The Team
Alain Werner
Director
Alain is a lawyer registered with the Geneva Bar (CH) and holds an LL.M from Columbia University (New York). He has worked for the Office of the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) in several trials including the trial in The Hague of the former President of Liberia, Charles Taylor.
He also appeared at the trial of Kaing Guek Eav, or “Duch”, before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh where he acted as a lawyer for the civil parties (victims of the crimes of the Khmer Rouge). Mr. Werner also represented the victims in the case against former President of Chad, Hissène Habré, in front of the Extraordinary African Chambers in Dakar, Senegal. Alain Werner also represents Liberian plaintiffs in the first criminal case for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Switzerland against Alieu Kosiah.
In 2019 he was awarded the”Bâtonnier Michel Halpérin for Excellence” by the Geneva Bar Association.
In November 2020, Mr. Werner was selected as an Ashoka fellow, the world’s biggest network of social entrepreneurs and change leaders. This fellowship is an important recognition of the unique modus operandi of Civitas Maxima, and highlights the innovative method applied by Civitas Maxima and the GJRP.
Emmanuelle Marchand
Deputy Director, Head of Legal Unit
Emmanuelle leads the legal team at Civitas Maxima. Since 2013, she has been working on the organization’s strategic litigation cases and has been conducting investigation on international crimes including conflict related sexual and gender based violence (CRSGBV). She also works on capacity building of Civitas Maxima’s partner organization, the Global Justice and Research Project. As part of CM’s Knowledge and Training pillar, Emmanuelle also provides training to share CM’s know-how on strategic litigation and how to build extraterritorial cases
For more than 12 years she has been working on international cases including at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the African Extraordinary Chambers and war crimes cases at national level.
In addition, Emmanuelle acts as consultant for the Institute for International Criminal Investigations (IICI) and also provides trainings on different aspects of international investigation (including CRSGBV) for both NGOs and UN. She is a Justice Rapid Response rostered expert for International Investigation and SGBV. She graduated with degrees in International Law and Human Rights from the University of Paris II Panthéon Assas (Master) and the University of Aix en Provence (Master).
Bérangère Pineau Soukkarieh
Head of Operations
Bérangère is a Franco-Lebanese jurist, holding a master’s degree in the field of International Public Law from the University of Law and Political Sciences in Paris, France, and a bachelor’s degree in Russian from the University of Foreign Languages and Literature in Tours, France.
Prior to joining Civitas Maxima, Bérangère worked in the human rights and development sectors in the MENA region, where she worked extensively with civil society organizations for fifteen years. In Lebanon, she worked with local human rights NGOs which focused their work on prevention of torture, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances. Bérangère is a Board Member of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, a local civil society human rights organization based in Beirut, Lebanon. She is the co-founder of Exigo Research and Communications, a consulting firm providing research and monitoring and evaluation services for research institutions, international non-governmental organizations, and governmental agencies with programming in complex and volatile security contexts, including in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Jordan.
Legal
Gaëlle Buchet
Legal Counsel
Gaëlle is a French qualified lawyer with an LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. She holds a professional lawyer’s certificate (CAPA) from the École des avocats Rhône-Alpes.
Before joining CM, Gaëlle worked as a United Nations Judicial Affairs Officer in Bouar (Central African Republic), where she garnered strong field experience in capacity-building efforts involving local partners. Previously, she had worked for over three years for defense teams for some of the most high-profile cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague (Netherlands) and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh (Cambodia). She has also worked at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague and at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San José (Costa Rica).
Laurine Chereau
Case Manager
Laurine is a French jurist working as a Case Manager for the Liberian Cases of Civitas Maxima. She is holding a master’s degree in International Law and International Relations from the University of Clermont-Ferrand and a double bachelor in French and English law from the University of Tours. Prior to joining Civitas Maxima, Laurine has worked as a Legal Assistant on international cases in a law firm but also as a Case Manager for the Legal Representatives of Victims at the International Criminal Court.
