Sandrine Giroud is a Swiss qualified attorney specialized in international law. She holds a Diploma in international human rights from the University of Nottingham, UK (2004) and a Master of law (magna cum laude) with major in European law from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland (2003). During her academic career, she has also been an Erasmus exchange student at the University of Bristol, UK (2000-01), a visiting student at Salzburg Law School, Austria (2002), and a finalist of the English session of the Jean-Pictet Competition in international humanitarian law (2002).

After training at a Fribourg-based law firm (2005-06), Sandrine worked as a legal adviser for the Private International Law Unit of the Swiss Federal Office of Justice in Berne (2006-08). She contributed in particular to the revision of the Lugano Convention on Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters and gained substantial expertise in international legal assistance in civil and criminal matters.

In parallel to her professional activities, Sandrine has also volunteered legal help to non-governmental organizations, such as Amnesty International Switzerland (2003-04) and TRIAL (since 2004), a Swiss lawyers' association against the impunity of international criminals. Part of her pro bono work relates to the legal status of the Guantanamo prisoners and the freezing of Jean-Claude Duvalier's assets in Switzerland.

In addition to her native French, Sandrine is fluent in English and German, and has some basic knowledge of Spanish.