Margarida Marticella Elected Dean of Andorran Bar Association with 60% Vote

Margarida Marticella, from the Bellocq López Marticella firm, has been elected dean of the Andorran Bar Association (CADA), winning 60% of votes against rival Josep Antoni Silvestre. Her "continuista" slate claimed all board positions in the first election since 1999, using an open-list system that allowed voters to mix candidates from both groups.

Participation reached record levels among 228 practicing lawyers. Most reports note 202 votes, with 95 cast in person and the rest by proxy. One account cited 256 ballots, while another put turnout at 269, including 67 non-practicing lawyers and 99 in-person votes, with telematic options available.

Marticella's team includes Sílvia Estrada as secretary, Concepció Criado as treasurer, and vocal members Elsa Bucquet, Gerard Farré, Catalina Llufriu, Gal·la Ballesté, and Anton Borrell. One source listed Èric Alguacil as vice-dean, though others did not confirm the role.

Backed by the outgoing board and major firms, Marticella's group fended off Silvestre's late-entry challenge, formed largely by lawyers handling guards and court-appointed cases. None of their candidates secured seats, but the contest highlighted widespread concerns over low pay for guards and public defense work—now central to the new board's agenda.

Marticella described guard remuneration as "very low," unchanged for 15 years until a recent 20% phased increase over three years that still falls short. Civil and administrative court-appointed fees remain "manifestly insufficient," below CADA's minimum rates. She pledged to seek parity in talks with the government, while promoting voluntary guards and addressing issues like the electronic judicial file.

The new dean has met Silvestre to incorporate rival concerns into the action plan, stressing unity. "We want a board that gathers sensitivities from everyone, including the other list," she said. Silvestre credited an "Silvestre effect" for the high turnout, calling it a "democracy party." The board will also focus on strengthening judicial ties, professional ethics, and an active collegial space for dialogue.