Shayan Farhad

Shayan Farhad qualified as an attorney (avocate au barreau) in Geneva in 2014 and as a solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales in 2018.

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From an early age, Shayan always had a strong sense of justice. Fairness and the duty to be morally just were embedded in her and she would often find herself overwhelmed with frustration and helplessness in the face of what she perceived to be instances of injustice. From what would now be regarded as insignificant incidents to stories of wars and atrocities across the world, including her own as a Kurd, it only made sense that she would one day become a lawyer. Except she soon learned that justice and law are not always synonymous. Still, adversity never deterred her from her quest and even fueled her determination. Shayan has made it her life's work to advocate on behalf of others, protect and restore their rights, and be the platform through which their voices can be heard. 

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Over the course of her eight-year career, Shayan worked as both an attorney and a prosecutor. She spent the first four years in private practice working as an international arbitration litigator at top-tier U.S. law firms in Geneva and London. Shayan acted in numerous complex, high-value international commercial arbitration and investor-state arbitration cases across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and America, covering a wide range of industry sectors (engineering, infrastructure projects, energy, mining, oil and gas, and joint ventures).

Pursuing an early passion for criminal justice, Shayan then joined the white-collar crime unit of the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland as an assistant federal prosecutor where she worked for another four years. During her time as a prosecutor, Shayan specialized in the investigation and prosecution of international-scale cases of corruption of foreign public officials and money laundering associated with criminal activities perpetrated in foreign countries. 

Relying upon her rich cross-legal background, multi-jurisdictional expertise, and prosecutorial skills, Shayan decided to found her own law firm in September 2022 and create a practice that would reflect both her deepest values and ideals, as well as her areas of focus and passion. In doing so, she was able to return to the essence of the legal profession: to devote oneself to the defense of rights and liberties with sheer independence and liberality, and an unshakable integrity. FARLEGAL was thus born.

As a dual-qualified lawyer in both civil and common law jurisdictions, Shayan has a unique approach to the law and the ability to be creative in her legal reasoning and advocacy. She is passionate about serving her clients and deeply dedicated to each and every one of her cases, which she conducts with composure under all circumstances. Shayan takes great pride in using her full set of skills to help others and works tirelessly to achieve justice for them without ever compromising on values and ethics. 

Given her dual qualification, Shayan possesses proficiency in both the French and English languages, which allows her to seamlessly navigate the intricacies of cross-border legal matters. As such, Shayan provides her legal services in both languages, ensuring that each client receives the highest level of representation and guidance in their unique legal challenges spanning multiple jurisdictions. Shayan's ability to effectively communicate in both French and English serves as a valuable asset in bridging any language barriers that may arise during the legal process, fostering clear and concise communication between all parties involved. Whether drafting legal documents, conducting negotiations, or representing clients in court, Shayan's linguistic versatility enables her to deliver legal solutions tailored to the specific needs and objectives of her clients.

With a keen attention to detail and a strong commitment to delivering excellence, Shayan stands as a trusted advocate and advisor, dedicated to ensuring the success and satisfaction of her clients in their legal challenges.

Shayan is a registered attorney (avocate au barreau) with the Geneva Bar and is fully licensed to practice law in Switzerland before all courts. She is also a solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulations Authority (SRA) and authorized to practice as an independent solicitor in England and Wales.