Academic and Work Highlights

Snapshot from the 2024 McGill Moot Court Invitational, where I had the pleasure of participating as a judge. Held at the McGill University – Faculty of Law on February 17th and 18th, this competition provided a great Moot Court experience for pre-law students. A big thank you to the McGill Undergraduate Moot Court team for organizing such a well-structured and engaging event. It was a pleasure to witness the dedication and talent of all the participants

On 28 August 2023, I completed my Master of Laws (LL.M) in the Fundamental Principles of German Law from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU).

My Thesis, supervised by Prof. Christian Walter, explored the topic "Positive obligations under fundamental and human rights and climate protection: What conclusions can be drawn from the climate decision of the German Federal Constitutional Court and the Urgenda decision of the Hoge Raad of the Netherlands for climate claims under the ECHR?”.

Over 8 months, Aimilia Tsachalidou, Thodoris Doukas, and Anastasia Pouliou represented Democritus University in the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition (HPMCC) with remarkable dedication and skill. 

The Final Round of the HPMCC, held from 22nd to 26th May in Strasbourg, brought together 18 teams from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Latvia, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK, in a spirited competition. 

Although our team did not make it to the Quarter Finals, they showcased their resilience and unwavering commitment to team effort. I would like to extend warm congratulations to the Maastricht University team for emerging as the winners of the HPMCC Final Round! Their exceptional performance and dedication have earned them this prestigious title. Big applause to the Greek team from NKUA for securing the second-place position.

Congratulations to all participants and, of course, to ELSA OC. Thank you for providing a platform for aspiring legal minds to showcase their skills and fostering an atmosphere of healthy competition. 

But that's not all! Our team's experience at the HPMCC went beyond the competition itself. While in Strasbourg, we had the privilege of meeting Greek Judge I. Ktistakis at the European Court of Human Rights, gaining invaluable insights into the workings of one of Europe's most prominent judicial institutions. Additionally, we crossed paths with Professor of Democritus University G. Theodosis, who was present at the COE for the European Social Rights Committee. It is inspiring to encounter such accomplished professors from our own university, further highlighting the presence of our institution. 

A special mention goes to our exceptional coach Ioanna Pervou. Her guidance, expertise, and unwavering support have been instrumental in the team's success. I am grateful for working with her in this competition for the 2nd year. I look forward to the next year's team.

It is with great pleasure that I share with you the successful conclusion of the Tbilisi Regional Round of the Helga Pedersen Moot Court Competition, which took place from 24-26 February 2023. 

The Democritus University of Thrace, being a recurring participant, once again entered the competition, and I was privileged to be the coach of a team of three promising students, with the able assistance of I. Pervou. As an alumna of the institution, it is a source of great pride to witness the university's representation in this distinguished event, and I am honored to have supported our team in this thrilling endeavor.

Prior to the start of the competition, we had the incredible opportunity to meet with Ambassador Maria Theodorou, the Ambassador of Greece in Tbilisi. Her words of encouragement and support were truly inspiring and motivated our team to perform to the best of their abilities. 

This competition holds a special place in my heart because I was a former participant myself. To my surprise and delight, it was a nice coincidence to see former participants from the time I participated in the competition myself coming back as coaches as well. It was a pleasure to reconnect with old friends and colleagues and to see how much the competition evolves over the years. 

It is always exhilarating to observe the succeeding generation of scholars assume this challenge, and I am delighted to be a part of our team's journey. As their coach, I have had the pleasure of working with Aimilia, Anastasia, and Thodoris, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude for their unwavering commitment and hard work.

On Friday, 16th of September, I was sworn in as an attorney (dikigoros) to the Athens Bar Association, after successfully passing the nationwide Bar Exam in July. 

I achieved a high score in each subject, with a GPA of 8.6/10. In particular, I received a 9/10 in both Civil law and Criminal law, 10/10 in Public law, 7/10 in Commercial Law, and 8/10 in Code of Conduct. 

Balancing my responsibilities in the summer semester as an LL.M candidate at Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich and studying for the bar exams in Athens was a challenging task. Despite the added pressure of flying back and forth between two cities for the bar exams, I was also facing the pre-exam period for the summer semester in Munich. However, I am proud to say that hard work and dedication paid off as I successfully passed my exams both in Munich and in Athens. This demonstrated my commitment and dedication to both my academic education and my professional growth as a lawyer.

In my fifth year of studies, I completed an internship at the 2nd Directorate of Scientific Studies in the Hellenic Parliament’s Scientific Service. During this 6-month internship under the supervision of Prof. Asteris Pliakos, I extensively observed the political dialogue between the EU Member State’s National Parliaments and the European Commission, and I wrote a comparative report on the national parliament opinions on Commission documents in 2019. This provided me with a practical understanding of the subsidiarity control mechanism’s application in EU legislative procedure. Attending the sessions of the Hellenic Parliament's Committee on European Affairs gave me firsthand knowledge of the parliamentary procedure.

