An associate partner of KH & PARTNERS; a recognized expert of the immigration and international law; with his direct participation, the company’s clients received qualified legal assistance in the field of immigration law.

Education

• 1992-1999: Technical University of Georgia, Faculty of Foreign Economic Relations, Master’s Degree.
• 1999-2001: Moscow Diplomatic Academy, Faculty of International Relations, specialization – international relations.
• 2001-2005: Moscow Diplomatic Academy, Department of International Law; Doctor of International Law.

Work experience

• 2018: Director, Migration and Asylum Law Center LLC;
• 2014 – 2018: Head of the Department of Migration, Repatriation and Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories of Georgia, Accommodation and Refugees;
• 2012 – 2013: Deputy Head of the Department of Migration, Repatriation and Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories of Georgia, Resettlement and Refugees;
• 2005 – 2018: legal consultant of the joint project of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Ministry;
• 1999-2001: Head of the Department of Migration, Repatriation and Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories of Georgia, Accommodation and Refugees;
• 1998-1999: Head of the Department of Migration, Repatriation and Refugee Affairs, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories of Georgia, Accommodation and Refugees;
• Leading specialist in the field of international relations, Defense and Security Committee, Parliament of Georgia;
• Leading specialist, Department of Relations with Russia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia;
• Attaché, Foreign-Political Information and Public Relations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia;
• 2006-2018: Member of the Committeeof Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (ADI-ROM) of the Council of Europe;
• 2010-2018: Head of the Working Group on Migration Issues, State Commission on Migration Issues.

Qualification

• 2007: International Migration Law Course, the International Institute for Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, Italy;
• 2007: International Seminar “Migration and Integration for Development: from Policy to Practice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Jerusalem;
• 2004: International Program for Combating the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, WMD Seminar for Leaders – Georgia. Budapest, Hungary;
• 2003: Seminar conducted by the US Defense Institute of International Legal Studies: Functions and Role of the Inspector General, Tbilisi;
• 1999: Diplomatic courses “Diplomatic and Consular Law” held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran.

Scientific papers/articles

1. Thesis “International Legal Aspects of Refugee Status by the Example of Russia and Georgia”;
2. Publication “The Essence and Main Features of Refugee Rights”, Journal “Law and Justice”, No. 3, 2004, Moscow.
3. Publication: “Refugees: Europe’s New Threat”, Bulletin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, No.10, 2002.
4. Publication: “Refugees: A Global Problem of the 21st Century”, Journal “Law and Justice”, No. 10, 2002, Moscow.

Awards

• 2011: honored with the Order of Merit.

Foreign languages: Russian, English.

Based on the successful legal activities, Irakli Kokaia is considered an internationally recognized expert in immigration law.