A boutique law firm.
Tradition, ethics and independence.

CDLR Avocats Geneva

We assist and advise individuals, companies and institutions.

Individually or as a team, we provide legal services based on tradition, ethics and independence, under a personal relationship with our clients. Our practice is focused on criminal, civil and administrative litigation, in both national and international contexts. Having trained in a leading Swiss law firm, our partners have solid expertise in commercial matters, advising companies and institutions.

Team

Ilir Cenko

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva Bar

Ilir Cenko

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva Bar
cenko@cdlr.ch

Education and professional experience

Since 2019

Member of the Criminal Law Committee of the Geneva Bar association

Since 2012

Partner, CDLR Avocats, Geneva

Since 2011

Teaching assistant, University of Geneva (CAS in legal professions ECAV)

2008/11

Attorney-at-law, Lenz & Staehelin, Geneva

2008

Admission to the bar (2nd laureate ex æquo at the bar exam)
Eloquence contest of the International Bars Conference (CIB), Brazzaville
1st laureate - winner of the Francophony award

2007

Eloquence contest Michel Nançoz, organised by the Criminal Law Committee of the Geneva Bar Association
Winner of the second prize

2006/07

Legal trainee, Lenz & Staehelin, Geneva

2005/06

Legal trainee, Court of first instance, Geneva

2005

Sworn in as a lawyer
Licence en droit (english equivalent MA), University of Geneva

2004/05

Exchange program Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

2003

Certificate in Transnational law, Duke Geneva Institute

Languages

French, English, Albanian, German

Associations

  • Member of the Geneva Bar association
  • Member of the Swiss Bar Association

Areas of practice

Advising, legal representation and defense in the following areas of law:

  • Criminal and white collar crime
  • Construction
  • Contracts (tenancy, work and services, mandate, employment, etc.)
  • Banking litigation
  • Debt collection and insolvency

Publications

  • Le projet d’art. 147a CPP: vers une érosion inadmissible du droit de se défendre, Revue de l’avocat 2020, p. 323ss (co-author)

Speaking engagements

5 November 2022 - Geneva Bar Association
“Continuing education marathon: Topic nr 32 - Criminal Law”

6 November 2021 - Geneva Bar Association
“Continuing education marathon: Topic nr 32 - Criminal Law”*

31 October 2020 - Geneva Bar Association
“Continuing education marathon: Topic nr 32 - Criminal Law”

9 November 2019 - Geneva Bar Association
“Continuing education marathon: Topic nr 32 - Criminal Law”

10 November 2018 - Geneva Bar Association
“Continuing education marathon: Topic nr 32 - Criminal Law”

Since 2017 - Geneva Bar Association

Co-founder of the monthly “Workshops in criminal proceedings” (continuing education for the members of the Geneva Bar Association):

  • The arrest: The defense lawyer’s added value during the first steps of the investigation
  • The right to remain silent: Fundamental guarantee, advisability, use and consequences
  • The detention before trial, from arrest to deportation: practical thoughts
  • The defense lawyer’s role during the preliminary proceedings
  • The parties’ right to participate in the taking of evidence according the section 147 SCPC: Legal principles and practice of the Geneva criminal authorities
  • The special proceedings: Simplified proceedings, penal order and proceedings in the absence of the accused
  • The trial hearing
  • The defense lawyer’s added value after the sentence enters into force: The enforcement of custodial sentences and measures
  • The relationship between defense lawyer and magistrates and other participants in the criminal proceedings: Rules, usances and the interests of the accused

23 January 2017 - Geneva Bar Association
“The parties right to participate in the taking of evidence pursuant to section 147 SCPC: The related case law and its reception in the practice of the Geneva criminal authorities”

Contact

Ilir Cenko

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

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Jonathan Cohen

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva Bar

Jonathan Cohen

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva Bar
Deputy Judge at the Juvenile Court of Geneva
cohen@cdlr.ch

Education and professional experience

Since 2020

Deputy Judge, Juvenile Court, Geneva

Since 2016

Partner, CDLR Avocats, Geneva

2016

Admission to the bar (2nd laureate ex æquo at the bar exam)

2014/15

Legal trainee, CDL Avocats, Geneva

2014

Sworn in as a lawyer

2014

Paralegal, Patocchi & Marzolini, Geneva

2013

CAS in legal professions, University of Geneva (ECAV)

