Layal YAACOUB

ICLA: Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance Program
Emergency Response established to assist the affected by the 04.08.2020 Beirut Blast
First experience for NRC Lebanon in an emergency context

Operated within a multisectorial approach
Established the ICLA team within the Emergency Response, recruited staff, consultants and volunteers, opened up the ICLA legal clinic
Supervised nine team members and coordinated with three consultants
Worked independently without a project manager with minimal supervision, for the first four months was directly supervised by the Beirut Emergency Response Manager
Managed ICLA data in the absence of a dedicated data base staff and a Monitoring and evaluation staff
Assisted the Monitoring and Evaluation team in establishing the monitoring and evaluation tools and sampling methods
Supported the different core competencies of the Emergency Response team: outreach, cash for rent, shelter minor and major rehabilitations
Established the internal channels of communication with the other focal points of the emergency response
Provided legal services to the beneficiaries of the other core competencies, outreached for new beneficiaries
Supported in Housing Land and Property rights, loss of documentation, civil documentation and legal stay for non-Lebanese, collaborative dispute resolution
Established budget revision, forecast, contributed to donor reports, contributed to grant closing meetings.

New position created within the Information, Counselling and Legal Assistance (ICLA) program, directly supervised by the Project Manager

Monitored the quality of the ICLA program on the field, provided technical support to ICLA team
Ensured ICLA’s program is always abreast of new on-the-field changes, and suggested program adaptation accordingly
Helped design a programmatic transition: modifying work modalities and distribution of tasks for staff and consultants
Supervised two legal field officers and coordinated with six consultants, conducted monthly legal meetings
Coordinated with the National team, participated in meetings and annual strategy meetings at a National Level
Coordinated with UN agencies and NGOs in the North, participated in Legal Partners’ and Protection Working Group meetings
Designed and implemented assessments, in coordination with the Monitoring and Evaluation team
Designed and Implemented new responses in Northern Lebanon, in coordination with relevant Coordinators
Designed Engagement Strategy with stakeholders
Produced Monthly reports and Analyses regarding new developments related to refugees and host communities
Ensured alongside two management coordinators the transition period before the arrival of the new Project Manager, hence contributed to Donor Reports.

Enhancing Community and access to Justice in Lebanon Host Communities Project, with the Municipality of Zgharta-Ehden.

Worked with the International Consultant to produce analysis related to the Municipal Police
Handled the analysis related to the refugees’ context and drafted a related report complementing the technical side provided by the International Consultant
Met and facilitated meetings with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Municipality members, Municipal Police, and local NGOs
Spontaneously ensured translation when translators were not present.

 Handled legal requests and queries, regarding staff and other stakeholders
 Drafted Employment Contracts and their modifications
 Liaised with different Ministries
Labor Law Counselling in matters related but not limited to:
 Category qualification of a wage earner (employee, worker), and its legal implications
 Extra hour compensation, maternity leave, work permits
 Termination of employment contracts, abuse in exercising the right for termination
 Drafted memorandums before the competent Labor Courts and attended related hearings
Tenders and International contracts, Opinions regarding Commercial law.

Issue No.73
Translated, summarized and copy-edited Lebanese Court rulings rendered between 2014 and 2016, related to private and public issues including but not limited to: Military tribunal proceedings, criminal law, public law, and contracts law.

Adapted a distribution and franchising agreement to different foreign legislations.

Targeted participants: Housewives in their 40’s willing to reintegrate into the work field.
 Labor and Social Security Laws: Legal Presentation for non-lawyers, fundamental rights to bear in mind, briefing along with a PowerPoint presentation
 Interview process: How to draft a tailor-made CV depending on the experience of each participant, outfit suitable for interviews, commonly asked questions, interaction with attendees, post interviews follow ups
 One-to-one discussions depending on the background of each woman.

Attended sessions in: Family mediation centers, correctional Facilities rehabilitating former alcohol and drug users.
Attended ‘Groupement Européen des Magistrats pour la Médiation’ (GEMME) Conference pertaining to Mediation, Private International law, Economic regulation, Financial market, and Termination of Business Relationships.

Human Rights Law:

 Overviewed the application of Human Rights throughout all cases handled in the firm
 Participated in the draft of papers and the preparation of conferences related to human rights
 Monitored Human rights applications in Lebanon and compared them to other countries
 Death Sentence in Lebanon and efforts undertaken to abolish it


Handling Civil Law Matters including but not limited to:

 Devolution of an estate
 Rent law
 Labor law
 Land and property laws
 Execution
 Individual right to erasure and blocking of data

Editing in the Lebanese Review of Arab and International Arbitration
International Law:

 Arbitration
 Award enforcement
 International trade law
 Private International Law
 International and local public order

Commercial Law.