Andorra Lawyers Vote in Historic Open Election for Bar Leadership

Andorra's lawyers will vote on Monday in an unprecedented open election for the leadership of the Col·legi d’Advocats d’Andorra (CADA), choosing between two competing slates after a challenger list formalised its bid on Thursday afternoon.

The incumbent-aligned slate, led by current treasurer Margarida Marticella, faces opposition from a self-described reformist team headed by Josep Antoni Silvestre as candidate for dean. Silvestre's group, presented shortly after 3pm to current dean Sònia Baixench—who is not standing again—confirmed all nine candidates meet statutory requirements on seniority, eligibility, and compatibility. The challengers include Dory Garcia Fernández for vice-dean, Tània dos Santos for secretary, Oriol Giró for treasurer, and vocal positions for Melanie Cachafeiro, Alba Cervós, David Monclús, Katia Carneiro, and Jordi Segura. Many are criminal lawyers who regularly handle on-call duties and have voiced past criticisms of the current system.

Marticella's continuity list features Èric Alguacil as vice-dean candidate, Sílvia Estrada for secretary, Concepció Criado for treasurer, and vocals Elsa Bucquet, Gerard Farré, Catalina Llufriu, Gal·la Ballesté, and Anton Borrell. Several, including Estrada, Criado, Llufriu, and Borrell, serve on the outgoing board.

CADA statutes mandate open elections under article 72.1h, allowing each member to mix candidates across slates for the nine positions—dean, vice-dean, secretary, treasurer, and five vocals—provided roles are respected. This format has never been used before, as past votes featured single slates.

Dubbed “Pel Canvi” (For Change), Silvestre's platform emphasises transparency, institutional respect, and support for small and mid-sized firms. Key pledges include reforming the on-call duty rota for fairer pay and timely compensation, creating a prison oversight judge role, publishing key rulings on fundamental rights, modernising internal processes, expanding training in AI and data protection, ensuring work-life balance, and releasing periodic disciplinary statistics and accounts. Silvestre recently criticised the college on social media for not publishing full judicial resolutions, highlighting collective frustrations.

The assembly is set for next Monday, March 2, with the board to organise voting in line with rules.