Elections
From 27 August 2026 09:00 CEST to 28 August 2026 11:30 CEST (First Vice-President, Secretary General, Executive Committee)
On 28 August 2026 from 10:30 to 11:30 CEST (General Assembly resolutions)
FOR AIJA MEMBERS
AIJA members can vote for…
AIJA First Vice-President
VALERIO SCOLLO
VALERIO SCOLLO
The interview with the candidate, Valerio Scollo, will be scheduled to take place in Vienna on Wednesday 26 August from 14:45 to 15:30 CEST.
From 27 August 2026 09:00 CEST to 28 August 2026 11:30 CEST, AIJA members will be able to vote electronically for the First Vice-President of AIJA.
AIJA Secretary General
ZOYA GYUROVA
ZOYA GYUROVA
From 27 August 2026 09:00 CEST to 28 August 2026 11:30 CEST, AIJA members will be able to vote electronically for the Secretary General of the association.
AIJA Executive Committee
From 27 August 2026 09:00 CEST to 28 August 2026 11:30 CEST, AIJA members will be able to vote electronically for the new Executive Committee members of AIJA.
To formally submit your application, please send your completed and signed candidacy form to elections@aija.org, and ensure the following requirements are met:
- To be eligible to run, you must yourself be an AIJA individual member with voting rights, i.e., under 45 on 28 August 2026 and up to date with your membership fee;
- The form must be signed by at least 5 different AIJA members who support your candidacy (you may include one additional “reserve” signature);
- The individual AIJA members signing in support of your candidacy must have full voting rights, meaning they must be 45 or younger on the date of the General Assembly (28 August 2026) and have paid their membership fee for 2026;
- Signatures can be collected on separate forms, but they must be submitted together via email to elections@aija.org
- The final deadline for submitting the application is Wednesday, 26 August 2026 at 18:00 CEST.
We look forward to receiving your applications and seeing many of you take part in shaping the future of AIJA.
AIJA Executive committee candidates
Lena
Hoss
Elvinger Hoss Prussen,
LUXEMBOURG
I am quite new to AIJA and have immediately been hooked by the extraordinary AIJA spirit. I would therefore love to get involved as much as possible and contribute to this unique association. Aside from my new passion for AIJA, I work as a dispute resolution lawyer in Luxembourg, specialized in commercial and corporate litigation. I would be thrilled to become a member of the EC and help promote the objectives of AIJA.
Lukas
Wieser
ZEILER,
AUSTRIA
Lukas is a Counsel at ZEILER in Vienna, Austria, and a specialist in labour and employment law, as well as employment and commercial litigation.
Lukas is also a lecturer at the University of Vienna (Arbeitsrecht LL.M.) and on Austrian and European Employment Law at the University of Applied Science BFI Vienna. He frequently speaks on employment law at national and international conferences and seminars.
He was admitted to the Austrian bar in 2016 and is both a graduate of the University of Vienna (Mag. iur. 2009) and the University of Barcelona (LL.M., 2015). Lukas is a member of AIJA since 2016.
Jorge
Yaafar
Motta, Yaafar & Díaz,
PANAMA
Jorge Yaafar is a founding partner at Motta, Yaafar & Díaz (MYD), a boutique Panamanian law firm that combines the capabilities of a full-service practice with the personalized attention and responsiveness of a tightly integrated team.
Jorge’s practice focuses on corporate law, estate and succession planning, and the structuring of cross-border investments. He regularly advises both private clients and corporate entities on complex transactions, reorganizations, and regulatory strategies. His corporate work spans mergers and acquisitions, shareholder agreements, governance matters, and compliance with Panamanian and international standards.
He has particular experience assisting multinational companies in the food, beverage, and consumer sectors with their market entry into Panama, handling matters related to intellectual property, regulatory approvals, licensing, and distribution frameworks.
Jorge is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and has been part of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA) since 2023. His cross-border perspective and deep understanding of the Panamanian legal environment make him a trusted advisor for both local and international clients.
He is known for his strategic thinking, practical advice, and dedication to delivering results through clear, attentive, and personalized legal service.
CEREN Hazal Baydar
Moroğlu Arseven,
TÜRKIYE
I am a Partner at Moroğlu Arseven law office in Istanbul, with 14 years of experience as a corporate, commercial and M&A lawyer. I mainly work on cross-border M&A deals, VC and PE transactions with a specific focus on technology-driven and regulated sectors. I am an active AIJA member since attending my first event in 2019 and I served as the National Representative of Turkiye from 2022 to 2025.
I am a candidate for the Executive Committee because I am genuinely passionate about contributing to the future of our Association and supporting its continued growth and global reach. As someone who has actively engaged with AIJA over the years, also as National Representative, I believe the EC offers a unique opportunity to be part of the core group shaping strategic decisions, as I am eager to take on a more active role in the Association.
Francesco Bulleri
ADG Legal,
UAE
Francesco is a Partner at ADG Legal and has extensive experience in corporate, commercial and contract law, as well as a broad range of related real estate matters. Prior to joining ADG Legal, Francesco worked on projects across a number of regions (including the EU, UK, Middle East, Africa, LATAM, and APAC), drafting and negotiating a wide range of contract types for domestic and cross-border transactions in various industries.
