Julia Laffranque

Julia Laffranque (25/7/1974-1999 née Vahing), is an Estonian jurist, judge, legal scientist ("doctor iuris"), a justice at the Supreme Court of Estonia and a docent at the University of Tartu. She is married to French jurist Rodolphe Laffranque, and is the daughter of writer Maimu Berg and of writer/psychiatrist Vaino Vahing.

Education

* 1997 - graduation of the Law Faculty of Tartu University (including studies at the Law Faculty of Hamburg University 1994-1995);
* 1998 - Masters degree in law ("magistra legum, LL.M.") of the Law Faculty of Münster University, Germany, "summa cum laude";
* doctoral studies at the University of Kiel and the European University Institute in Florence;
* 2003 - Doctoral degree in jurisprudence ("doctor iuris, dr. iur.") University of Tartu.

Career

* 1996 - 2004 - Ministry of Justice of Estonia: head of the EU law and foreign relations division, since 2002 Deputy Secretary General on Legislative Drafting;
* since 20004 - justice at the Supreme Court of Estonia (member of the administrative law chamber), since 2007 member of the constitutional review chamber;
* since 2006 docent of European Union Law at the Law Faculty of Tartu University;
* "Dr. iur." Laffranque has completed traineeships at the Legal Service of the European Commission, at the Ministries of Justice in Sweden and France, the Supreme Administrative Court of Germany, and the "Conseil d'Etat" of France; she has also served as an "ad hoc" judge at the European Court of Human Rights;
* 2006 - 2008 - vice-chair of the Consultative Council of European Judges ("CCJE") of the Council of Europe;
* since 2008 - chair of the Consultative Council of European Judges;
* since 2004 - president of the European Law Society of Estonia ("FIDE" Estonia);
* since 2004 - member of the board of the Estonian Academic Law Society;
* 2000 - 2004 - member of the board of the policy think-tank "Praxis."

Books

* Euroopa Liit ja Euroopa Ühendus. Institutsioonid ja õigus (European Union and European Community. Institutions and Law. Sisekaitseakadeemia 1999)
* Euroopa Kohtu Lahendid I ja II. Kogumiku koostaja ja Euroopa Kohut tutvustava osa autor (Case law of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Estonian I and II. Compiler of the book and author of the introductory part about the ECJ. Juura 2001 and 2003)
* Prantsuse -eesti-prantsuse õigussõnaraamat (French-Estonian-French legal dictionary (together with Rodolphe Laffranque. Juura 2002)
* Eelotsuse küsimine Euroopa Kohtult (Handbook for Estonian judges about asking preliminary references from the ECJ. Eesti Õiguskeskus 2005)
* Euroopa Liidu õigussüsteem ja Eesti õiguse koht selles (The Legal System of European Union and Estonian Law. Juura 2006).

* "Dr. iur." Laffranque has published several articles in Estonian, English, German and French languages in Estonian and international legal journals

Honours

* 2004 - "Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite" of France.
* 2005 - Estonian White Cross, fourth category.