CAMINADA ZURICH protects its corporate name with support from Badertscher

CAMINADA ZURICH, a Swiss firm of accountants and tax advisers, has been in existence since 1946. Several decades ago, the original entity split into two independent companies: CAMINADA ZURICH – now a well-known Swiss MSI member offering accounting, audit, and tax advisory services – and Caminada Zug, which operates entirely separately.

At the time of the split, neither entity altered the name "Caminada," and legally, neither could compel the other to do so. For many years, this parallel usage continued without conflict, largely because online business presence and brand visibility were not yet a concern.

In recent years, however, the rise of digital marketing and online visibility has led to increasing confusion between the two firms.

The situation escalated when Caminada Zug recently incorporated a new subsidiary under the name Caminada Tax AG Zug, despite the fact that CAMINADA ZURICH also clearly offers tax services. CAMINADA ZURICH opposed this move, arguing that the continued expansion of the "Caminada" name by the Zug entity created misleading public perception and confusion. Caminada Zug, however, initially insisted on its right to use the name, claiming that the historical coexistence of the two similarly named entities in different locations justified its use for newly formed companies as well.

As Caminada Zug was unwilling to voluntarily change the name of its new company, CAMINADA ZURICH engaged BADERTSCHER, a fellow Swiss MSI member specializing in legal services, to assess the case in detail. BADERTSCHER pursued legal avenues to challenge the use of the name "Caminada Tax AG Zug," arguing that the inclusion of "Caminada" was misleading and could easily cause confusion—particularly for clients attempting to reach CAMINADA ZURICH but inadvertently contacting the unrelated Zug entity instead.

CAMINADA ZURICH was ultimately able to enforce its historical name rights by demonstrating that:

1. It had been registered under the name "Caminada" for several decades.
2. It had operated continuously in the same field (tax advisory), and
3. The likelihood of public confusion was clear and significant.

After an exchange of legal arguments, Caminada Tax AG Zug agreed to change its name.

Once again, the longstanding cooperation between the MSI member firms CAMINADA ZURICH and BADERTSCHER Zurich proved highly effective.

Over the years, both firms have continuously strengthened their communication and collaboration, enabling them to offer integrated accounting, tax, and legal services to both private and corporate clients – always with their best interests in mind.