Mr. Philipraja Anthonponrajkumar has been a trainee lawyer at SMBC since September 2026. 

He began his academic journey by obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Geneva. During his final semester, he studied at the School of Governance of the Technical University of Munich.

He pursued his legal education at the University of Geneva, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Swiss Law, a Master’s degree in Economic Law, including an exchange semester at the Paris-Panthéon-Assas University. He subsequently earned his Certificate of Specialization in Legal Practice (ECAV).

As part of his Master’s degree, he participated in the John H. Jackson Moot Court Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious competitions in the field of international trade law. Together with his teammates, he reached the Final Round, placing among the top 24 teams worldwide and being recognized as the best Swiss team in the competition.

Alongside his studies, he gained professional experience in the financial sector, first at a firm providing capital markets and investor relations services, and subsequently at a wealth management company. Both experiences, gained within long-established boutique firms in Geneva, enabled him to further develop his understanding of financial markets, investment instruments, and related advisory activities.

During his studies, he was also actively involved in several legal and extracurricular initiatives. He provided pro bono legal advice and served as Head of the Legal Department of an association.

Following his academic training, he worked at the Department of Education of the Canton of Vaud, where he served as Cantonal Officer for Private Schools.

He subsequently took the oath and began his traineeship as a lawyer in Paris, within a leading international law firm, where he primarily focused on banking law and shipping finance. He then joined the Office for Economic Affairs and Innovation of the Canton of Vaud, where he gained practical experience in public economic law and administrative legal proceedings.

His experience in both the public and private sectors has enabled him to develop a broad range of skills in commercial, administrative, employment and tax law.

Since September 2026, he has been completing his traineeship at SMBC as part of his training leading to the Swiss bar examination. He is involved in a diverse range of matters across the firm’s practice areas, including civil and criminal law, further broadening his legal expertise and practical experience.