Legal Status Team Lead

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 equips 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 Services Team at Asylum Access Thailand (AAT) plays a crucial role in providing comprehensive legal support and assistance to refugees. The primary responsibilities of this team include:

• Ensuring refugees have access to justice and protection: The Legal Services Team works to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of refugees by facilitating their access to legal remedies and safeguards.
• Supporting refugees during the Refugee Status Determination (RSD) process: The team provides essential guidance and support to refugees navigating the complex RSD procedures, helping them navigate the system effectively.
• Informing refugees about the National Screening Mechanism (NSM): The Legal Services Team is responsible for educating refugees about the NSM, its processes, and their rights and options within this framework.

The Legal Services Team is overseen by the Legal Services Coordinator and includes the team of Legal Status, Protection, Interpreter and Paralegal, Screening and Intake, and  Volunteer Legal Advocates.

Position Description

The Legal Status Team Lead  oversees Asylum Access Thailand’s (AAT) Legal Status Team in providing legal advice and legal representation for refugees seeking legal status through UNHCR Refugee Status Determination process, RTG’s National Screening Mechanism process, or other legal framework that might be possible in the future.  This involves managing the legal status caseload at AAT, reviewing screenings, deciding on representation and strategy, finalizing legal submissions, providing group workshops and consulting with partners. Depending on the capacity of the Legal Status Team at the time, the  Team Lead also manages durable solutions cases.  The Legal Status Team Lead directly supervises the Legal Advisor in the team and helps manage AAT’s Volunteer Legal Advocates (VLA) program.

​​Key Responsibilities

All responsibilities will be undertaken under the guidance and support of the Legal Services  Program Coordinator.

Case Management (75%):

• Review intake and screening interviews for, and prioritize, clients seeking legal status (and at times, durable solutions) representation and advice;
• Interview clients to understand their claim and analyze the screening document to make recommendations on further steps
• Oversee research on country of origin information (COI) to assess credibility, support individual claims and for general research purposes;
• Oversee the provision of RSD, NSM, or other emerging legal pathways for legal status  (and at times, durable solutions) individualized legal advice and assistance to clients, including on a walk-in basis;
• Oversee the provision of full legal representation and short services for legal status. This includes (but is not limited to) overseeing the:
  • Preparation of client and witness statements, including reviewing and providing feedback on client-drafted statements;
  • Drafting of legal briefs and closing statements;
  • Collection of documents to support client cases such as witness statements, medical reports, etc.;
  • Preparation of clients for and accompaniment of clients to interviews;
• Identify cases appropriate for special consideration by UNHCR, oversee drafting of inquiries to be submitted through AAT’s  correspondence with UNHCR and liaise with UNHCR on the status of client cases;
• Assess clients’ extra-legal needs, and work closely with AAT teams and external organizations, to ensure these needs are met;
• Undertake comprehensive case management practices, including maintaining database records and keeping detailed notes of all case work activities;
• Assist in the above case-management duties for the NSM, or other relevant legal pathway
• Maintain good working knowledge of guidelines, processes and procedures of RSD, durable solutions, NSM or other relevant legal framework;
• Maintain good working knowledge of current political and social situation in clients’ countries of origin (COO);
• Assist in developing and implementing team policies and procedures;
• Assist in developing and maintaining data collection and trends analysis on RSD, NSM and durable solutions services;
• Informing refugees about the National Screening Mechanism (NSM)’s processes, and their rights and options within this framework;
• Attend and contribute to team meetings and other trainings and orientations as required;
• Adhere to the Nairobi Code of Ethics, and AAT Code of Conduct, policies, and manuals.

Organizational development / planning and human resources (10%):

• Develop and implement Legal Status team policies and procedures;
• Assist in Legal Status team recruitment processes and provide training to new team members;
• Ensure the Legal Status team’s adherence to the AAT Code of Conduct, policies, and manuals;
• Develop quarterly reports and maintain data collection and trends analysis on RSD and NSM services (to manage workload, improve services and for donor reporting);
• Maintaining strong financial records and procedures as per AAT finance policies, including by ensuring proper financial documentation of all activities.
• Participate in AAT’s strategic and annual planning cycle and in planning new projects; and
• Attend and contribute to AAT and legal team meetings.

Relationship Building, Networking and Advocacy (10%):

• Engage in advocacy before UNHCR regarding RSD processes, and the RTG regarding NSM processes;
• Build and maintain relationships with staff and operational partners to ensure smooth running of operations and enable referrals;
• Attend and contribute to relevant external meetings;
• Build and maintain strong relationships with refugee communities in Bangkok, and facilitate communication of accurate information so as to enable the fulfillment of refugee rights;
• Support Executive Director and Policy Advocacy Team in policy and advocacy on issues affecting refugees and international human rights mechanisms; and
• Other relevant work as assigned by the supervisor.

Community Education (5%):

• Guiding the Legal Status team and community paralegals to deliver group workshops to refugee communities.

Required qualifications

• University degree in law.
• Extensive experience in development fields, especially in human rights.  Refugee rights is an advantage.
• Thorough understanding of the context of refugees in Thailand, including both national and international legal frameworks;
• Strong understanding of UNHCR Refugee Status Determination Process, Durable solution and complementary pathway process and Refugee Law
• Demonstrated ability to work with people in vulnerable situations, such as trauma survivors.
• Proven ability to take initiative and ownership of projects, manage multiple deadlines, and work effectively with a high attention to detail;
• Fluent English with a high level of writing and drafting legal documents;
• A positive and out-going attitude with the ability to work well in a diverse and multi- cultural office.
• Intermediate working knowledge of Gmail, Google Drive, and related tools (Docs, Sheets, Calendar, etc.)

Hours and Location of Work

The Legal Status Team Lead is a full-time position based in our offices in Bangkok, Thailand. Candidates should be aware that some flexibility regarding working hours is required in order to take out of hours calls and meetings with international colleagues.

Compensation

Position comes with a competitive nonprofit salary, and a robust benefits package. The monthly salary is THB 40,000

Application Instructions to Candidates

Upload your resume and a cover letter via Asylum Access online portal BambooHR by 30 November 2024.  In your cover letter, please describe your reasons for applying, relevant qualifications, preferred start date, and how you learned about the position.

Only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Asylum Access is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. For more information about our organization, visit www.asylumaccess.org

Keywords

Legal StatusTeam LeadHuman RightsRefugeesLegal ServicesRefugee Status DeterminationLegal RepresentationCase ManagementAdvocacyRefugee Rights