Francesca Gottardi, Associate Attorney

About

Francesca Gottardi is an associate in the Corporate & Securities and Mergers & Acquisitions practice groups of Baker McKenzie's Houston office. She has previously worked as a law clerk at General Electric.

Francesca has published research on international law and human rights. She has also taught the courses "Law, Politics, and Society," and "International Human Rights" at the University of Cincinnati (OH).

Roles

Sep 2022–Present

Current role

Associate Attorney

Baker McKenzie LLP

Houston, Texas

AttorneyMergers and AcquisitionCorporate Law

Francesca's work spans a variety of subgroups within Baker McKenzie's broader Transactional Practice, with a focus on corporate and securities law and restructurings. She represents companies in a broad range of complex corporate and transactional matters, including cross-border reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance issues, and general corporate and securities law matters. Francesca's work encompasses companies and transactions in multiple industries and jurisdictions, both domestic and foreign.

Nov 2016–Present

Current role

Journalist (Giornalista Pubblicista)

Valsugana News Magazine

Borgo Valsugana, TN, Italy

Writing and Editing

Freelance Writer and Contributor, sections of news, foreign politics, and culture.
The magazine comes both in a printed version and in an online one.
Licensed "giornalista pubblicista" (Journalist)

Link to the magazine:
http://www.valsugananews.com/sfoglia-la-rivista/

Nov 2020–Feb 2024

Former role

Court Interpreter

JS Languages

Cincinnati, Ohio

Language SpecialistLegal

Interpreting in trial court proceeding (e.g., arraignment, motion, pretrial conference, preliminary hearing, deposition, trial) for parties or witnesses from English, Italian, or Spanish into the target language and from the target language into English, Italian, or Spanish.

Jan 2020–Jun 2021

Former role

Law Clerk

GE Additive

Cincinnati, Ohio

Law ClerkResearchLegal Assistant

Performing legal tasks involving the use of American Law (business and corporate) and International Law to provide an in-depth analysis of complex legal issues arising in the context of GE Additive domestic and international presence.

Sep 2018–May 2019

Former role

Assistant Coach

Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot

Cincinnati, Ohio

Legal AssistantLegal

Assistant Coach to the 2019 UC-Law Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Team.

May 2018–Aug 2018

Former role

Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights Public Interest Fellowship

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Human Rights Protection Department

(appointed)Tbilisi, Georgia

ResearchCybercrimeHuman Rights

At the Ministry, I worked for Deputy Minister Natia Mezvrishvili, in close connection with the Human Rights Protection Department. The latter is in charge of domestic violence, violence against women, hate crime, crimes based on discrimination, human trafficking, and juvenile crime. I conducted research on cybercrime, specifically on the issue of cyberbullying and cyberstalking. I then compiled such research in a dossier.

I reported on my time in Georgia on the blog of the Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights of the University of Cincinnati. I wrote about the Georgian legal framework, my work for the MIA, and the cultural aspects of the Country.

Aug 2017–Aug 2022

Former role

Lecturer

University of Cincinnati

Cincinnati, Ohio

Education, Curriculum and TeachingEducation

Lecturer (May 2021 - Aug 2022)

• Lecturer for the course “International Human Rights," an intro to international law and human rights (Spring 2022).
• Lecturer for the course “Law, Politics, and Society,” an intro to law and political science (Summer ‘21 and ‘22).

Teaching Assistant (Aug 2018 - Aug 2022)

Department of Political Science

• Worked with Professor Rebecca Sanders to perform research on religious freedom and women’s rights. Guest lecturer in the course ‘International Human Rights’ for the Indigenous Rights segment.
• Worked for Professor Ivan Dinev Ivanov conducting research on NATO and EU Peacebuilding Missions.
• Worked for Professor Andrew Lewis developing the Legal Studies Certificate. Guest lecturer in the course ‘Law, Politics, and Society” for the International Law and European Law segment.

Student Worker - Robert S. Marx Law Library (Aug 2017 - Sep 2019)

• Worked with the Rare and Antiquarian Books Collection. The latter includes rare and antiquarian books and manuscripts in Anglo-American law, particularly the law of the United States and Europe.
• Circulation desk assistance including: Providing customer service and assistance to students, faculty, and staff.
• Maintaining the order of the collections: shelving books according to the Library of Congress call number system, shelf-reading books for accuracy of the shelving, shifting parts of the collection, and assisting with signage.

May 2017–Jul 2017

Former role

Data Collector

Provincia Autonoma di Trento

(appointed)Trento, Italy

Data Entry Clerk

Data Collector for a survey on customer's satisfaction with regards to the services provided by the administration of the Province of Trento.

