The team
Boutique law firm, WJ Avocats is made up of lawyers and legal experts practicing in several languages, as consultants and litigators.
The team’s skills are cross-disciplinary and complementary, enabling a global grasp of the most complex situations and the ability to intervene before all national, foreign and international jurisdictions.
Thanks to its 20 years’ experience in international litigation, the firm can guarantee its clients, be they natural persons, legal persons or institutions, its absolute availability as well as the highest quality of tailored support.
William Julié
Paris Bar
Brussels Bar
Works in French and English
Specialized In
- Criminal Law
- White collar crime
- International Criminal Law
- Sanctions
- Human Rights
- Business Law
- PUBLIC LAW
Memberships
- International Criminal Law Officer of the International Bar Association (IBA)
- European Bar Association (ECBA)
- President of the Commission Pénale de l’Association des Avocats Conseils d’Entreprises (ACE)
- Forum des Avocats Spécialistes de l’Extradition (DELF)
- Association des Juristes Franco-Britanniques (LBLS)
Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2000, William JULIÉ is a Franco-British lawyer specialized in criminal defense and Human Rights Law.
After studying International Law at the University of Paris-Sorbonne (Paris I), William JULIÉ specialized in Criminal Law, obtaining a doctoral certification (Doctorat d’études approfondies) in European Criminal Justice Policy directed by Professor Mireille Delmas-Marty while also attending the Institute of Criminology at the University of Paris-Assas (Paris II).
His first years fine-tuning his skills as a criminal and fundamental rights lawyer were spent working alongside renowned professionals, amongst whom Maître Henri Leclerc (President of the Human Rights League).
He has a particular expertise in International Criminal Law and, more specifically, in extradition procedures, execution of international and European arrest warrants and the removal of INTERPOL red notices.
He regularly appears before foreign jurisdictions as legal expert in matters of Criminal Law and Human Rights.
Amélie BEAUCHEMIN is an attorney at the New York Bar and Paris Bar.
She holds a bilingual Master’s degree in International and European Law from the University Paris-Ouest Nanterre La Défense and an LL.M in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law from the American University Washington College of Law, where she also teaches an introduction to International Criminal Law within the International Law program for Arabic speakers.
After working for the international co-prosecutor’s office in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), she collaborated with several Syrian NGOs, coordinating the work of the teams on the ground and co-teaching the principles of International Criminal Law and Crime Documentation to Syrian lawyers and activists.
Yuri SHUMILOV
RUSSIAN ADVOCATE
SOLICITOR (IRELAND, ENGLAND AND WALES
BRUSSELS BAR (LIST B)
Works in English and Russian
Specialized In
- M&A AND PRIVATE EQUITY
- INTERNATIONAL FINANCINGS
- SANCTIONS
Yuri SHUMILOV is an Of Counsel at WJ Avocats based in Brussels. He is a Russian advocate, a solicitor of England & Wales, a member of the Irish Bar and an associated member of the Brussels Bar.
He previously spent 15 years with a major ‘magic circle’ international law firm in its offices in Moscow and London, and was the General Counsel at a major Russian privately-held investment group.
His areas of expertise include international M&A, cross-border financings and sanctions. He regularly advises clients on matters relating to sanctions compliance, as well as sanctions litigation.
He holds an LL.M from University College London and a Ph.D in law from the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University.
He is fluent in Russian and English.
Juliette Fauvarque is a doctoral student and lecturer in private international law at the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas. She is also a qualified lawyer at the Paris Bar.
After specializing in French and Common Law with a Dual Degree at the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas and University College Dublin, she completed an LLM in International Criminal Law at the University of Amsterdam and Columbia University. She also holds a Master’s degree in General Private Law from the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas.
With several experiences in French law firms, including SCP Spinosi and Cabinet Temime, she occasionally brings her expertise to the firm in civil or criminal cases with a cross-border dimension.
Samantha PHILIPPE has been practicing at the Paris Bar since 2018.
