Julia Laffranque
Julia Laffranque (née Vahing; born 25 July 1974), is an Estonian jurist, judge, legal scientist ("doctor iuris"), visiting professor of European law Justice at the Supreme Court of Estonia, Judge at the European Court of Human Rights 2011 - 2020 (Vice-President of the Second Section of the European Court of Human Rights 2015-2018). Since 4 June 2018 also a member of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency, earlier professor of European law at the University of Tartu. Since 2020 member of the Board of Trustees, the Foundation Academy of European Law Trier (Europäische  Rechtsakademie, ERA). In 2019 she was a candidate for the post of European Ombudsman. In 2020 she was appointed as Director of Programme of the European Law Academy (ERA) and in 2021 the Council of the European Union on the proposal of European Parliament by 586 votes in favor, appointed her as a member of Article 255 TFEU panel, which is to give opinion on candidates suitability to perform the duties of judge and advocate general of the Court of Justice and the General Court of the European Union. Education. She graduated with outstanding honors of the Litchfield High School , Connecticut, USA in 1991. She graduated with a gold of the Tallinna Õismäe Humanitaargümnaasium 1992. In 1997 she graduated the Law Faculty of Tartu University (including studies at the Law Faculty of Hamburg University 1994–1995) and in 1998 she received her Master's degree in law ("magistra legum, LL.M.") of the Law Faculty of Münster University, Germany, summa cum laude. She attended doctoral studies at the University of Kiel and the European University Institute in Florence and in 2003 received her doctoral degree in jurisprudence ("doctor iuris, dr. iur.") University of Tartu. Personal life. Amateur actress of the Vilde theatre  in Tartu, Estonia since 2006 and of the Tagora theatre at Council of Europe in Strasbourg since 2011. Director of children plays at the Estonian School in Strasbourg since 2013. Founder and initiator of the Theatre Club of the European Court of Human Rights, Strasbourg 2015. Some of her roles: Elviine Vestberg in Oskar Luts' "Vaikne nurgake" directed by Raivo Adlas,2007; Linda Vilde and Gertrud Edelstahl von Rostfrei in Veiko Märka "Tabamata ime" directed by Raivo Adlas, 2009; Mina in Maimu Berg "Euroopasse! Euroopasse!" directed by Raivo Adlas, 2010; Jelena Andrejevna in Anton Tshehhov "Onu Vanja" directed by Raivo Adlas , 2011; (J)Elena Popova in Brian Friel's (based on Anton Tshehhov) "The Bear", directed by Jodie Clifford, 2011; spy Liza in C. Chilto and J. Littlewood's, „Oh What a Lovely War“ directed by Louise Palmer, 2012; opera singer and adventuress Irene Adler in Richard Thayer's “Watson in Winter” directed by Richard Thayer and David Adamson, 2013; Aino Kallas in Maimu Berg's "Aino and Herman", directed by Julia Whitham and Louise Palmer in "La Belle Epoque" (Tagora, Cube Noir Strasbourg), 2013; Sarah, Amanda, Queen Gertrud and wife of Sir. Thomas Moore in Christopher Durang's „Actors’Nightmare“, directed by  David Adamson (Tagora, Au Camionneur, Strasbourg), 2015; Sarah in Ferenc Molnár's, „A Matter of Husbands“, directed by David Crowe (Tagora, Au Camionneur, Strasbourg), 2015; Elizabeth Proctor in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", directed by Louise Palmer (Tagora, rehearsed reading at the European Court of Human Rights), 2015; Honey in Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" directed by Martyn Symons (Tagora, Cube Noir, Strasbourg), 2016; William Shakespeare's Hamlet's monologue in Estonian with Tagora theatre and at the European Court of Human Rights, 2016; Lamchop, patient and black sheep, Jonathan Alexandratos "Duck" ("Part") directed by Mike  Mecek, Peace Productions Americans in Alsace, 2016; E(dward) Steichen, in Brancusi vs. United States, historic trial reenacted, adapted by Andra Matei – , rehearsed reading, directed by Martyn Symons, 2016; Mrs. Vixen, Baltic scandalist, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, « The School for Scandal », directed by Louise Palmer, 2017; Digna Ochoa, Rana Husseini, Juliana Dogbadzi, Ka Hsaw Wa, Wangari Maathai, Kek Galabru, Marian Wright Edelman, Second Voice, Ariel Dorfman (based on the book by Kerry Kennedy), “Speak Truth to Power. Voices From Beyond the Dark” – directed by Andra Matei, 2017; Katharina Luther in Maimu Berg "Lutheri naine (Luther's wife)", directed by Julia Laffranque, 2017 ; Rutt in Maimu Berg "Grandfather" - directed by David Adamson, 2018; Meeta in Janno Villecourt, Maimu Berg "Meeta ja õigus (Meeta and Justice)", directed by Piret Kuub, 2018; Olimpia Kohary, a refuge/the White Duchess in David Adamson, Hazel Breslin, David Crowe, Jenny Griffiths, Elena Malagoni, Nick O’Sullivan, Louise & Simon Palmer, Joëlle & Martyn Symons, Richard Thayer, Liam Wright « Alice in Brexitland » – directed by Louise Palmer, Tagora, Cube Noir, Strasbourg, 2019; Judge B in Bertolt Brecht « In Search of Justice » –, directed by David Adamson, Tagora Theatre Club of the European Court of Human Rights « Court in the Act », Strasbourg, 2019; Sicco Mansholt  in Liliane Tetsi, Princesse Europe, Louise Weiss, la grand’ mère de l’Europe et les pères de l’Europe sont de retour (Princess Europe, Louise Weiss, the ´great mother of Europe and the fathers of Europe are back)”, directed by Liliane Tetsi, EUCASO-(Europe Cameroun Solidarité)/ “Court in the Act”, Strasbourg, 2019; director of the movie "Kuulsused saja aastases Eestis“ , Estonian School in Strasbourg, 2019/2020; Betti Alver poems at Tagaranna Kirjanduspäev, Saaremaa, 2021; Juliette Marchand in Piret Saul-Gorodilov, "Meie autor Eduard Vilde," directed by Raivo Adlas, Vilde Teater, 2021; Prof Greta Kask in "Much Ado About Will", directed by Louise Palmer , Tagora, Strasbourg/Zoom, 2021 She is married to French jurist Rodolphe Laffranque, has three sons: (twins) Oscar Helmut and Tobias Louis (born 2008) and Léo Lennart (born 2018); and is the daughter of writer Maimu Berg and of writer/psychiatrist Vaino Vahing.