Ecuador: Volunteer Legal Advocate- Quito
Volunteer Legal Advocates Needed in Ecuador
Asylum Access Ecuador (AAE) solicits applications from well-prepared candidates with impeccable writing skills and a passion for social justice who are ready to commit themselves to spending six months or more in Ecuador. Volunteer Legal Advocates (VLAs) provide legal counsel, advice and advocacy on behalf of refugees seeking asylum or the assertion of other legal rights. Following an intensive training program in international and domestic refugee law, VLAs will be given the opportunity to practice asylum law, the Ecuadorian administrative system, help refugees assert other rights, train refugee community leaders and participate in local policy advocacy.
Asylum Access Ecuador utilizes four types of Volunteer Legal Advocates: Legal Services, Strategic Litigation, Policy Advocacy, and Community Outreach. All four types of VLAs will overlap somewhat in their job responsibilities, such as the occasional representation of AAE at events, conferences and meetings, and/or the assistance in other publicity and/or fundraising events. All VLAs will also assist with the general administrative duties of the office as needed, including helping to build administrative capacity within the office to meet demand as AAE grows. For the most part, however, specific job duties will depend upon the specific position. Please see below.
Legal Services Position Responsibilities:Advise refugee clients on the RSD process and assist them to understand their rightsConduct client intake and screening interviews, assess needs, and refer to other service providers as needed; manage case follow up for own RSD caseloadOccasional travel to the provinces;Develop unique and innovative legal tactics to assist clients with other legal needs, including assistance to assert rights to employment, security, education and social services;Legal research of “country of origin” information, and refugee law
Strategic Litigation Position ResponsibilitiesInformation management regarding pending proceedings;Prepare written arguments for and carry out procedures with International courts and other agencies using legal argumentation based on statute laws and jurisprudence;Carry out personal court visits to national courts and other agencies;Revise and analyze legislation and internal, international, and comparative jurisprudence according to the strategic litigation cases;Assist in strengthening judicial strategy and complementary activities for the initiation of cases and obtain any other information necessary for adequate case management;
Policy Advocacy Position Responsibilities
Assist the Country Director in the implementation of policy advocacy strategy of AAE;
Participate in local, regional and global networks to ensure the strengthening of AAE goals;Help in advising governmental and international organisms to apply public policy and meet national and international standards already established as well as pressure them to improve and develop new standards;Assist in the update and monitoring of the Annual Plan of AAE;
Community Outreach Position ResponsibilitiesCoordinate the implementation of the Healthy Community Program of AAE;Develop material for “Know Your Rights” workshops for refugees and teach and/or participated in the workshops; Improve and regularly update the list of social service and health providers and contact information for Asylum Access clients;Develop client outreach strategy in collaboration with Asylum Access team;
Preferred Qualifications:A Bachelor of Laws, JD or equivalent is preferred, but other degrees or equivalent experience in a related field will be considered;Academic background in Human RightsAbility to speak, read, write and understand Spanish at a professional level.Ability to commit to 6 months of full-time work. Between the months of May to August, exceptional, experienced law students who are only able to commit to working at AAE for their summer break will be eligible for admission into the VLA program if they can commit to a minimum of 12 weeks.
The start dates for upcoming cohorts are August 27, 2012 and February 27, 2013
Program HighlightsDevelopment Training – Throughout your work with us, Asylum Access will support you with a series of tools to maximize your programmatic work and your understanding of refugee law and practice. Regular training and debriefing sessions will offer you the chance to enhance and process your experience and share insight about cross-cultural issues.
Casework – Once you join our team, you will be responsible for your own casework, which you will see through preparation, submission and results. This will give you an invaluable experience and lasting ties with your clients.
Joining our Network – After working with us, you will be connected with an ever-growing network of refugee legal advocates around the world, which circulates job openings, research opportunities, refugee news, and more.
How to Apply
Because of space limitations, AAE VLA positions are awarded on a very competitive basis. Each year Asylum Access receives hundreds of applications coming from all over the globe for a handful of VLA positions. It is best, therefore, for applicants to submit polished, complete applications as early as possible. We accept applications on a rolling basis.
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and a legal writing sample to Zoë McKinney at apply@asylumaccess.org with the subject line “AAE VLA Application”. Please be sure to specify in your cover letter what makes you uniquely qualified to be a VLA with AAE, the type of VLA position you’d prefer (please rank 1-4 or specify which you are interested in), how volunteering with us fits into your career plans, and the dates that you expect to be available.
Please note that all Asylum Access VLA positions are unpaid; we are happy to work with successful applicants to arrange for funding or school credit where available. If selected, VLA’s are responsible for obtaining their visa and work permit, if applicable.