She has Masters’ degrees in Internal and International Litigation and in Civil and Commercial Contract Law from the University of Paris-Descartes (Paris V), where she also taught fundamental law principles and Family Law.
She mainly works in Contract Law, General Criminal Law, Criminal Business Law and Family Law.
Camille GOSSON graduated with a Master 2 in International Criminal Justice and a Master 1 in Criminal Law and Criminal Sciences from the University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas. She also has a background in Common Law from the same university and an exchange year at McGill University.
After working with a defense lawyer in Montreal, she joined the International Law Clinic of Assas to work on the qualification of international crimes committed during the conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia.
Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2021, she joined WJ Avocats in 2022, where she currently works as a trainee lawyer.
sophia bidine
Works in French, English and Spanish
Specialized In
- PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW
- humanitarian law
- HUMAN RIGHTS
- migration law
After completing a degree in French, Spanish and Common laws from Tours University, Sophia BIDINE graduated with a Master II in Public international law and received an extensive training in comparative law as part of a university diploma, both from Aix-Marseille University.
Her multiple professional experiences in law firms as well as in international governmental and non-governmental organisations and jurisdictions (Management Evaluation Unit of the UNO, Unicef, La Cimade, Special Tribunal for Lebanon, and International Criminal Court) has enabled her to acquire solid skills in a number of areas of international, European and French law.
Admitted to the bar in 2022, she joined the firm as part of her curriculum at Poitiers Bar School in July 2023.
Elena MORENO completed a double degree in English and French Law, during which she obtained an LLB in English Law and a Master’s degree in International and European Law. She also holds a Master II in International Law and international organizations from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne.
After various experiences in the field of International Criminal Law and Human Rights (Council of Europe, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), she worked at the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
Admitted to the bar in 2021, she joined the firm as part of her curriculum at the Paris Bar School in January 2023.
elena moreno
Works in French, English and Spanish
Specialized In
- CRIMINAL LAW
- INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
- HUMAN RIGHTS
- EUROPEAN UNION LAW
maël atain kouadio
Works in French and English
Specialized In
- INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
- CRIMINAL business LAW
- EUROPEAN and transnational CRIMINAL LAW
- BUSINESS LAW
Maël ATAIN KOUADIO holds an LLM in International Criminal Law from the University of Amsterdam. He also holds a university diploma in criminal business law and a Master 2 in business law, both obtained in parallel with the completion of the Magistère Juriste d’Affaires Européen at the Law Faculty of Nancy.
After initial work experience with a Washington D.C.-based NGO, he completed an internship with the Ministry of Justice’s Office for Combating Organized Crime, Terrorism and Money Laundering. He subsequently honed his skills by taking part in a research project at the University of Amsterdam as part of the Academic Excellence Track. During the same year, his involvement with the Criminal Justice Clinic also led him to work on accountability mechanisms for crimes committed by the Belarusian regime during the 2020 elections.
Having been admitted to the Paris Bar in 2022, he joined William JULIÉ Avocats for his final university internship before joining the École de Formation du Barreau in January 2024.
After obtaining a LL.B in French and German law from the Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne and the Universität zu Köln and a Master’s degree in International Criminal Justice from the Université Paris Panthéon-Assas, Marie LEHMON completed an LL.M jointly taught by the University of Amsterdam and Columbia University in New York. She is specialised in international and criminal law and carried out research on universal jurisdiction within the European Union.
Her multiple professional experiences in various legal fields (law firms, courts, ministery, NGO) as well as her participation in the Moot Court Competition of The Hague Academy of International Law and the International Law Clinic of Panthéon Assas University have enabled her to acquire a solid understanding of the law and the mechanisms of both national, and international justice.
In September 2023, she took the Paris Bar exam and joined the firm as a trainee.
marie lehmon
Works in French, German and English
Specialized In
- INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
- CRIMINAL LAW
- INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW
- COMPARATIVE LAW
