Staff Attorney - Hong Kong Refugee Advice Centre - Hong Kong

The Staff Attorney (SA) is responsible for contributing to all aspects of HKRAC’s refugee legal aid service provision. The SA provides direct legal services and contributes to the work of the legal team.

Reporting relationships:

The SA is supervised by the Legal Director (LD) for all technical matters related to HKRAC’s legal services. The SA is managed by the Executive Director (ED) for human resource matters.

Duration of position:

12 months, with review after that date.

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate outreach to marginalised asylum seekers, including women, children, and families, in consultation with the LD;
• Provide assessment; direct legal services, including advice, limited and full representation; and referrals, and manage a caseload as assigned by the LD;
• Contribute to the work of the legal team by training, supervising and overseeing legal services provided by other members of the legal team, including community legal volunteers and volunteer legal advisors, clinic students, pro bono partner volunteers, and staff;
• Contribute to HKRAC’s monitoring and evaluation system;
• Participate in refugee legal aid training weekends by presenting at least one core session, and contribute to other HKRAC trainings;
• Contribute to maintaining positive working relationships within the staff team and with UNHCR, NGOs, and other stakeholders;
• Contribute to developing organisational strategy, networking with strategic partners, fundraising, and whole-of-office initiatives;
• Perform other duties as assigned by the ED.

Minimum qualifications:

• Qualified lawyer in any jurisdiction;
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in refugee or human rights law, including law school clinic or other relevant experience;
• A minimum of 1 years’ experience in managing and supervising volunteers, staff, students or pro bono work;
• Excellent interviewing skills, preferably including through interpreters, and legal research and drafting skills;
• A demonstrated commitment and sensitivity toward vulnerable and/or displaced people, including women, children, and families, and those from diverse cultural backgrounds;
• Fluent in both spoken and written English, and preferably one or more refugee languages;
• Strong public speaking, training and group facilitation skills.

Salary:

HK$19,000 per month plus insurance and pension benefits.

To apply:

Please send your statement of interest, CV, and a 5-page legal writing sample to info@hkrac.org by 9 November 2012 with the subject line “Staff Attorney”.  Interviews will be conducted mid-November, with overseas candidates being interviewed via Skype. The selected candidate is expected to commence employment in early 2013.