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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

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 who pratices mainly in criminal defence and international litigation. 

After studying law at the University of Paris Sorbonne (Paris I), William Julié joined Professor Mireille Delmas-Marty’s DEA (post-graduate diploma) in Criminal Policy in Europe and the Institute of Criminology at the University of Paris Assas (Paris II).

He began his career in the field of criminal law and fundamental rights working alongside renowned lawyers, in particular Maître Henri Leclerc (President of the Ligue des Droits de l’Homme).

His expertise includes extradition, the withdrawal of INTERPOL notices, restrictive measures (sanctions) and, more generally, complex national and cross-border litigation. 

He regularly intervenes as a legal expert before foreign courts.

 

Amélie BEAUCHEMIN is an attorney at the New York Bar and Paris Bar.

Before joining WJ Avocats, she taught an introduction to International Criminal Law within the International Law program for Arabic speakers at the Washington College of Law and worked for the international co-prosecutor’s office in the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). She also 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.

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.

At WJ Avocats, she developed a strong expertise on international sanctions matters and assisted multiple clients in the context of annulment proceedings.

She also regularly works on cross-border criminal cases.

Yuri SHUMILOV

RUSSIAN ADVOCATE
SOLICITOR (IRELAND, ENGLAND AND WALES
BRUSSELS BAR (LIST B)

Works in English and Russian

  • M&A AND PRIVATE EQUITY
  • INTERNATIONAL FINANCINGS
  • SANCTIONS

Yuri SHUMILOV 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.

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 École des Avocats in January 2023.

ELENA MORENO

Works in French, in English and in Spanish

  • CRIMINAL LAW
  • INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
  • HUMAN RIGHTS
  • EUROPEAN UNION 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. In 2023, she was part of the Defense Team for Mr Pjetër Shala at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2021, she joined WJ Avocats, where she currently works as a trainee lawyer and mainly works in cases related to INTERPOL (red notices) and International and European Criminal Law (sanctions).

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.

Within her different experiences (law firms, courts, ministery, NGO), and with her participation in the Moot Court Competition of The Hague Academy of International Law and the International Law Clinic of Panthéon Assas University she has mainly worked in international and criminal law and carried out research on universal jurisdiction within the European Union.

Admitted to the Paris Bar in 2023, she joined the firm where she currently works as a trainer lawyer.

MARIE LEHMON

Works in French, German and English

  • INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
  • CRIMINAL LAW
  • INTERNATIONAL TRADE LAW
  • COMPARATIVE LAW

ALICE DE FREITAS

Works in French, English and Spanish

  • EUROPEAN LAW
  • HUMAN RIGHTS
  • INTERNATIONAL LAW
  • REFUGEE LAW

After spending a year at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany, Alice de FREITAS graduated with a Master 1 in International and European Law and a Master 2 in European Union Law from the Universities of Paris-Ouest Nanterre La Défense and Lille.

Following various internships in law firms, she worked in the European Law and Fundamental Rights Office of the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation). Her diverse professional and associative experiences have enabled her to acquire a strong aptitude for international defense and the protection of human rights.

Admitted to the bar in 2022, she joined the firm as a trainee-lawyer in January 2024.

 

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.

Madeleine BRESSAT holds an LLM in public international law from the University of Leiden. She also holds a Master 2 in private international law from the University Paris Panthéon-Assas and a University diploma in American law.

After various experiences in law firms (international arbitration, criminal law) and within Amnesty International, she assisted the Vice-Chairman of the United Nations Committee against Torture and delivered courses in International Criminal Law at the Alliance française of Cuba.

Her academic work has also provided her with solid expertise concerning the responsibility of corporations involved in international criminal law and human rights violations.

MADELEINE BRESSAT

Works in French and English

  • INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW
    PUBLIC
  • INTERNATIONAL LAW
    PRIVATE
  • INTERNATIONAL LAW
  • BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS