Asylum, FGM, and the Law

Laurence joined the World bank Legal Vice-Presidency   as a  Senior Counsel and  Project Manager for the Global Forum for Law, Justice and Development in 2018. She comes to the Bank with over 20 years of experience as a Lawyer in the Private Sector in international law issues ( mostly Africa and Middle East). Prior to joining the Bank Laurence worked at the French Ministry of foreign affairs and was in charge of Legal support to fragile and emerging countries (human rights, access to justice, rule of law and land governance…) .

Laurence holds two Masters ( postgraduate)  in European Economic Law from University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and a Master in Public Policies in Africa from Sciences Po Paris.

Attorney Kamal Nawash has practiced law as a trial lawyer in Washington DC for more than 20 years.  He began his career as an immigration and family law attorney and in 2008, he transitioned from immigration and family law to contract law with focus on commercial disputes.  Mr. Nawash has litigated cases in administrative, state, and federal courts.  He also argued appeals before state supreme courts and federal courts of appeals.

Mr. Nawash has successfully litigated several cases of first impression, including an asylum case before the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals on Female genital Mutilation that became binding law in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia.

Finally, Mr. Nawash represented the United States as a delegate to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Helene Gacon is a French attorney admitted to practice in Paris and an Expert at the French National Bar Council. Since 1990, Helene is a recognized expert in General litigation, immigration and asylum, private international law, domestic and European labor litigation  

Helene is also a teacher at the Dalloz Formation Métiers publics, at the association Forum Réfugiés-Cosi and numerous Bar Associations and law schools in right to migrants, refugees, and Asylum Seekers. She is covering multiple topics such as: social protection, Citizenship, protection of unaccompanied minors, civil status of French nationals and foreigners… 

Between 1994 and 2013 Helene published and coordinated the Dictionnaire permanent du droit des étrangers, Editions législatives. She is co-chair of the Right to Asylum Working group under the Law Societies Compact and Forum for SDFG 16. Between 1990 and 2006, Helene was a Lecturer at the Paris Law School for Lawyers in domestic and European migration law and right to asylum. Helene is member Groupe d'Information et de Soutien des Immigrés (GISTI) and was President of the French National Assocation for Border Assistance for Foreigners (ANAFE).