The Educational Criminal Moot Court has been a tradition of our law faculty for more than 15 years. It was initiated by Prof. Dr. Theocharis Dalakoulas in the 90s. In this year's criminal trial, the main auditorium of the Democritus University Law School was transformed into a mixed jury Court of Appeal hearing a case about intentional homicide. Thirty-three students from 4th year of studies entered the positions of judges, prosecutors, juries, attorneys, and witnesses. Of course, the excellent result would not have been possible without the valuable assistance of ao. Prof. Vathiotis Konstantinos, scientific collaborators Nikos Apostolidis, Christos Naidos, Nikolaos Daglis, and the Ph.D. Candidate Maria Gabrani. 

During my fourth year of studies, together with my co-students/co-counsels, we represented the university in the 2018-2019 European Human Rights Moot Court Competition (EHRMCC), which was organized by the European Law Student Association (ELSA) and the Council of Europe. Our team of four, team 72, managed to have the 3rd best score in the Written Round and was one of the 20 best teams out of 106 registered that qualified for the Final Oral Round. This moot court was a unique opportunity to gain practical experience compared to a real pleading in front of the European Court of Human Rights. Conducting research in the Court’s case law and respected literature provided me with in-depth knowledge of the European Convention on human rights principles, its implementation, and current human rights issues. Delivering arguments in front of panels of judges and professionals in the human rights field, as well as debating against driven law students from across Europe, enriched my advocacy, legal research, and legal writing skills. Spending hours with my co-counsels preparing written submissions, cross-examining each other’s arguments in mock sessions, and assisting each other during the real pleadings, solidified our commitment to the team effort. Being in the actual Council of Europe and European Court of Human Rights buildings was inspiring. Attending the competition’s receptions and social events with the other participants, human rights experts, excellencies and representations, the organizing committee, and ELSA’s international team, I had the opportunity to participate in discussions and the opening of dialogue between different nationalities. This moot court competition aim is best described by ELSA’s vision: “A just world where human dignity and cultural diversity are respected”.

Wanting to engage in comparative law and acquire an understanding of different law regimes οn an international level, I attended the 2018 European Private Law Summer School in Salzburg along with 11 of my co-students and Prof. K. Pantelidou who represented Democritus University of Thrace. During the two-week program, more than 40 professors from around the world and several justices represented more than 30 different legal systems. Joining the daily round tables and debates on law and language, legal transplants, and the harmonization of law, I realized how indispensable law is to international society and how it can be understood despite cultural differences or language barriers. Participating in the workshops, where case studies were discussed, provided me with a practical understanding of the differences between legal systems and how certain facts may or may not result in different outcomes. Most importantly, this two-week summer school served as a starting point for long-lasting friendships between diverse yet like-minded people from all over the world.

After my participation at the 2014 and 2015 AMUN in high school, the Model UN tradition followed me to law school, when in my first year of studies, I attended the 2016 Thessaloniki International Student Model United Nations (ThessISMUN)  conference as a delegate of Argentina in the Economic and Social Council. 

Being a member of the Democritus University of Thrace MUN team, I was excited to be a part of this renowned and oldest MUN conference in Greece. The experience of participating in MUN Conferences during my university years was a significant step up from my high school MUN experiences. The level of research, critical thinking, and public speaking skills required were much higher, which further honed my abilities and pushed me to grow my research and diplomacy. 

The ΤhessISMUN has a rich history, having been created in 2002 by Dr. Paroula Naskou-Perraki and Mrs. Mirka Gondika. Over the years, it has become one of the most highly regarded MUN conferences in Europe, attracting more than 450 delegates from around the world. The university was even honored with the title of "Friend of the United Nations - FUN" by the United Nations Regional Information Centre for Europe, which made the experience even more meaningful.

My Model UN journey started when I participated in the 2014 Athens Model United Nations (AMUN) conference as a delegate representing Chile in the Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SHCC). The following year, I was honored to be selected as the Chair of the same Committee, through an interview process, by the AMUN Organizing Team. 

Being an Officer at a Model UN conference was a position of great responsibility, as one's performance shapes the overall image of the conference and the MUN experience for the participating delegates. The role demanded not only preparation and enthusiasm but also a balanced and impartial attitude. I cherish the memories of the debates, where I got to interact with students who shared my interests and perspectives, and I was impressed by the level of engagement and diplomacy displayed by the delegates. 

Model UN conferences not only provide me a platform to develop leadership and public speaking skills, but also teach students about the United Nations and its committees, and their tireless efforts towards promoting peace, justice, and equality worldwide. I am grateful to have been part of this educational and meaningful project, and I am proud to have had the privilege of serving as a Student Officer.

I found my passion for international law and human rights at the age of 17 while participating in the Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee (SHCC) of the 2014 Athens Model United Nations (ΑMUN) conference as a Delegate and Ambassador of Chile. The AMUN is a three-day simulation of the United Nations where senior high school students can represent a country or organization in various UN forums such as the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and the Security Council. 

Through this experience, I was able to delve into world issues and gain a deeper understanding of international diplomacy. AMUN has given me a stimulus to explore and cultivate my interest in international law and human rights. I am grateful for this experience and the students I interacted with and shared my passion for debating global issues.