Nadia Rusinova
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I am specialized attorney-at-law for 20 years, university lecturer, researcher, mediator and judicial trainer, dealing with EU family law, children’s rights and private international law in family matters. Combining research academic work and practical experience in litigating complex domestic cross-border proceedings before the national courts and ECtHR in these areas,
I possess extensive knowledge of the functioning and the challenges in the contemporary family justice and child protection systems Europe-wide.
Relevant experiences and positions
1. LECTURER IN EUROPEAN / INTERNATIONAL PRIVATE
LAW – THE HAGUE UNIVERSITY
• Lecturer and researcher in Private international law,
International and European family law, Children’s rights
2. SPECIALIZED ATTORNEY-AT-LAW, MANAGING
PARTNER – RUSINOVA&PARTNERS LAW FIRM
• Specialized lawyer (Supreme court qualified) – Family and
divorce law, children’s rights, antidiscrimination law, sexual
harassment, domestic violence, human rights, LGBTI rights,
advocacy for legislative changes, human rights education
• Legal translator English – Bulgarian – English
• International consultant and judicial trainer for law professionals
and particularly for the magistracy on protection from
discrimination and harassment, international family law, rights of
the child, child-friendly justice, application of international
standards
3. EXPERT – CONSULTANT – COUNCIL OF EUROPE
• Lead researcher for the project “Improving the Effectiveness of
Family Courts: Better Protection of the Rights of Family
Members”, Council of Europe, Turkey
4. EXPERT FOR BULGARIA IN EU EXPERT GROUP ON THE
RECOGNITION OF PARENTHOOD BETWEEN MEMBER
STATES (E03765) – EUROPEAN COMMISSION
5. JUDICIAL TRAINER/SPEAKER –EJTN, ERA, EIPA
Some personal questions
What is your advice to parents who are thinking about relocating with a child?
Know the rules, and make the choices with the interest of the child in mind.
What is your advice to parents about international parenting plans?
It is true that in the contemporary world we all travel, change our residence, explore new countries, and our children are often affected by our choices. However, only the parents can anticipate how such change would affect the child, and potential agreement will always be better than court decision. A parenting plan is though only as good as the parents that sign it.
What should parents know before starting a court procedure about child relocation?
The court procedure should be a last resort at all times. It can be long, costly and with unpredictable outcome, that despite the efforts of the professionals involved, often does not serve the child in the best possible way.
Why is it interesting for you as a lawyer to work on these cases?
These are disputes that in fact settle the future of the child and determine many aspects of their development. I do believe that we as lawyers have big responsibility to the children, and in turn, just and child-centered outcome brings great professional satisfaction.
What would you like to say to judges who handle these cases?
Every case is different and has its specifics. The most important is to take decisions with a view to the future, and with careful examination of the details. And please – listen to the children, they know more than we think!