Ms. Michela Paolini, an Italian national, has joined the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) as Senior Legal Advisor on 1 April 2024.

Ms. Paolini brings over 25 years of experience in legal matters, including professional experience as an attorney at law in international law firms and as legal officer with the European Commission and the United Nations.

Before joining UNTSO, Ms. Paolini served as Senior Legal Affairs Officer at the United Nations Verification Mission in Columbia (UNVMC) for the past eight years, where she led the Mission’s efforts in verifying the Peace Accord between the Government and the FARC-EP in transitional justice and supporting the transition to legality of the ex-FARC-EP members. 

Prior to working with UNVMC, she worked for 10 years with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), where she gained extensive experience in Peacekeeping legal matters and developed an insightful knowledge of the Middle East. Additionally, she participated as a legal expert in negotiations with the Israeli Government on issues related to UNIFIL’s mandate.

Ms. Paolini holds a master’s in international law from the New York School of Law and a master's in European Law from the College of Europe, with an emphasis on international relations. She is fluent in Italian, English, and Spanish.