Pierfranco Riva studied at the universities of Fribourg, Munich and Berlin between 1960 and 1966, and received his Doctorate in Law in 1968. He became a member of the bar in 1970. He has been an attorney and notary with the law firm Felder Riva Soldati in Lugano since 1970. He served as Chairman of the Council of the Bar Association for the Canton of Ticino between 1987 and 1989, and from 1995 to 1999 was a member of the supervisory authority, Council of Magistrates for the Canton of Ticino.

Other appointments:

• Finter Bank Zürich, Zurich, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors
• Fondazione Daccò, Lugano, Member of the Board of Trustees
• Fondazione Nerina Bellingeri ved. Gualdi, Lugano, Member of the Board of Trustees
• Fondazione Rudolf Chaudoire, Lugano, Member of the Board of Trustees