Conciliatory appeasement is preferable to the culture of conflict
With the difference that, being committed to defending the interests of our clients, we are primarily intended to using the legal means guaranteeing their rights.
Sandro Vecchio’s main areas of expertise are business litigation and advising executives and companies. He regularly carries out administrative and internal investigations on behalf of the government and important public law entities and private companies. He acts in matters of criminal, administrative and civil liability of managers and companies, in shareholders disputes, labour disputes, reputation and media crises, audit compliance, etc.
Sandro works alongside his clients, assisting and accompanying them towards a way out of conflict when faced to administrative or judicial authorities, the media and private interests. The quality of his strategic and practical advice, his independence and discretion regularly lead him to be appointed by public authorities and multinational corporations.
He is recognized as an experienced litigator and a go to person as investigator in various specialized international trade journals in particular Legal 500 (Litigation-Corporate investigations) and Leader’s League (investigations, business crime and commercial litigation). Sandro is Deputy Judge at the Geneva Administrative Court of First Instance and Chairman of the interparty judicial commission in charge of appointing the magistrates of the Canton of Geneva. He is also certified Mediator (Swiss Federation of Lawyers), lecturer at the University of Geneva (School of Avocature – oral expression) and was a member of the Council of the Geneva Bar from 2016 to 2021. Former Senior Officer (Major) in the Swiss Army, Sandro also practices defense in military criminal matters.
He works mainly in French, English, Italian and Spanish.
Practice Area
– Investigations and internal audits
– Business and corporate Litigation
– Criminal, administrative and civil liability of managers
– Customs Fraud, International Sanctions and Anti-Corruption
– Commercial Mediation
Recent Experience
– Appointed by important public institutions for administrative and internal investigations. Regularly appointed by the State of Geneva to carry out administrative investigations. Assistance and representation of a major investor victim of a large international scam.
– Advising a group of shareholders in a dispute related to the control of a multinational company.
– Assistance to a major Swiss company in the context of a dispute with its employees.
– Senior advisor to the Swiss subsidiary of a listed international group (luxury goods).
– Counsel to a trading company in tax proceedings.
– Counsel to an entrepreneur in an investigation for alleged customs fraud.
– Assistance and representation of a major investor victim of a large international scam.
– Assistance and representation of a client in the context of international criminal assistance.
Awards
GENEVA MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
Legal 500 — dispute resolution : litigation – corporate investigations
« Sandro Vecchio is a go-to person for corporate investigations »
Leaders’ League — LITIGATION AND BUSINESS CRIMINAL LAW
Publications
– “Anti-corruption in Switzerland” in Market intelligence – Getting the Deal Through Anti-corruption 2019.
– “Internal investigations and the Activity of the Investigating Lawyer in Switzerland: State of Play”, in Juriste International, journal of the International Bar Association, 2019/2.
– “When Compliance Meets Legal Privilege”, in Revue de l’Avocat, Spring 2019.
– “Corporate Investigations in Switzerland. A Look at the Limits of Legal Privilege”.
Conferences
– A Swiss Perpective to Corruption and Internal Investigations: Tips and Tools to Avoid Common Pitfalls (Mondaq, 11 Novembre 2021).
– “Lawfully Obtained Evidence and its Use in Dispute Resolution, Especially in Worldwide Asset Recovery” (UIA, Zermatt, March 2018).
– “Lawyers in Schools/Speaking is a Lead”, conferences on the legal profession and rhetoric organized jointly by the Geneva Bar Association and the Geneva Department of Public Education.
– “Public Speaking Workshops”, training for adults.
Associations
– International Association of Lawyers (UIA)
– Swiss Bar Association (SBA)
– Geneva Bar Association (OdA)
– Chairman of the Administrative Law Commission of the Bar Association
– Chairman of the Judicial Commission of the Party Le Centre
– Chairman of the interparty judicial Commission in charge of appointing the judges and magistrates of the Canton of Geneva
Pierluca Degni specialises in criminal law and commercial litigation. His practice includes private international law and international mutual assistance in criminal and administrative matters. His experience is recognised in the judicial field and he is particularly active in banking litigation, the coordination of cross-border disputes, as well as in asset recovery matters (Court ordered freezes and provisional measures).
Pierluca is an SBA (Swiss Bar Association) certified specialist barrister in criminal law. He defends his clients in complex proceedings, and also intervenes in labour disputes or in the resolution of inheritance and family disputes. He is recognized as a leading figure in judicial litigation by various specialized international journals.
A graduate of the Universities of Fribourg (bilingual French/German master’s degree) and Turin (L.L.M. International Trade Law), Pierluca is a lecturer at the University of Geneva (Bar School – Legal Practice/Public Speaking), a Deputy Judge at the Criminal Court, Member of the Bar Examination Commission, Member of the Criminal Law Commission of the Geneva Bar Association and former Chairman of the Young Bar Association.
He practices in French, English, German, Italian and Spanish.
Practice Area
– Criminal Law
– Business Crime Defence
– Commercial and Banking Litigation
– Debt Collection and Enforcement
– Inheritance and Family Litigation
– Fraud and Investigations
Recent Experience
– Representing several clients (individuals and companies) for the recovery of retrocessions against many banks in Geneva.