Pauline Laborde
Junior Legal Counsel
Pauline is a French jurist and works as a Junior Legal Counsel for Civitas Maxima’s War Profiteering portfolio. She graduated from the University of Aix-Marseille with a master’s degree in International Human Rights Law and Humanitarian Law and from Sciences Po Lyon with a master’s degree in International Affairs. In parallel to her work with Civitas Maxima, Pauline works as a Case Manager for the Aix Global Justice Legal Clinic, providing training and advice to clinical fellows on Business & Human Rights cases.
Prior to joining Civitas Maxima, Pauline worked for several NGOs and international organisations, namely the Irish CSO Co-operation Ireland, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the French association Sherpa, and as a Legal and Advocacy Officer for the International Platform for Corporate Liability.
Elsa Marguet
Legal Counsel
Elsa contributes to a number of Civitas Maxima’s European cases concerning alleged international crimes in Liberia and Ivory Coast. She also supports Civitas Maxima’s capacity building efforts with GJRP.
Elsa is a French jurist holding a master’s degree in International Public Law from the University of Strasbourg as well as a master’s degree in Human Rights Law and a ‘university degree’ in International Criminal Law from the University of Paris-Nanterre. She worked on international cases at the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon.
Laura-Lou Moreau
Legal Counsel
Laura-Lou is a French qualified lawyer with an LL.M. in Public International and European Law from Erasmus University (Rotterdam). She holds a Professional Lawyer’s Certificate (CAPA) from the Haute École des Avocats Conseils de la Cour d’appel de Versailles. Laura-Lou has more than 8 years of experience working in the fields of international criminal law, human rights law, transitional justice, sexual and gender-based violence, financial crimes, and corporate accountability.
Laura-Lou is also currently a Senior Legal Counsel to Global Diligence Alliance. Before deciding to join CM, Laura-Lou worked for Project Expedite Justice (PEJ) between 2017 and 2021. As the Sudan Country Director for PEJ, she led investigations and strategic litigation related to the Darfur genocide, supported Sudan’s transitional justice process through capacity building and training activities, and led the development of an e-learning platform housing a curriculum on best investigating and documentation practices. Upon passing the French bar in 2018, Laura-Lou also assisted a French lawyer on domestic criminal cases and on a universal jurisdiction case related to the Rwandan genocide before the Appeal Court of Paris (France). Previously, she has worked in defense teams before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague (Netherlands).
Leah Sade Olasehinde
Junior Legal Counsel
Leah is a British jurist and works as a Junior Legal Counsel at Civitas Maxima. She holds an LL.M. in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights from the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, a master’s degree in International Law from the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas, and a double LL.B/law degree in English Law and French Law from King’s College London and the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas.
Before joining Civitas Maxima, Leah worked, in Paris, as a paralegal in immigration, asylum, and family law, and as a social work assistant for asylum seekers at Dom’Asile. In London, Leah worked in legal research at Freedom from Torture in topics related to international criminal law, and social work for refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants at the British Red Cross. At King’s College London, Leah was a volunteer English teacher at the student association The Learning Station Project.
Maria Teresa Tienda Rivera
Legal Consultant
Maria Teresa Tienda Rivera is a Spanish lawyer with experience in international human rights law and international criminal law. She holds a master in International Law from the University of Geneva and an LL.M from Duke Law School.
She started her career in human rights advocating before the UN Human Rights Council and other UN human rights mechanisms in Geneva, Switzerland. After a brief period working as a lawyer in Spain, Maria Teresa worked as a visiting professional at the International Criminal Court in The Hague and for the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2020, she became programme officer in International Justice at the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), where she also currently works.
Maria Teresa collaborated with Civitas in 2018 as mandataire, and then joined as legal counsel in August 2021. She is qualified to practice law in Spain and has working knowledge of the US legal system.
Communications and Outreach
Rebecca-Paris Senior
Communications and Outreach Manager
Rebecca designs and leads Civitas Maxima’s communication strategy, relating to our legal cases and other activities. She is also in charge of the organization’s media presence. In addition, Rebecca develops both national and international Outreach projects, with the help of various media and artistic consultants. She also coordinates with our Liberian partners.