Jan 2017–Apr 2017

Former role

Post-Graduate Trainee

Provincia Autonoma di Trento, EU Liaison Office of the Autonomous Province of Trento in Brussels

(appointed)Brussels, Belgium

Administration / OfficeEducation and Training

• Post-degree training (merit-based scholarship)
• Researched off-the-shelf financial instruments and wrote report for publication titled "FESR 2014-2020: Gli strumenti finanziari come opportunità complementare di investimento" (ERDF 2014-2020: Financial instruments as a complementary investment opportunity) Available at: http://www.provincia.tn.it/binary/pat_puntoeuropa/tirocini_presso_bruxelles/Relazione_Gottardi_Strumenti_finanziari.1502368515.pdf
• Monitored decision-making processes at the EU level, which involved attending conferences and writing minutes
• prepared briefings, press releases, flash news
• Participated in the organization of conferences on EU issues of priority interest for the Province of Trento
• Supported the agency role of co-leader of the "Working Group Investment & Innovation Network ERRIN.

Dec 2016–Jan 2017

Former role

Post-Graduate Trainee

Provincia Autonoma di Trento, Division for European Affairs_European Regional Development Fund

(appointed)Trento, Italy

Education and Training

• Post-degree training; merit-based scholarship recipient
• Researched EU regulations on European Structural Funds, focusing on EU Regional Development Fund. Focused on Partnership Agreement with Italy and Regional Operational Programme 2014-20.

May 2015–Aug 2015

Former role

Intern Trainee

Government of South Australia, Department of State Development, South Australia

(appointed)Adelaide, Australia

ResearchEducation and Training

• Scholarship awarded by the University of Trento
• Researched South Australian international research and development; wrote a report for publication titled "South Australian International Engagement through Research & Development, Engaging With New Geopolitical Areas: A Global Challenge through R&D". See: http://www.piar.it/report09today/gottardi.pdf.
• Provided support to the director of the R&D Office, utilizing linguistic skills between Italian and English

Representative matters

Experience

September 2025

-Advised a NASDAQ-listed drug development company on a Private Investment in Public Equity ("PIPE") offering involving the issuance of an initial USD 3 million tranche of a total anticipated USD 10 million private placement of Senior Secured Promissory Notes. -Advised large multinational banking financial services institutions on a Floorplan Facility for a large Japanese mobility manufacturer consisting of three series of revolving loans issuances. The total facility size was $500 million. -Advised a Chicago-based corporation on a share purchase agreement to be acquired a large family-owned holding company. -Advised an American multinational computational software company on its USD 35 million acquisition of a privately held company providing electronics and custom integrated circuit (IC) design engineering solutions and services. -Advised an American multinational company providing IT staffing in connection with its agreement to sell to a European family-owned IT company, in an all-cash transaction, representing an implied equity value of approximately USD 170 million. -Advised a Texas software company in relation to drafting and negotiations of real estate and construction documents to build new headquarters in Texas. -Advised a large household appliances company in relation to drafting and negotiations of real estate and construction documents to fit-out new location in New York. -Advised a corporation providing engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services on a real estate global licensing requirement analysis involving 13 jurisdictions. -Ongoing representation of NYSE and NASDAQ-listed companies in connection with SEC reporting and disclosure obligations, compliance with stock exchange rules and regulations, and general corporate governance matters. -Ongoing representation of public and private multinational companies in connection with corporate reorganizations and restructurings.

Publications & speeches

Indigenous Rights and Federal Power in the International Legal Framework: A Comparison between the United States and Australia in Walking Together in Indigenous Research

Dio Press

May 2021

Author

Modern Challenges in International Law and Indigenous Rights: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Women's Activism, and the Issue of Violence Against Indigenous Women

Trento Student Law Review

December 2020

Historically, Indigenous women have been the target of violence at an alarming rate compared to the non-Indigenous population. This work explores how Indigenous women have used the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) to call for the end of this abuse. The United States and Canada are two North American Federal governments with a strong presence of Indigenous Peoples. Even though Canada and the United States have signed UNDRIP, in North America as many as four in five Indigenous women experience violence in their lifetime. This work looks at how and why there is still such a significant rate of violence against Indigenous women in the U.S. and Canada. In addition, this article surveys the current extent of Indigenous women's participation in the policymaking process. It then explores what changes in law and policy should flow from Indigenous women's activism and in what ways Indigenous women can and should become more involved in the decision-making process. This work also aims to reflect on how the law and policies in the U.S., in Canada and at an international level could more efficiently address the issue. Indigenous women have historically been absent from the decision-making process and even when they are given a voice and their rights are emphasized, for instance with UNDRIP, countries are not complying with their responsibilities on the matter. Consequently, Indigenous women are de facto denied the possibility to participate in the debate, and their claims are left unheard. This article concludes that they should be empowered to advocate for enhanced accountability of the individual countries and the international community alike. In fact, increased participation of Indigenous women in the decision-making process increases the opportunity for Indigenous voices to be heard, in a quest to fight the widespread issue of violence against Indigenous women.

Link

Indigenous Peoples and Sacred Sites in the U.S. and Australia: A Contemporary Public Policy International Debate,

Religions

September 2025

Link

South Australian International Engagement through Research & Development

Government of South Australia

August 2015

Author

Modern Challenges in International Law, and Indigenous Rights: The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

APSA — Seattle, USA

September 2021

Presenter

Istituzioni Resilienti: Buone prassi per fronteggiare la crisi pandemica

University of Trento — Italy

February 2021

Presenter