– Representing a foreign state before the Federal Criminal Authorities.
– Counsel to a Swiss asset management company in criminal proceedings for insider trading accusations before the Federal Attorney General.
– Execution of urgent measures against sovereign assets in Switzerland.
– Enforcement in Switzerland of French, Italian and English judgments.
– Counsel to several European and South American creditors in the bankruptcy of Banque Espirito Santo in Switzerland.
– Co-counsel of an American Blue Chip in a trans-European employment litigation.
– Counsel to a european sports federation in an anti-corruption matter.
– Counsel to a politically exposed person in international mutual assistance proceedings in criminal matters between Spain and Switzerland.
Lexology – client’s choice litigation in Switzerland 2023
“Pierluca Degni is fast, serious, dynamic, and efficient.”
“Pierluca perfectly understands the key issues of my business and thinks out of the box, unlike most formatted lawyers or legal counsels we met. Pragmatic approach and solution oriented.”
WHO’S WHO LEGAL — ASSET RECOVERY 2017-2023
“Pierluca Degni is a standout figure in the European market for asset recovery matters. He specialises in asset recovery proceedings before civil, criminal and bankruptcy courts.”
WHO’S WHO LEGAL — BUSINESS CRIME DEFENCE 2020-2023
“Pierluca Degni distinguishes himself in the Swiss market with his expertise in international criminal proceedings, and peers praise him for his pragmatism and cool approach to matters”
“Pierluca Degni is very impressive at negotiating with prosecutors and extremely quick to provide concrete solutions to clients.”
“Pierluca Degni is applauded by sources for his deep experience of complex financial crime cases and impressive courtroom presence.”
LEGAL 500 – DISPUTE RESOLUTION : LITIGATION 2020
“Pierluca Degni is a standout figure in litigation, with extensive courtroom experience. He thinks out of the box and immediately understands which strategy needs to be applied to the case.”
Coralie Christin joined the Firm as an Associate in December 2020. She practices in the areas of labour law disputes, general and economic criminal law, asset recovery and family litigation.
Coralie studied at the University of Geneva, where she obtained a Bachelor of Laws (2016), a Master of Laws (2018) as well as the Certificate of Advanced Studies in legal profession (2018). She was admitted to the bar in November 2020, after having completed her internship with the firm.
Prior to passing her bar exam, Coralie worked as an ad hoc clerk at the Labour and Criminal Court of the La Côte District in Nyon.
Carole Ehretsmann joined the firm as an associate in January 2023. She practices in the fields of general and economic criminal law, commercial and banking litigation and administrative law.
Carole holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in legal profession from the University of Geneva (2019), as well as a bilingual Master’s and Bachelor’s degree from the University of Fribourg (2016 and 2018). She also spent a semester abroad at the University of Glasgow. She was admitted to the bar in February 2022, after having completed her internship with the firm.
In the course of her career, she worked as a lawyer in a local law firm (2020), as a legal and paralegal assistant at Schellenberg Wittmer (2018 – 2020), as an intern at the Fédération des Entreprises Romandes and as a legal consultant in the financial services department of Ernst & Young (2022).
She practices in French, English, Spanish and German.
Carole Ehretsmann is a member of the Geneva Bar Association and the Swiss Bar Association.
Lina Francis joined the firm as a trainee lawyer in January 2023.
She practices legal advice and litigation in civil, criminal and administrative matters.
She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Fribourg (2021), followed by a Master’s degree in Law and Economics (MDE) jointly awarded by the Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC) and the Faculty of Law, Criminal Sciences, and Public Administration of the University of Lausanne (2023). During her master’s studies, she completed a semester abroad at the Catolica University in Lisbon. Subsequently, Lina obtained a Certificate of Advanced Studies in legal profession from the University of Geneva (2023).
Camille Copiglia joined the Firm as a trainee lawyer in January 2024. She practices in the fields of advisory and litigation in civil, criminal, and administrative matters.
She studied at the University of Fribourg, where she obtained a Bachelor in Law (2019) and a Master in Law (2021). She also spent two semesters abroad as part of her Master’s degree at the University of Vienna in Austria.
Alongside her studies, Camille completed an academic internship at a law firm in Geneva (2019), as well as with our firm (2022). She also worked as a trainee and later as a legal clerk at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna (2021-2022).
Camille obtained her Certificate of Advanced Studies from the University of Geneva in 2023.
Gisèle Pinnock joined the Firm as Office Manager in January 2023. She is in charge of the smooth running of the reception and all administrative aspects of the office.
She has nearly 15 years experience in providing services to various companies in the area (law firms, public administration, transports, human ressources, accounting and reception).
She holds a business degree (diplôme de commerce) and a certificate in human ressources.
Cassandra Mayor joined the firm as a commercial apprentice in August 2023.
She studied at the École de culture générale Madame de Staël before starting her apprenticeship with our firm, taking parallel courses to acquire her Federal certificate of competence in the legal field.
She is involved in the smooth running of the reception desk and all administrative aspects of the office.
Legal 500 — dispute resolution : litigation – corporate investigations
Leaders’ League — LITIGATION AND BUSINESS CRIMINAL LAW