Having graduated with full marks in Law from LUISS University of Rome, Francesco started his career in the corporate department of BonelliErede (Top-Tier 1 and Italy’s largest law firm). He later moved in-house, first at Gucci (luxury fashion company) and then at Axitea (global physical and cybersecurity provider), before relocating to Dubai. During his time in-house, Francesco worked closely with shareholders, directors, CFOs, COOs, and other key stakeholders.
The knowledge, experience, and insights he gained allowed him to become familiar with the underlying dynamics of companies and their legal departments and, thus, to fully understand clients’ perspectives and needs. Francesco is also an Adjunct Faculty member at the esteemed LUISS Business School, where he teaches executive students and professionals at the Dubai Hub. In this role, he blends rigorous academic principles with real-world expertise, fostering a learning experience that bridges theory and the practical challenges of the dynamic Gulf market. His local-to-global expertise has been recognised by Chambers and Partners, the world’s leading legal rankings and insights intelligence company, which ranked him in its Global Guide 2025. Francesco has also been regularly invited to speak at conferences, including those organised by leading consultancy firms and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Dubai. He has additionally been approached by the London Business School to offer his corporate law expertise as a mentor for startups in the MENA region.
Outside the workplace, Francesco is involved with several renowned international organisations, including the Rotary Club of Dubai, where he has served as a board member and held the distinguished role of Fellowship Chair. He is also a longstanding member and, for years, has served as Censor at the Lions Club Roma Parioli, as well as the founder and Chapter Leader of the Dubai LUISS Alumni Network. Throughout his career, Francesco has remained committed to volunteering his time to undertake pro bono activities, offering legal advice at, among others, the Holy Trinity Church in Oud Metha, Dubai.
Nicole Álvarez Barreno
IURISRED,
Ecuador
Nicole Álvarez Barreno is a Partner at Iurisred Legal Expertise and a corporate and commercial lawyer with experience advising national and international companies on corporate governance, M&A, and cross-border transactions. She also has a strong background in dispute resolution, including domestic and international arbitration.
She holds an LL.M. in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of Sheffield (UK) and is a certified mediator. Nicole currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Corporate Law Committee of Young Ecuadorian Attorneys (YEA) at ICC Ecuador.
A member of AIJA since the Rio 2023 Annual Congress, Nicole treasures the Association for its unique blend of professional growth and international friendships, and looks forward to creating the same inspiring opportunities for fellow members as part of the Executive Committee.
Anna Zabrotskaya
Nordic Star,
Russia
Anna Zabrotskaya is the Managing Partner at Nordic Star Law Offices, St. Petersburg, where she heads the Dispute Resolution practice. With over 16 years of experience, Anna specializes in international arbitration, cross-border litigation, and sanctions-related disputes. She is a member of the St. Petersburg Bar, the ICC commission on Arbitration and ADR (Paris) and an SRA registered foreign lawyer in England and Wales. She is also committed to legal education, teaching international arbitration at St. Petersburg State University and fashion law in French University Mod‘Art.
Anna has been involved in AIJA since 2017, contributing to the Litigation, International Arbitration, T.R.A.D.E., International Private Clients and Family Law Commissions, and National Representatives Committee. Deeply inspired by AIJA’s energy and community, Anna is passionate about supporting its continued growth and fostering greater engagement, especially among members from diverse jurisdictions.
Nazanin
Afshar
Fisher & Phillips,
USA
Naz Afshar is a partner with Fisher Phillips, in the firm’s Los Angeles and Woodland Hills offices. Naz represents employers and individuals in single-plaintiff, multi-plaintiff, class action/representative matters, involving a variety of issues, such as discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower allegations, and wage and hour issues. Naz also assists her clients in navigating state and federal employment laws, advising them on compliance with wage and hour laws, proper classification of non-exempt/exempt employees and independent contractors, and maintaining up-to-date and compliant handbooks and employment policies to avoid litigation.
Naz’s international work entails advising clients on various issues related to employees in jurisdictions around the world, including transitioning employees to remote work in other jurisdictions, drafting employment and separation agreements for US-based companies with employees working outside the US, and providing guidance on employment decisions such as investigations and terminations. Naz has a particular focus on preventing and managing cross border employment disputes.
Other Resolutions
The voting on other resolutions submitted to the General Assembly will be possible through electronic voting on 28 August 2026 from 10:30 to 11:30 CEST.
E-voting
The commitment of each member is crucial to the success of the whole organisation. And nowhere is this more evident than during our annual elections.
Once a year at the Annual Congress, the General Assembly of Members is called to elect some members of two very important bodies for the management of AIJA: the Executive Committee and the Bureau. In previous years this had to be done on paper, in person. But early in 2016, when AIJA launched an extensive online survey, members called for a stronger and more effective participation in the life of the association and in particular an e-voting system.
AIJA welcomed e-voting for the first time in 2018 and due to its resounding success the Association has been using it since then.
How AIJA members can vote
Electronic voting is easy – AIJA members can vote from any location, on any device. Members will receive in advance a link where they can join and watch the General Assembly, as well as the interview with the First Vice-President candidate and then vote electronically.
If AIJA members are not available to vote electronically during the elections date, they can give a proxy to another member. Instructions are available on the MyAIJA member dashboard.
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