Francesca Cavadini - Birchler

Francesca Cavadini, who is bilingual (French and Italian), was born in Geneva on 5 April 1970. Upon completing standard schooling and junior college in the Canton of Geneva, earning a three-fold classical, literary and language maturity, she studied law at the University of Geneva graduating in 1992.

From 1992 through 1996 she was an assistant in business and accounting law at the Law School of the University of Geneva while at the same time earning a Diploma of Higher Studies (DES) in corporate law. During that time she also perfected her accounting knowledge thanks to a training stint of several months with one of the country's ma­jor accounting firms.

After completing her law-clerking with a top Geneva law firm she was admitted to the Bar in 1998.

From 1999 through 2010 Ms Cavadini worked as an attorney at a major law firm in Lugano, there sharpening her competences in the areas of business and corporate law. She also acquired considerable arbitration experience both at the institutional level (Swiss Chambers of Commerce, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Milan Ar­bitration Chamber) and as an ad-hoc arbitrator, first as Clerk of the Arbi­tration Court and subsequently as associate as well as sole arbitrator. She is a member of the com­mittee of the ASA group for Italian-speaking Switzerland (GASI).

Ms Francesca Cavadini also took an  interest in mediation; she first attended the basic course offered by the University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) and earned the title of mediator of the Swiss Federation of Attorneys (FSA) in June 2005. Still at SUPSI she then attended in the years 2005 through 2007 the post-graduate course of mediation in finance and public-sector matters. She gained the title of mediator of the Swiss Mediators' Federation (FSM/SDM) in 2007. She has been an FSM committee member from 2007 through 2010.

Ms. Cavadini is the author and/or co-author of various legal texts published in the Swiss Business Law Review (RSDA / SZW), the New Business and Trial Law Review, the Swiss Civil Procedure Review (RSPC / SSZP), the Notariat and Land Register Review (RNRF / ZBGR). She is also one of the co-authors of the 'Commentaire Ro­mand - Code des Obligations II' (commentary on Articles 698 through 725 and 726 through 731b CO).

Since July 2010 she is with the law firm of Bolla Bonzanigo & Associati.