Learn with us
Clinical Legal Education
Justice Centre is dedicated to training and supporting future generations of refugee protection practitioners.
Students on our programmes receive tailored training on refugee law and have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a practical setting. They develop essential professional skills and use these to make a difference.
University Students
Justice Centre’s clinic programme allows students to work on asylum cases within a nascent and fast-developing system. Students learn about the existing legal protection framework in Hong Kong SAR, and develop their legal skills in a real practice setting where they are supervised to handle their own caseload. They also have the opportunity to assist in community projects to raise awareness of issues affecting refugee and migrant communities.
Through our Refugee Protection Law Clinic Students are guided to take a community-centred approach to legal work, learn the value of pro bono practice, connect with practitioners and experts, and develop practical skills to work with marginalised communities and contribute to a welcoming and inclusive society in Hong Kong SAR.
The work of our clinic students have contributed to access to protection and redress for refugees and forced migrants, and the creation of helpful precedents. Graduates of our clinics have gone on to become refugee lawyers, representing protection claimants in Hong Kong SAR’s asylum screening process, and working on public interest law issues around the world.
We have more than a decade of experience in delivering clinical legal education programmes. We have successfully run clinical legal education programmes with academic partners including the Chinese University of Hong Kong SAR, the University of Hong Kong SAR, the University of Cambridge and the Queensland University of Technology.
In 2020, we adapted our programme to offer remote placements and facilitate ongoing engagement with our international education partners.
If you are a university and would like to partner with us to deliver an impactful clinical legal education programme to your students, please contact our Legal Officer (Clinics) Jennifer Nugent.
Summer Refugee Protection Law Clinic 2022
Open to university law students who are based in Hong Kong SAR over the summer, the Human Rights Law Clinic empowers students to make a difference to the lives of people seeking asylum in Hong Kong SAR.
Our Summer Refugee Protection Law Clinic will take place from 1 – 26 August 2022. Applications are now open. Please send your CV and a cover letter to Jennifer Nugent by 22 May if you wish to apply. You could find more information about the programme here.
"Justice Centre’s Law Clinic is an immensely rewarding experience that provides great exposure to the practical workings of non-refoulement law in Hong Kong SAR. Not only does JCHK provide well-structured, in-depth training to prepare us for substantive, meaningful tasks, we also had invaluable opportunities to talk to clients and understand how the work we do are actually positively impacting on their lives. As a result, I was able to hone both legal and non-legal skills through assisting in client meetings, legal research and drafting. The Clinic is an eye-opening experience that allows you to truly appreciate the value of pro bono practice, as well as be more aware of the injustice that exists in society today. I would highly recommend students to take up the opportunity to work with Justice Centre Hong Kong SAR."
"The Clinic experience was eye-opening. It was a fantastic opportunity, where the main emphasis was learning by doing. The numerous client interactions makes you realise that while everything may sound well-planned on paper, this is not always an accurate depiction of the reality in practice. The work assignments were varied and challenging. Each assignment always developed existing core and soft skillsets crucial to the legal field, such as conducting legal research and client interviews, communicating in workplace and making oral presentation. Our contributions were always valued with feedback and we felt that our work always matters and made a difference to a client seeking a non-refoulment protection. It was an enriching experience and a great way to also meet people with the same aim and vision."
"The Clinic Programme is the most rewarding internship I have ever participated in. I have been able to obtain deep knowledge in the field of non-refoulement protection law through extensive training provided by Justice Centre; I have also been able to put this knowledge into practice: as a participant, I was not being tasked with repetitive administrative work, but actual meaningful work that created impact to non-refoulement protection claimants. However, what was most impressive about the Programme, is that Justice Centre is very welcoming of new ideas, even if these new ideas come from a clinic participant. As such during the Clinic Programme, I was able to make proposals to Justice Centre on schemes to better serve Non-refoulement protection claimants; and Justice Centre was very eager to support me beyond the clinic Programme to make the proposal a reality. I strongly urge all law students who have creative ideas and who want to learn about how their legal knowledge can be used to better society to join the programme."
Young Advocates Programme
SCHOOL STUDENTS
We believe that young people can play a big role in building an inclusive society. Our education programmes encourage secondary or high school students to consider the wider issues facing the communities they live amongst.
Young Advocates Programme: Supporting Refugees & Other Forced Migrants
The Young Advocates Programme (YAP) is a unique opportunity for high school students to gain hands-on experience in a non-profit setting.
