Bernard Honorat Gousse

Born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Bernard Gousse graduated from the Haitian State University School of Law and Economic Science in 1981. Upon graduation, Mr. Gousse traveled to France where he completed a degree in International Relations in 1983 and attained a DEA and Doctorate in Law from the University d'Aix-Marseille III in 1989. Mr. Gousse has been practicing law since his admission to the Haitian Bar in 1991. He is one of the founding members of Pasquet, Gousse et Associés.

Mr. Gousse was appointed Minister of Justice and Public Security in 2004. During his appointment, he laid the groundwork for the new legislation organizing the judiciary as an independent branch of government. He was also responsible for abolishing all discrimination against women in the penal code.

Mr. Gousse has taught Family Law, Contract Law, Tort Law and Private International Law at Quisqueya University School of Law where he also served eight years as its first Dean.

Mr. Gousse's practice focuses primarily on international business transactions, private-public partnerships and Haitian regulatory law. He is a specialist in Communications law in Haiti and is instrumental in drafting the new Haitian telecommunications laws. He also is a member of the Presidential Commission on New Information and Communications Technologies.

- Publications

· "The Independence of the Judiciary" for Port-au-Prince Bar Association Journal of Law in 1999,
· "The Application of the Warsaw Convention in Haitian Courts" for the Nouveliste in 1991,
· "Legal Aspects of Contracts in E-Commerce in the Summit of Haitian Internet" in 2001, and
· "Children's Rights and Citizenship Law"

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