2012/13

Paralegal, Lenz & Staehelin, Geneva

2011/12

LL.M., King’s College, London

2010/12

Master of Laws (with a focus on sports law), University of Neuchâtel

2007/10

Bachelor of Laws, University of Geneva

Languages

French, English, German, Spanish

Associations

  • Member of the Geneva Bar Association
  • Member of the Swiss Bar Association

Areas of practice

Advising, legal representation and defense in the following areas of law:

  • Criminal and white collar crime
  • Juvenile criminal
  • Contract (tenancy, work and services, mandate, employment, etc.)
  • Family and adult protection
  • Sports
  • Road traffic
  • Debt collection and insolvency
  • Administrative litigation

Publications

  • Jurisprudence récente du Tribunal fédéral en matière de fixation de la peine: état des lieux et réflexions pratiques, Revue de l’avocat 2021, p. 339 (co-author)
  • Le caractère impératif de l’art. 87 al. 3 CPP et ses implications pratiques dans la procédure de l’ordonnance pénale, Revue de l’avocat 2018, p. 349 (co-author)
  • The Swiss International Arbitration Law Reports 2010 (Vol. 4), Juris, 2013 (assistant editor)

Speaking engagements

21 February 2022 - Geneva Bar Association
« Le curateur d’office dans la procédure en matière de protection de l’adulte » (co-speaker)
31 October 2020 - Geneva Bar Association
“Continuing education marathon: Topic nr. 35 – Juvenile criminal Law”

Contact

Jonathan Cohen

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

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Gilbert Deschamps

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva bar

Gilbert Deschamps

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva bar
Member of the Children’s Right Committee of the Geneva Bar Association
deschamps@cdlr.ch

Education and professional experience

Since 2012

Partner, CDLR Avocats, Geneva

2011

Self-employed attorney-at-law, Geneva

2009/10

Attorney-at-law, Lenz & Staehelin, Geneva

2006/08

Legal trainee, Lenz & Staehelin, Geneva

2006

Sworn in as a lawyer

2002/06

Licence en droit (english equivalent MA), University of Geneva

Languages

French, English

Associations

  • Member of the Geneva bar association
  • Member of the Swiss bar association

Areas of practice

Advising, legal representation and defense in the following areas of law:

  • Criminal
  • Persons and family
  • Inheritance
  • Contract (tenancy, employment, work and services, mandate, etc.)
  • Debt collection
  • Immigration
  • Social insurances
  • Administrative

Contact

Gilbert Deschamps

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

Close

Karim Raho

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva Bar

Karim Raho

Partner
Admitted to the Geneva Bar
President of the Criminal Law Committee of the Geneva Bar Association
Lecturer at the University of Geneva
raho@cdlr.ch

Education and professional experience

Since 2023

President of the Criminal Law Committee of the Geneva Bar Association

Since 2022

Instructor (to forensics experts), University Center of Legal Medicine, Lausanne - Geneva

Since 2021

Partner, CDLR Avocats, Geneva

Since 2019

Member of the Criminal Law Committee of the Geneva Bar Association

Since 2013

Lecturer, University of Geneva (CAS in legal professions ECAV)

2013/21

Founding partner, O&R Avocats, Geneva

Since 2011

Law teacher, Capacity in Laws Association, Geneva

2010/12

Attorney-at-law, Raho Avocats, Geneva

2010

Admission to the bar

2009

Paris-Montreal Francophony award, eloquence contest organised by the Paris bar and the Montreal bar associations
1st laureate - winner of the Francophony award
Eloquence contest Michel Nançoz, organised by the Criminal Law Committee of the Geneva Bar Association
1st laureate

2008/10

Legal trainee, Lenz & Staehelin, Geneva

2008

Sworn in as a lawyer
Master of Laws (business and litigation), University of Lausanne, Summa cum laude

2006

Bachelor of Laws, University of Lausanne

Languages

French, English

Associations

  • Member of the Geneva Bar association 
  • Member of the Swiss Bar Association
  • Member of the Swiss Society of Criminal Law

Areas of practice

Advising, legal representation and defense in the following areas of law:

  • White collar crime and complex matters
  • Criminal, criminal juvenile and support to victims of crime
  • Commercial and civil litigation
  • Contract (labour, construction, services, etc.)
  • Civil liability (tort)
  • Medical liability / Malpractice

Speaking engagements

12 September 2022 - University of Geneva, Faculty of Law - 4th day of criminal law – Reform of the Swiss criminal procedure code
Speech by Mr Karim RAHO in a debate moderated by Professor Camille PERRIER DEPEURSINGE, with the participation of Mr. Olivier JORNOT, General Attorney, Mrs. Gaël VAN HOVE, Judge at the Court of Justice and Mr. Philippe BAUER, Senator.

