Meet the team
Administration
Juliette Malfaisan
Executive Director & Founder
Juliette is a French lawyer. She holds two master’s degrees in property law and environmental law from the University of Lyon and successfully passed the French bar exam in 2017. She has previously worked as a lawyer in the French Bar Association of Lille.
Since 2018, Juliette has been working alternatively as a coordinator and legal counsel for projects based in Greece, providing legal assistance to asylum seekers and refugees.
In 2019, she founded Equal Legal Aid as a continuation of her previous work in Greece. Since then, Juliette has been the executive director of the organisation. In this role, and among other things, she oversees the implementation of the organisation’s pro bono legal assistance programme, advocacy and communication efforts, its overall strategy and daily administration.
Alexandros Tzenos
Project Officer and legal Advisor
Alexandros is a lawyer in the Thessaloniki Bar association with over a decade of experience in Reception and Asylum mechanisms in Greece, working with UNHCR and Norcap at border locations in Evros, Aegean islands and North Greece. In 2023 he joined Equal Legal Aid to support the team as Project Officer and legal advisor on case management.
He holds a master’s degree in criminal law from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He can indicate that the law is indeed criminal in crucial aspects of protecting the most vulnerable population. He also holds a bachelor’s in History and Archeology and a master’s degree in Philosophy from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Héloïse Mussard
Finance and Communication Officer
Héloïse is responsible for ELA’s finances, communications and public relations.
She holds a Master of International Media from Université Paris VIII, France.
Before joining ELA, Héloïse studied journalism in USEK University in Lebanon, and worked in an art gallery in Beirut. More recently, she volunteered as a PR media officer in Tirana, Albania, where she led a project on inclusion through photography.
Juliette Tassy
Fundraising, grant management & MEAL
Juliette is involved with ELA’s fundraising , donor relations and MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Analysis and Learning) activities.
She holds a Master of Humanitarian Action and Law from the University of Aix-en–Provence, France.
Before joining ELA, Juliette worked in program and donor relations in Athens and volunteered in different organisations in Athens and Northern Greece.
Legal staff
Efstathia Laina
Lawyer
Since June 2021
Efstathia is a lawyer from the Thessaloniki Bar association. She supports the association by providing help to applicants of international protection.
She has been working for the past 20 years as an Human Rights lawyer and an NGO field worker.
Before joining ELA, she was a Lawyer at Thessaloniki Solidarity Center of “Solidarity Now”.
Athina Kalogridi
Lawyer
Since October 2021
Athina is a lawyer from the Thessaloniki Bar Association.
She has been working as a field lawyer for refugees and migrants the last 7 years.
Before joining ELA, she was a lawyer at Thessaloniki Solidarity Center of “Solidarity Now” for 5 years and before that she worked as a lawyer in the Shelter for Unaccompanied Minors asylum seekers of “ARSIS” in Oraiokastro, Thessaloniki.
Eleni Papageorgiou
Lawyer
Since February 2022
Eleni is a lawyer at the Athens Bar.
She has been working with refugees in the field for 6 years.
Before joining ELA, she worked as a lawyer at the Thessaloniki Solidarity Center “Solidarity Now” and before that she worked with the UNHCR in several camps in northern Greece.
Bianca Valperga
Volunteer lawyer
Since September 2024
Simon Appriou
Volunteer Lawyer
Since July 2024
Simon is a French trainee lawyer holding a master’s degree in International Public Law from the University Lyon III. He has been volunteering in several NGOs in the refugee field such as l’Anafé, la Ligue des droits de l’Homme and Forum Réfugiés.
Before joining ELA, he was studying at EFB (Ecole de formation professionnelle des barreaux) and was working at the International Criminal Court as a consultant for a defence team.
Former Team members and volunteers
Mariem Laaribi
Volunteer lawyer and cultural mediator
November 2023 to November 2024
Anne Bonitz
Volunteer lawyer
April to october 2024
Christos Martinis
Volunteer lawyer
January to September 2024
Valia Charalampopoulou
Lawyer
September 2023 to July 2024
Isaline Ernoud
Volunteer jurist
January 2024 to April 2024
Helena Baeck
Volunteer jurist
October 2023 to March 2024Apri
Simon Decoster
Volunteer jurist
September 2023 to December 2023
Elisabeth Lutz
Volunteer jurist
June 2023 to October 2023
Pierre Kreins
Volunteer jurist
January 2023 to July 2023
Domitille Nicolet
Coordinator and co-founder
2020 to 2023
Farhad Alizadeh
Cultural mediator
2021 to 2023
Leonie Passler
Volunteer jurist
July 2022 to February 2023
Aurore Vigouroux
Volunteer jurist
September 2022 to January 2023
Matteo Russo
Volunteer jurist
February to August 2022
Claire Didisheim
Volunteer jurist
October 2021 to July 2022
Maelys Guillaume
Volunteer jurist
October 2021 to March 2022
Priscille Duflos
Project management intern
June 2021 to January 2022
Stella Pitsilidou
Communication officer
September 2020 to May 2021
Valia Charalampopoulou
Trainee lawyer
October 2020 to July 2021
Irene Villani
Volunteer jurist
October 2020 to June 2021
Chrysanthi (Sandy) Stavrou
Trainee lawyer
May 2021 to October 2021
