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 Christine Pasquier Ciulla
Partner

Christine Pasquier Ciulla

Languages
  • French
  • English
  • Italian
Social media

Christine Pasquier Ciulla is one of the founding partners of the firm and co-head of the Private Clients team.

Widely recognized as one of the most experienced Avocats Défenseurs in Monaco, Christine specialises in family law, private international law and trusts and estates law.

Acting in both contentious and non-contentious mandates, she advises and represents a clientele comprised of Monegasque and foreign private individuals (HNWI and UHNWI), trusts and family offices. 

Christine’s practice focuses on:

  • prenuptial agreements and changes to matrimonial regimes
  • separations, national and international divorces, and post-divorce liquidation procedures
  • national or international successions
  • wealth planning in private international law matters
  • family governance
  • adoptions as well as all legal matters relating to children (including recognition of parentage, names, wrongful removal and more generally the application of the Hague Conventions on minors and international letters rogatory)
  • legal protection of adults (nomination of protector in court or drafting/ advising on enduring power of attorney)
  • protection measures ordered by foreign courts and their application in Monaco
  • criminal offences related to all of the above (including, among others, willful neglect or desertion, failure to grant access to children, abuse of vulnerable persons, domestic violence)

In 2011 Christine was appointed to the class of Knight (Chevalier) of the Order of Saint-Charles, a Monegasque order which recognises merit and acknowledges the services rendered to the State or Prince. She is also regularly recognised as leading practitioner by prestigious international rankings, such as Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.

Christine was elected to the National Council of the Principality of Monaco (Monegasque Parliament) from 1998 to 2003, and again in February 2023. She chairs the Legislation Committee.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is truly outstanding.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2025 : Private Client (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is certainly the best lawyer for individuals in Monaco. Backed by a dedicated team who won a favourable court ruling where necessary. She is fluent in English, French and Italian.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2025 : Private Client (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is great to work with. Her advice is always clear and commercial.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2025 : Private Client (Monaco)
  • Quote
    I have no hesitation in confirming that Christine Pasquier Ciulla is the number one private client lawyer in Monaco, especially in family law cases. Throughout the case she provided concise, first-rate advice.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2024 : Private Client (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is very experienced and highly qualified. She is absolutely excellent at what she does and stands out because she is very bright. She has an excellent level of dedication and is a very good negotiator.
    Chambers & Partners 2023 : Private Wealth Law (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is widely regarded as a leading light.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2023 : Private Client (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier Ciulla has a very strong experience in private law and a strong charisma which is very comforting with difficult files.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2022 : Private Client (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is described by one interviewee as "one of the best I have ever worked with." Pasquier-Ciulla also handles "very high-standard files, but also unique and delicate cross-border pro bono cases." Another interviewee comments that "Christine is brilliant in every way, she's intellectual and strategically solid," adding: "She is the best in Monaco."
    Chambers & Partners 2022 : Private Wealth Law (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is a founding member of the firm and co-heads the private client team. One peer enthuses: "She is an excellent divorce lawyer in Monaco. She is arguably the go-to divorce lawyer in Monaco. She really looks after clients, she's very practical and has all the right qualities you could want in a lawyer." One source comments: "She is a cut above the rest. I think she is absolutely excellent at what she does. Her strategic vision is excellent, but she's not afraid to roll up her sleeves and do the hard work.
    Chambers & Partners 2021 : Private Wealth Law (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier Ciulla is very professional and knowledgeable. Provides good advice.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2021 : Private Clients (Monaco)
  • Quote
    Christine Pasquier-Ciulla is co-head of the private clients practice. A source says: "She is fantastic, she is attentive in what she says and incredibly intelligent. She is very open to discuss issues with a cross-border mindset." Pasquier-Ciulla is particularly well regarded for her matrimonial work; a source says she is "the go-to divorce person."
    Chambers & Partners 2020 : High Net Worth (Monaco)
  • Quote
    In the courtroom, Christine Pasquier-Ciulla argues her cases with both clarity and warmth.
    Legal 500 EMEA 2020 : Private Clients (Monaco)

Publications

  • Lexology Panoramic - Private Clients 2025, Lexology (2025)
  • Les libéralités conjugales monégasques : régime et incidences lors du divorce, Revue Juridique Personnes et Famille (2024)
  • From love to legalities, Lawyer Christine Pasquier-Ciulla reveals why a prenup is key for Monaco residents, Monaco Life (2024)
  • The Family Law Book (The Blue Book) - Monaco chapter, Thomson Reuters (2015, 2018, 2021, 2023)
  • Lexology Panoramic: Private Client - Monaco chapter (2017 - 2025)
  • L'Entrepreneuriat féminin : La force du collectif, Madame Figaro (2023)
  • Trust law: a Monaco perspective, International Family Law Journal (2022)
  • The principle of non-retroactivity of law in Monaco no longer applies ?, Recueil Dalloz no33 (2021)
  • The Legal 500: Private Client Comparative Guide - Monaco chapter (2017, 2019)
  • The impact of the Private International Law reform in Monaco on marriage contracts, divorces and successions, AJ Famille (2019)
  • 60-second interview with Christine Pasquier Ciulla, STEP Journal (2019)
  • Pole position on PIL, STEP Journal (2018)
  • Matrimonial regimes around the world - Monaco, AJ Famille (2017)
  • Monegasque Private International Law Code follows the path of the EU Succession Regulation: a path sprinkled with differences, Gazette du Palais (2017)
  • Divorce around the world - Monaco, AJ Famille (2015)

Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the National Council of the Principality of Monaco (Monegasque Parliament), Chair of the Legislation Committee
  • Member of the IAFL (International Academy of Family Lawyers)
  • Committee Member of STEP Monaco (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners)
  • Member of the Association des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises de Monaco

Lectures list

  • Litigation Before the Supreme Court, IAFL European Chapter Conference, Istanbul (May 2025)
  • Should I stay or should I go - The challenges of structuring relocation for High-Net-Worth Individuals and families, STEP Europe Conference, Monaco (November, 2024)
  • Practical implications of the EU matrimonial property and succession regulations, IAFL European Chapter Conference, Athens (May 2022)
  • Lasting Power of Attorney, STEP Europe Conference 2020, Vienna (February 2020)
  • Cross-border family successions, STEP Europe Conference 20219, Cyprus (June 2019)
  • Act No 1.448 du 28 juin 2017 on private international law, Presentation at Monaco’s Foreign Residents’ Club (CREM) (March 2019)
  • The Private International Law Reform in Monaco, Presentation at Monaco’s Foreign Residents’ Club (CREM) (January 2019)
  • The Monegasque Code on Private International Law: one year later, STEP Monaco Seminar (November 2018)
  • The impact of the Monegasque Code on Private International Law on Estate-Planning, Keys issues and challenges, STEP Rome Seminar (November 2017)
  • The impact of the Monegasque Code on Private International Law on Estate-Planning, Keys issues and challenges, STEP Monaco Seminar (November and December 2017)
  • Various lectures in the Monegasque Parliament, on divorce law and therapeutic interruption of pregnancy

Education

  • Monaco Bar (1988)
  • Master's Degree in Private Law, University of Nice