Since 2017 - Geneva Bar Association
Co-founder of the monthly “Workshops in criminal proceedings” (continuing education for the members of the Geneva Bar Association):

  • The arrest: The defense lawyer’s added value during the first steps of the investigation
  • The right to remain silent: Fundamental guarantee, advisability, use and consequences
  • The detention before trial, from arrest to deportation: practical thoughts
  • The defense lawyer’s role during the preliminary proceedings
  • The parties’ right to participate in the taking of evidence according the section 147 SCPC: Legal principles and practice of the Geneva criminal authorities
  • The special proceedings: Simplified proceedings, penal order and proceedings in the absence of the accused
  • The trial hearing
  • The defense lawyer’s added value after the sentence enters into force: The enforcement of custodial sentences and measures
  • The relationship between defense lawyer and magistrates and other participants in the criminal proceedings: Rules, usances and the interests of the accused

23 January 2017 - Geneva Bar Association
“The parties right to participate in the taking of evidence pursuant to section 147 SCPC: The related case law and its reception in the practice of the Geneva criminal authorities”

Contact

Karim Raho

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

Close

Charlotte Zihlmann

Attorney-at-law
Admitted to the Geneva Bar

Charlotte Zihlmann

Attorney-at-law
Admitted to the Geneva Bar
zihlmann@cdlr.ch

Education and professional experience

Dès 2021

Associate, CDLR Avocats, Geneva

2021

Law Clerk, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Geneva

2020

Admission to the bar

2019/20

Legal trainee, Keppeler Avocats, Geneva

2018/19

Legal trainee, Criminal Court, Geneva

2018

Sworn in as a lawyer

2017/18

Teaching and research assistant, Department of Public Law, University of Geneva

2017

CAS in legal professions, University of Geneva (ECAV)

2015/18

Assessor Judge, Tenancy Court, Geneva

2014/17

Lawyer, Centre social protestant, Geneva

2013/15

Substitute Law Teacher, Nicolas-Bouvier Business School, Geneva

2012/14

Master in International and European Law, University of Geneva

2009/12

Bachelor of Laws, University of Geneva

Languages

French, English, Spanish

Associations

  • Member of the Geneva Bar Association
  • Member of the Swiss Bar Association

Publications

Asile: lacunes dans la protection des victimes de traite des êtres humains, Plaidoyer 05/2018, pp. 22-27 (author)

Contact

Charlotte Zihlmann

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

Close

Christelle Tuculescu

Legal trainee

Christelle Tuculescu

Legal trainee
tuculescu@cdlr.ch

Education and professional experience

Dès 2022

Avocate-stagiaire, CDLR Avocats, Genève

2022

Prestation du serment d’avocate

2022

Stage de conseil juridique aux réfugiés, Association Elisa-asile, Genève

2019

Certificat de spécialisation en matière d’avocature, Ecole d’avocature (ECAV), Université de Genève

2017/19

Master en droit général, Université de Genève

2018

Mobilité internationale, Université de Valence, Espagne

2017/18

Certificate in Transnational Law, Université de Genève

2017/18

Assistante administrative et juridique, Bounous et Cosandier Avocats, Genève

2013/17

Bachelor en droit, Université de Genève

Languages

Français, espagnol, anglais

Contact

Christelle Tuculescu

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

Close

Areas of practice

Founded in 2012, CDLR Avocats has developed widely recognised expertise in many areas of practice, such as criminal defense, administrative and civil litigation, including real estate, employment and family matters, as well as advising companies and public institutions.

  • Contract law (tenancy, labour, real estate, construction, etc.) and civil liability (tort)
  • Criminal law and white collar crime
  • Civil law (family law, guardianship)
  • Administrative law
  • Banking law
  • Road traffic law
  • Immigration law
  • Debt Collection law
  • Insurance law

Contact

CDLR Avocats
Rue Saint-Ours 5
CH – 1205 Geneva

+41 22 807 31 10
etude@cdlr.ch