Michelle Cottier

Michelle Cottier is a Professor of Civil Law at the University of Geneva and Director of the Center for Legislative Study, Technique, and Evaluation (CETEL). Her research focuses on family law, child rights, legal sociology, and gender perspectives in law.

• Key Research Projects:
  • “Integrität, Autonomie und Teilhabe im Kindesschutz der Schweiz” (Swiss National Science Foundation, PNR 76)
  • “The negotiation of divorce agreements and gender (in)equality in Switzerland” (Swiss National Science Foundation)
• Academic Leadership:
  • Co-editor of La pratique du droit de la famille FamPra.ch
  • Co-editor of Zeitschrift für Rechtssoziologie (The German Journal of Law and Society)
  • Coordinator for child and youth policy at the Swiss Center of Competence for Human Rights (CSDH)
  • Expert for Switzerland’s Gender Equality Commission (Swiss National Science Foundation)
• Publications:
  • Over 15 recent articles (2025–2017) on topics including digital family justice, gender equality in divorce, surrogacy regulation, child participation, and gender studies in law.
• International Engagement:
  • Research fellow at Harvard, Keele, Cardiff, Kent, and Utrecht universities.