Project Description

I Have Rights provides legal information to asylum seekers on the island of Samos, prepares applicants for their asylum interviews, holds legal information workshops, appeals procedures for rejected applicants and accompanies applicants to interviews. As a political organisation, I Have Rights speaks out about the human rights violations on Samos. We actively advocate for a change in policy and practice, both on Samos and in Europe.

The organisation on Samos consists of a Legal and Team coordinator, three to four volunteer case workers, one or two interpreters and one or two volunteers responsible for communications and advocacy.

The team on Samos is supported by a remote team, including an Advocacy and Strategy Coordinator, an Adminsitration and Finance coordinator and volunteers in various Task Forces. The organisational hierarchies are flat and as a relatively young organisation our structures are still evolving. We welcome all team members to play an active role in shaping the project.

Detailed information on the project can be found at: www.ihaverights.eu.

Roles & Responsibilities

The main part of your work will consist of providing legal assistance to asylum seekers, with the support of the team of volunteer caseworkers.

In cooperation with the legal and team coordinator, you will supervise the team of volunteer case workers who are trained in asylum law. They will require assistance and input in legal questions as well as guidance within specific counselling situations.

Tasks will include:

• Provision of legal advice (information and interview preparation) to asylum seekers
• Accompany asylum seekers to their asylum interview
• Legal representation of applicants who were rejected in their asylum claim
• Correspondence with the Greek Asylum Service and appropriate bodies
• Cooperation with on-site actors on cases
• Strategic litigation in front of national and regional courts such as the European Court of Human Rights

Other tasks include:

• Provision of regular updates to case workers on the (legal) developments around asylum applications on the Greek islands
• Training new caseworkers upon arrival in cooperation with other team members
• Supervision of case workers, including:
  • Being available for questions and assistance in specific counseling situations
  • Monitoring counseling sessions (e.g. joining case workers occasionally)
• Assigning tasks to team members while also receiving and managing tasks from them in the context of daily legal work
• Cooperation with the Legal and Team Coordinator to foster a positive work environment and provision of support in maintaining the overall well-being of the team

Qualification & Education Requirements

• Registered lawyer with a Greek bar association
• Minimum one year of professional experience in Greek asylum and immigration law
• Passion for human rights law matters and active engagement with political issues
• Proficiency in English
• High resilience and flexibility; ability to work independently
• Ability to thrive in a team environment characterized by flat hierarchies, coupled with a proactive and hands-on approach.
• Proficient in case management, demonstrating strong organizational skills in handling cases efficiently
• Experienced in utilising case management systems effectively to streamline workflow and ensure accuracy in documentation
• Skilled in time management, adept at prioritising tasks and maintaining a comprehensive overview of multiple cases simultaneously

Preferred Skills

• Prior work experience in a legal project within Greece
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic litigation before national and European bodies
• Familiarity or experience with Greek criminal law
• Previous involvement in team supervision and coordination, particularly in the realm of clinical legal education
• Proficiency in an additional foreign language (such as French, Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Kurdish, German)
• Experience within the non-profit sector, ideally within grassroots organisations

Benefits

• Freelancing contract (38.688,00 €/ year incl. 24 % VAT if applicable)
• Work experience in a progressive environment and a quickly evolving field of human rights law, relevant to a growing employment sector in Greece and Europe.