Rebecca is a communication specialist with more than seven years experience in different areas of communication. She specialises in communication for development and digital communications – with a focus on design. She holds a Honours degree in International Relations and Peace and Conflict studies (London Metropolitan University) and a Masters in Communication for Development (Malmö University).
Julia Rosso
Communications Assistant
Julia contributes to the maintenance of Civitas Maxima’s communication strategy with a focus on digital tools and social media. She also participates in the translation and design of various communication products as well as press relations.
Julia studied communications and political sciences at Sciences Po Grenoble with the aim of working for the non-profit sector. During her Master’s degree, she completed two internships at the United Nations before joining Civitas Maxima.
Fundraising
Amanda Seilern
Head of Private Fundraising
Born in Geneva and educated there, in America and in the UK, Amanda holds a BA from Oxford University and a postgraduate degree from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. After working at Sotheby’s London in charge of departmental clients and sales, Amanda was deputy director of a London gallery.
Since moving back to Geneva in 2009, Amanda has devoted her professional life to brand development, events management and fundraising for a range of enterprises. In the past couple of years she has devoted her expertise to philanthropy, working for local nonprofit entities including B8 of Hope and Research for Life. She joined Civitas Maxima in November 2018 where she is responsible for promoting the mission of the organization, enhancing its visibility and developing fund-raising actions.
Nakil Bieri
Fundraising Manager
Nakil coordinates the organization’s institutional fundraising requirements. Besides reporting to existing donors, Nakil researches, identifies and engages in prospective institutional donors. He also contributes to the definition and the implementation of CM’s fundraising policy and strategy.
Nakil has previous experience working as a fundriaser for both private and development sectors. He holds a bachelor in History and Social Anthropology (Fribourg University) and a masters in International History (The Graduate Institute, Geneva).
Finance and Administration
Jeanette Rouvinez
Head of Finance and Administration
Jeanette manages and coordinates the organization financial and administrative needs. She also closely collaborates with GJRP’s financial officer, building their finance and accounting capacity. She joined the organization in 2014.
Jeanette has worked for both private and non-profit sectors, and has more that 16 years of experience in accounting and finance. Jeanette holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy (Aquinas University of Legazpi, Philippines).
Feven Kiflom
Accounting and Admin Assistant
Feven works principally in accounting and provides assistance on HR related matters. She ensures that all records are up to date and helps develop our accounting system and tools. Feven also provides general administrative support.
Feven holds a professional maturity in Economy and services, type economy and continues her studies at the University of Applied Sciences Geneva in the International Business Management (IBM) program.
Strategic Partners and Founders
- Our sister organization, the Global Justice and Research Project, Monrovia, Liberia
- Agro Companies International SA, Switzerland
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, U.S.
- Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), Switzerland
- Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law, Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Courrégé & Foreman, France
- Flomo Theater Production Inc., Liberia
- Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, Switzerland
- Hannes Snellman
- Human Rights Watch, International Justice Program, U.S.
- Inoks Capital SA, Switzerland
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Law and Policy Forum, Switzerland
- Jacquemoud & Stanislas, Switzerland
- Liberia Visual Arts Academy, Liberia
- New Narratives, West Africa
- Oak Foundation, Switzerland
- Ochsner & Associés, Switzerland
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Liberia and Switzerland
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Switzerland
- Secretariat for the Establishment of War Crimes Court in Liberia (SEWACCOL), Liberia
- Swiss Incorp, Switzerland
- The Advocates for Human Rights, U.S.
- The Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), U.S.
- The Civil Society Human Rights Advocacy Platform, Liberia
- The Institute for International Criminal Investigations, The Hague, The Netherlands
- The Karl Popper Foundation, Switzerland
- The Sigrid Rausing Trust, London, UK
- The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, Geneva, Switzerland
- The University of Nottingham Human Rights Law Centre, UK
- White & Case LLP, Geneva, Switzerland
- Walleyn & Blanmailland, Belgium
- Zennström Philanthropies, London, UK
Key Documents
