Legal Assistant (Part-time)

Job Description

Justice Centre is a non-profit organisation that delivers legal and social services to refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people in Hong Kong SAR. We work to support the vision of Hong Kong SAR as a welcoming and inclusive society.

We provide free specialist legal help to people experiencing forced displacement, while offering tailored welfare and psychosocial support to those affected by trauma and destitution. Through strategic casework, research, training and technical assistance and community initiatives, we work to ensure that even the most marginalised members of Hong Kong society have equitable access to essential services and a voice in our society.

Our engagement with the community aims to promote refugee participation in Hong Kong society. We are committed to creating a safe, supportive working environment, reflecting of the diverse communities we serve. For more information about Justice Centre, please visit www.justicecentre.org.hk.

Purpose of position

The Legal Assistant (Part-time) is a position for those with legal experience and for those with a passion for supporting refugee, asylum seekers and other forced migrants in the Hong Kong SAR. It is a structured position, generally requiring a minimum commitment of six months, with detailed training and supervision provided by Justice Centre’s experienced legal team. Volunteers will develop legal and practical expertise and deliver a valuable contribution to the Legal Services of Justice Centre Hong Kong, and to our clients.

Responsibilities

• Support in reviewing and actioning incoming and outgoing communications (post, fax, telephone, walk-in clients, etc.);
• Support in responding to any client enquiries (often highly vulnerable people), and also that of other visitors, agencies, etc. in a professional, sensitive and respectful manner;
• Assist with the coordination of intake for new and existing clients;
• Assist with the correspondence with detained clients, including drafting letters, visits, collecting and organising case documents;
• Arrange internal and external appointments, including coordinating schedules, reserving office space, and confirming appointments with all attendees;
• Liaise with interpreters, attend to interpreter matters, and keep an up-to-date records of interpreter details;
• Contribute to Justice Centre’s legal and file management systems as well as to monitoring and evaluation systems in terms of collection, verification, database entry, and filing of client data;
• Support the coordination and assistance of client and stakeholder events and outreach initiatives;
• Ensure the organisation and tidiness of the office, and undertake other administrative and organisational tasks, such as taking minutes, scanning, filing, and document management;
• Attend all relevant staff meetings;
• Perform other tasks as required for the support of the delivery of Legal Services, as requested by the Legal Services Manager; and
• Comply with Justice Centre’s policies and procedures, and treat everyone with respect, dignity and fairness.

Requirements

Essential

• University degree in law, social science, international relations, or other relevant fields, or equivalent industry experience (current/ prospective university students will be considered);
• Multicultural sensitivity and ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and across varying language barriers;
• Commitment to upholding the principle of equal opportunities, and interest in issues related to refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants;
• Fluency in verbal and written English, and ability to present complex information using simple and accessible language;
• Demonstrable organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise multiple tasks and to work effectively when under time pressure;
• Team-player with excellent interpersonal skills;
• Willingness to learn and develop new skills;
• Literacy in basic data entry, Microsoft Office and Outlook; and
• Legal right to work/volunteer in Hong Kong.

Desirable

• Direct experience of forced displacement, or understanding of the challenges faced by refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants, including legal, mental health and social welfare issues;
• Experience of working with vulnerable people in a professional setting;
• Experience of and/or training in the domestic and/or international legal system, particularly if related to migration;
• Fluency in Cantonese; and
• Fluency in another language such as French, Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Hindi, Sinhala or Bengali would be a considerable asset.

Benefits 

• A daily stipend of HK$75 (when attending the office);
• Access to in depth training and supervision from internationally qualified lawyers;
• Flexible working hours; and
• Generous leave policy.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a police background check.

Please complete an Application-Form and e-mail it with your statement of interest and CV to jobs@justicecentre.org.hk with the subject line ‘Legal Assistant (Part-time)’. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis