Sanela Gorušanović Butigan was born in 1974 in Sarajevo, where she finished Elementary School and Gymnasia (comprehensive high school). She graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo in 1998.

She completed her traineeship at the Municipal Court II Sarajevo in the period from 1999 to 2001, and passed the Bar exam in June 2001 before the Commission of the FBiH Ministry of Justice.

She was a Legal Associate in the Municipal Court in Sarajevo from September 2001 to March 2007.

She was appointed a Judge of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo in March 2007, where she continues to work in the Litigation Department. In parallel, she performs the duties of a Land

Registry Judge in the Land Registry Office of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo.

She has lectured and participated in a number of seminars, symposia and conferences in the field of implementation of the Law on Protection against Defamation and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. She has also taken part in international projects implemented by the HJPC BiH.

In June 2020, she was elected a Member of the HJPC BiH from among the judges of the cantonal and municipal courts of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the session of the HJPC BiH held on 24 June 2020, she was elected Vice President of the HJPC BiH.

At the session of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC BiH/Council) held on 16 December 2020, after the resignation of Milan Tegeltija as President and Council member, the Council adopted a decision authorizing Council Member Sanela Gorušanović Butigan to represent the institution until a new Council member is elected from among judges of district and basic courts in Republika Srpska, so that the Council in its full composition could elect the Presidency of the HJPC BiH.