wealth, civil, administrative, legal, and tax aspects."

The firm's approach is described as "integrated counsel" via BERGEOT PAOLI as a unified contact point, with Antoine Bergeot handling French law aspects as an independent lawyer operating under his own professional rules. The firm collaborates with "a network of recognized experts: tax lawyers, notaries, accountants, wealth managers, private banks, family offices."

The firm's office is at Schwerzistrasse 4, 8807 Freienbach (SZ), Switzerland. The phone is +41 (0)55 525 35 43.

What the Page Does Not Settle

The site does not publish hourly rates, flat fees, or minimum engagement sizes. For a complex Franco-Swiss wealth relocation or business tax optimization, the cost of counsel is unknown without direct inquiry. The firm does not confirm whether it accepts clients before official Swiss residency is granted or whether it limits its practice to certain countries of origin.

The page does not itemize which specific countries fall under its "international" scope or whether it handles cross-border issues beyond the Franco-Swiss context. For an arrival from Germany, Italy, the UK, or elsewhere, the firm's Franco-Swiss specialty might mean limited experience. The site does not detail how the firm coordinates between the Swiss and French partners for a single client engagement or how fees are allocated between the two jurisdictions.

The page does not specify languages beyond the implicit assumption that English and French are available (the site is bilingual EN/FR). For an arrival who speaks only English or another language, confirmation would be necessary.

Who It Suits and Who It Doesn't

BERGEOT PAOLI is an excellent fit for a French arrival with business interests, real estate, or substantial wealth in both France and Switzerland, or for anyone navigating complex Franco-Swiss taxation. The firm's dual-nation setup (Swiss managing partner, French-based independent counsel operating under his own professional responsibility) means it can handle the legal and tax aspects in both countries as one engagement rather than as two separate advisors playing telephone. For someone dividing their life between Switzerland and France, or disposing of French assets while establishing Swiss residency, this integrated approach is valuable.

The firm suits someone with a budget for boutique, specialized counsel and a timeline that allows for in-depth planning rather than rapid, commodity service. It is less ideal for a straightforward arrival with minimal French assets or someone wanting a one-stop shop including banking, mortgages, insurance, and general wealth advisory. An arrival from a country without strong Franco-Swiss tax law precedent (Germany, Italy, Spain, for instance) might need to verify that the firm handles their specific jurisdiction and tax treaties before engaging.

The firm's academic credentials (Paoli's Masters from Paris Dauphine, Bergeot's notary background and 20+ years in French wealth law), publication record, and international association memberships (IFA, IACF) signal deep expertise and engagement with evolving Franco-Swiss tax law. This is particularly valuable given the ongoing changes in both Swiss cantonal and French tax administration, and the complexity of French wealth disclosure rules (IFI) and Swiss reporting obligations (AIA, AEOI) that affect arrivals moving between the countries.

The firm's location in Freienbach (Schwyz canton) places it in central-eastern Switzerland, convenient to Zürich but also accessible from the French border. For an arrival establishing themselves in a major city, this location might feel remote, but the firm notes it serves all of Switzerland and conducts remote consultations as well.