Partner — LL.M. — SBA-certified specialist in criminal law
PierlucaDegni
Partner — LL.M. — SBA-certified specialist in criminal law
« Pierluca Degni is applauded by sources for his deep experience of complex financial crime cases and impressive courtroom presence. »
Lexology · Business Crime Defence
Pierluca Degni specialises in criminal law and in commercial and banking litigation, based in Geneva. His practice also covers private international law and international mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, with recognised expertise in coordinating cross-border disputes and in enforcement matters (debt recovery, attachments and interim measures).
He represents clients in complex proceedings and handles employment disputes as well as the resolution of inheritance and family law matters.
A graduate of the Universities of Fribourg (bilingual French/German Master’s degree) and Turin (LL.M. in International Trade Law), he is admitted at the Geneva Bar since 2008.
He is a lecturer at the University of Geneva, in charge of the oral advocacy course (pleadings) at the Geneva Bar School (École d’avocature) and a speaker on the law and practice of the legal profession, a deputy judge at the Geneva Criminal Court, a member of the Bar Examination Board, and a former Chairman of the Young Bar Association.
Practice areas
- General and economic criminal law
- Commercial and banking litigation
- Debt recovery and enforcement
- Anti-corruption and investigations
- Inheritance and family law disputes
Languages
- Français
- English
- Deutsch
- Italiano
- Español
Recent Experience
- Representing several clients (individuals and companies) in the recovery of retrocessions received by several Swiss banks.
- Advising a foreign State before the Swiss federal criminal authorities.
- Defending a Swiss wealth management firm in criminal proceedings before the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland.
- Advising a French insolvency estate (masse des créanciers) on the enforcement of judgments in Switzerland.
- Enforcing urgent measures against sovereign assets in Switzerland.
- Enforcing French, Italian, Spanish and English judgments in Switzerland.
- Advising several European and South American creditors in connection with the bankruptcy of Banco Espírito Santo in Switzerland.
- Co-counsel to a US blue-chip company in a pan-European employment dispute.
- Advising a sports federation on anti-corruption matters.
- Advising a politically exposed person in international mutual legal assistance proceedings in criminal matters between Spain and Switzerland.
Distinctions
Asset Recovery, 2017-2026« 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. »
- Business Crime Defence, 2020-2026
« 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. »
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. »
Business Litigation and Criminal Law, 2020-2025
See Pierluca Degni’s full profile on Lexology ↗Publications
- « Anti-corruption in Switzerland », in Market Intelligence, Getting the Deal Through: Anti-Corruption, 2019/2020/2021.
- « Handlungspflichten des Treuhänders bei Geldwäscherei » [Due diligence obligations of trustees regarding money laundering], in Expert Focus (December 2015 and February 2017).
- « Libres réflexions sur la médiation et le Barreau » [Reflections on mediation and the Bar], in Lettre du Conseil ODAGE (August 2015).
- « Le client victime de hacking ou d’escrocs dans les relations bancaires à distance : quel devoir de diligence pour les banques ? » [Clients who are victims of hacking or fraud in remote banking relationships: what duty of care applies to banks?], in Jusletter (May 2015).
Conferences
- Seminario Internacional de Rastreamento de Ativos, International Asset Tracing Seminar (IBRA, Brasília, November 2019).
- Challenges and Risks of Becoming an Independent Lawyer (FSA, Lucerne, 2019).
- Lawfully obtained evidence and its use in dispute resolution, especially in worldwide asset recovery (UIA, Zermatt, March 2018).
- International legal practice in Switzerland (ODAGE, Geneva, February 2018).
Associations
- European Criminal Bar Association (ECBA)
- Swiss Bar Association (FSA)
- Geneva Bar Association (OdA)
- Bar Examination Board (Commission d’examen du Brevet d’avocat)
- Specialised Criminal Law Forum (OdA)
- Romandy Association of Criminal Law Specialists (ARPEN)
- Geneva Business Law Association (AGDA)
- Former First Secretary of the Jeune Barreau of the Geneva Bar Association (2012-2014)
Contact
pldegni@bgdlaw.ch