Asylum Access is hiring a
Innovative Human Rights NGO Seeks
Legal Officer, Protection
About Asylum Access
We are human rights advocates who support forcibly displaced individuals and communities as they reclaim their rights, agency and power.
Our unique combination of legal empowerment, policy advocacy and global systems change creates conditions in which refugees can live safely, move freely, work legally and go to school. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that honors refugees’ freedom, dignity and autonomy, and empowers them to make choices about their own lives.
Asylum Access’ global team and family of local civil society organizations advocate to make human rights a reality for refugees throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America. Our national organizations are led and staffed primarily by community members in those countries, and there is strong mutual trust and respect between us and our clients. On the international stage, we work with established institutions to shift the global system to better uphold and promote refugees’ human rights. We can help catalyze and lead systemic transformation because, uniquely among NGOs in the refugee response sector, we focus exclusively on rights and governance.
Department Description
The Legal Team primarily provides legal services to refugees, ensuring that they have access to justice, get necessary support during the refugee status determination (RSD) process and have information on Long Term Legal Solutions (LTLS). The Legal Team is overseen by the Protection Program Coordinator and includes the RSD and Protection Team Leads, RSD and Protection Officers, RSD and Protection VLAs, Screening and Intake Officers, Interpreter and Paralegal Coordinator, Interpreters and Paralegals.
Position Description
Under the guidance of the Protection Program Coordinator and the Protection Team Lead, the Protection Legal Officer is responsible for managing cases with protection concerns, by identifying protection issues, providing legal advice and enabling access to safety and basic needs coverage through advice, referrals and communications with various external parties. Clients include those who fall under and outside UNHCR’s mandate.
Key Responsibilities
All responsibilities will be undertaken under the guidance and support of the Protection Program Coordinator and Protection Team Lead.
Case Management (80%):
Conduct pre-screening and screening interviews for, and prioritize, clients seeking advice and referrals on protection matters;
Identify protection concerns, determine relevant interventions and provide protection-related advice, particularly related to immigration-related arrests and bails, deportations, domestic and sexual and gender based violence, and security concerns involving domestic and foreign government authorities, including on an emergency, walk-in basis, as on-call legal advisor;
Pro-actively conduct follow-ups with clients on protection matters;
Provide full legal representation and short services for protection matters; this includes (but is not limited to):
Share responsibility for answering the protection phone outside office hours, to respond to emergency protection requests;
Identify cases appropriate for special consideration by UNHCR, draft and submit inquiries to UNHCR within and outside the monthly correspondence system with UNHCR, and cross-check between the client and UNHCR where required;
Assess clients’ legal needs and extra-legal needs that AAT cannot fulfill, identify organizations who may be able to assist on these needs, liaise with these organizations, refer clients to these organizations and document these organizations’ areas of assistance as part of record-keeping at AAT;
Liaise with other members of the Legal Team wherever warranted (e.g. RSD, SIO);
Undertake comprehensive case management practices, including maintaining personal case tracker, database records and keeping detailed notes of all case work activities;
Attend and contribute to team policies, procedures, meetings and other trainings and orientations as required;
Adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, and AAT Code of Conduct, policies, and manuals; and
Other relevant work as assigned by supervisor.
Coordination Support (10%):
Build and maintain relationships with staff, operational partners and the Thai legal profession to ensure smooth running of operations and enable referrals;
Attend and contribute to meetings relevant to AAT Protection Team’s work when required, such as UNHCR Protection Working Group, UNHCR Bail Coordination and RRLP pro bono lawyer meetings;
Other relevant work as assigned by the supervisor.
VLAs Support (10%):
Reports to: Protection Team Lead
Essential Qualifications
Beneficial Qualifications
Salary and Benefits
The Legal Officer, Protection will receive a monthly payment of THB 35,000 per month, health insurance and vacation and other leave days.
Hours and Location of Work
The Legal Officer, Protection is a full-time, one-year contract position based in our office in Bangkok, Thailand. Candidates should be aware that some flexibility regarding working hours is required in order to take calls and meetings with international colleagues outside of standard office hours.
Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We value the expertise of those who have experienced displacement, and encourage people with such lived experience to apply.
For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org_._