Geoffrey Willems
Place Montesquieu 2 à 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Tel : (+32) 010 / 47 47 31
Email: geoffrey.willems@uclouvain.be
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Academic Appointments
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Université catholique de Louvain (BE)
2015 – present: Full-time Professor
Courses: Family law, International and Comparative family law, Interdisciplinary Approach of family Law, Legal methodology
Member of the Family Law Centre
2006-2015: Teaching and Research Assistant
Member of the Family Law Centre
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Education
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Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) (BE)
December 2014: PhD Law
« Le droit de la personne et de la famille au prisme de la Convention européenne des droits de l’homme »
Supervisor : Pr. J.-L. Renchon / Monitoring committee: Pr. P. Murat and Pr. S. van Drooghenbroeck / Jury : Pr. F. Tulkens, Pr. W. Pintens and Pr. M. Verdussen
Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles (USL-B) (BE)
2007: Master in Human Rights Law – (summa cum laude)
Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) (BE)
2006: Master in Law – (magna cum laude)
Université de Namur (UNamur) (BE)
2003: Bachelor in Law – (magna cum laude)
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Direction of Research Projects
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2016-2017: Adults and Children in Postmodern Societies
International research project
18 jurisdictions represented by 18 national experts
Insights form 4 human and social sciences experts
International conference organised in July 2017 in Louvain-la-Neuve
2014-2015: Human Rights as a Basis for Reevaluating and Reconstructing the LawDoctoral conference organised in Louvain-la-Neuve
34 young scholars presenting their research in the field of human rights law.
6 academic speakers including introduction by Prof. Paul Nihoul (judge at the European Union Tribunal) and conclusions by Prof. Paul Lemmens (judge at the European Court of Human Rights)
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Teaching Invitations
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Université d’Ottawa – January 2018
Invitation by Pr. Michelle Giroux
Course: Adults and Children in Postmodern Societies
Università Degli Studi di Perugia – February 2017
Invitation by Pr. Stefania Stefanelli /
Doctoral course: Donor Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy in Belgium: Equal Access to Parenthood and Policy Coherence
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven – November 2016
Invitation by Pr. Ingrid Boone
Bachelor course: Couple Relationships in the case law of the ECtHR
Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona – October 2016
Invitation by Pr. Josep Ferrer-Riba
Doctoral course: Donor Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy in Belgium: Equal Access to Parenthood and Policy Coherence
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collaborations with Public Authorities
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Belgian Council of State
Family Law Expert for the Legislation Division of the Council of State
Belgian Ministry of Justice
January 2017
Invitation by Minister Koen Geens
Consultation process about the future of the regulation of legal parenthood in Belgium
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Professional Experience
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DABIN – Law firm specialized in family law
September 2007 – August 2011: Lawyer / Partner
Counseling, negotiation and litigation
Divorce and ancillary relief
Children: parental responsibility, support, maintenance
Care and supervision proceedings
Parenthood
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Scholarship and Awards
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Fulbright Research Grant (2017)
Grant awarded for a visiting scholarship at Washington College of Law
American University/Washington DC
Project: “Family Law through the Lens of Human Rights: A Comparative Analysis of the United States Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights Case-Laws”
Louvain 2020 Program (2016)
Funding awarded for an international research project
20 international experts involved
Adults and Children in Postmodern Societies
Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique (FRS-FNRS) (2016)
Funding awarded for a one month visiting scholarship at Durham University
Moot Court Competition of the Nivelles Bar (2008)
Prize of the Former Presidents of the Young Bar / Arthemis Prize
Best Master Thesis – Interdisciplinary Seminar in Human Rights Law (2006)
Awarded by Pr. O. de Schutter / Published in the CRIDHO Working Papers series
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Pro Bono Work and Professional Activities
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Revue Trimestrielle de Droit Familial (Family Law Review – Belgium)
Member of the editorial board
Revue Juridique Personne et Famille (Family Law Review – France)
Belgian correspondant
Association Famille & Droit
Member
Ligue des droits de l’homme (Human Rights League)
Member
International Society of Family Law
Member
RETHINKIN Expert Seminar
Member
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Faculty AND UNIVERSITY Service
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Louvain Global College of Law
Steering committee
Bachelor Commission
Member
Gender Studies Interdisciplinary Master Commission
Member
Electoral Commission
Member
Family Law Centre
Projects coordination
Supervision of research assistants in family law
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Visiting Scholarships
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Washington College of Law (WCL) (American University)
August 2017-February 2018
Comparative research on human rights and family law
Family Law through the Lens of Human Rights: A Comparative Analysis of the United States Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights Case-Laws
Durham Law School (Durham University)
January – February 2016
Visiting scholarship
Comparative research in family law
Rules and discretion in family law: convergence between England and Wales and civil law jurisdictions?
European Court of Human Rights
September – October 2014
Visiting scholarship
Interviews with judges and members of the registry
Family law through the lens of European Human Rights Law
Universidad Complutense Madrid
June – July 2013
Facultad de derecho – Instituto de Derechos Humanos (IDH)
Visiting scholarship
Legal research
Theory of human rights
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