Our YAP is based on our clinical legal education programmes. Through the intensive traineeship, Young Advocates gain practical experience in all areas of our work, from the provision of legal, counselling and social welfare support to refugees to community empowerment initiatives. They have the opportunity to provide support on real asylum cases, including sitting in on interviews and conducting research to help our lawyers in preparing legal submissions.
Each Young Advocate is guided to design and develop their own personal interest project, which we encourage to be implemented in real life after completion of the programme. Past projects have included setting up groups to help source free eye care for refugees and coordinating basketball teams among refugee children.
Young Advocates receive one-to-one personal coaching and mentorship from our experienced and passionate team of staff lawyers, helping students develop important skills, knowledge, and experience as they begin applying for university.
Who can apply?
The YAP is open to students aged between 15 – 18.
Young Advocates should have a keen interest in refugee and migrant issues and diversity and inclusion. The YAP is aimed at students interested in a career in law, psychology and social sciences but it also allows those who are still deciding on potential study options to explore their interests.
Programme dates and application process
We are running three programmes in 2022; one in the spring and two in the summer. Places are limited to six Young Advocates per session to allow us to offer a tailored programme to each student.
- Spring YAP: 4 Mar – 15 Apr (2 weeks)
- Summer YAP 1: 20 Jun – 8 Jul (3 weeks)
- Summer YAP 2: 11 – 29 Jul (3 weeks)
Application deadline
Applications are now open! The deadline to apply to Summer YAP 1 & 2 is 1 May 2022.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; we strongly recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible due to the high level of interest and limited spaces available.
The deadlines for this year’s programme have passed. If you wish to check about last-minute places, please contact our Legal Officer (Clinics) Jennifer Nugent.
"The Young Advocates Programme offers extremely unique opportunities for high school students to explore areas of the law and psychosocial work with refugees. Through completing client testimonies independently, shadowing client interviews and receiving one-to-one guidance, I was able to gain valuable insights into the plight of refugees in Hong Kong SAR and how we can help them in the legal system. It was also very exciting to meet many professionals working in the legal field. Being a Young Advocate was a really enjoyable experience."
"The Young Advocates Programme is a wonderfully immersive, fulfilling and enjoyable experience. The hands-on legal experience I was able to gain is unrivalled by any similar programmes I have attended in the past and the lectures I was able to attend went into extreme detail and was delivered by the extremely qualified staff of the Justice Centre. The staff at the Centre are extremely friendly and supportive, and are readily able to provide their expert opinion on any question I may have had. I was also able to meet some of the most ambitious and talented individuals in my fellow Young Advocates and the friendships and connections I’ve made during the Programme will definitely follow me as I prepare for higher education.”
"The Young Advocates Programme is a wonderfully immersive, fulfilling and enjoyable experience. The hands-on legal experience I was able to gain is unrivalled by any similar programmes I have attended in the past and the lectures I was able to attend went into extreme detail and was delivered by the extremely qualified staff of the Justice Centre. The staff at the Centre are extremely friendly and supportive, and are readily able to provide their expert opinion on any question I may have had. I was also able to meet some of the most ambitious and talented individuals in my fellow Young Advocates and the friendships and connections I’ve made during the Programme will definitely follow me as I prepare for higher education."
Mock Trial
Justice Centre was delighted to host our first Mock Trial in October 2021. This is a new initiative to deliver interactive asylum law training to secondary and high school students.
Students were trained and mentored by our staff and partners. They then applied their knowledge, acting as experts or lawyers in a mock trial – a simulation of the Torture Claims Appeal Board/ Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office.
Participants were ‘judged’ by an esteemed panel of experts on asylum law in Hong Kong SAR.
"Justice Centre's mock trial helped me immensely in laying the building blocks for a potential future in law, asylum law and fighting for the rights of refugees."
"The mock trial experience went far beyond my expectations. In one day, we were given a comprehensive run down of refugee court procedures, and the organisers at Justice Centre were so supportive and willing to answer every question. The actual day of the mock trial was nerve-wracking initially, but the support given by the organisers and their guidance was very constructive and helpful. I enjoyed every second of this and I've learnt so much!"
School Engagement
There are lots of ways to introduce the work of Justice Centre to your school. Whether you would like one of our experienced lawyers or a refugee leader to deliver a presentation on refugee issues or partner with us for a CAS project, we’d love to hear your ideas!
For teachers and students who want to learn more about helping refugees in Hong Kong SAR, we would be happy to support you. Please take a look at our School Pamphlet for an overview of how school communities could learn with us!
