ASYLUM LAW GREEK LAWYER

Brief Presentation of Avocats Sans Frontières France :

Avocats Sans Frontières France (Lawyers Without Borders France or ASF France) is a French non-governmental organization established under 1st July 1901 French legislation.

Its mission is to:

1) Promote access to the law and fair justice for vulnerable persons who are removed from it,arbitrarily detained or tortured;

2) Defend any person deprived of a free and independent defense as well as human rightsdefenders threatened or violated in the performance of their duties;

3) Strengthen the capacity and the autonomy of local actors in the defense and promotion ofhuman rights (civil society and actors in the judicial system).

ASF France mission in Greece :

Millions of people embark on long and dangerous journeys to Europe every day, by road or sea from the Asian and African continents, fleeing insecurity in those regions. Between January and September 2022, more than 228 240 people entered Europe irregularly to seek shelter. Greece remains one of the primary entry-points for asylum seekers in Europe.

Samos Island, due to its geographical position as the closest Greek island to the Turkish coast, welcomes a large number of people seeking international protection every year. Between January-September 2022, 1442 asylum seekers were registered as new arrivals in Samos. These applicants are placed under geographical restriction and cannot leave the island for the duration of their legal procedures. They do not have access to state-provided legal aid before their asylum interview. In order to respond to the need for legal assistance on Samos, ASF France opened a Legal Centre in January 2019, whose objective was to contribute to guaranteeing the right to seek asylum and to protect the fundamental rights of asylum seekers. To do so, the team on the ground welcomes asylum seekers on a daily basis to provide legal advice, such as interview preparations, appeals support and general legal assistance with different proceedings.

Since September 2021, asylum seekers in Samos reside in a “Closed and Controlled Access Centre,” a facility funded by the EU at a cost of 43 million euro. This remotely located facility has raised considerable issues with ensuring meaningful access to legal support, as the transparency of asylum procedures, conducted within the camp, has become extremely limited. Many legal and non-legal actors departed the island when the new Centre opened, and ASF France became one of the main independent organisations providing free legal support as a result. When large numbers of new arrivals are registered in Samos, ASF France is directly called on to support them with information provision and interview preparation by UNHCR.

Responsabilities and service to deliver :

ASF France is looking for a lawyer registered to a Bar Association in Greece, with strong interest in human rights and asylum law to join the Samos Legal Centre team, onsite in Samos, Greece. The position will involve direct responsibility for delivering results in accordance with the objectives of the project and supporting the asylum seekers residing in Samos.

Under the supervision of the project manager and in close collaboration with the second lawyer and two volunteer caseworkers, the Lawyer will offer the following services:

• Provide legal advice, both in-person at the Centre’s offices and by phone;

• Obtain information about the beneficiaries’ cases from the Reception Information Service (RIS), the Greek Asylum Service (GAS), European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and/or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR);

• Accompany asylum seekers during their interviews at the asylum service, and, where necessary, at the police station;

• Research, draft and submit memoranda to support beneficiaries’ claims;

• Prepare, research and submit appeals in the event of a rejection at first instance;

• When requested, participate in ASF France’s meetings with other relevant stakeholders on the island, including the UNHCR.

Required profile and qualifications :

– Qualified Greek lawyer, registered with a bar association in Greece

– Minimum of one-year post-qualification experience in asylum law;

– A good knowledge of the Greek legal system and judicial / asylum law and procedures, as well as Greek administrative authorities;

– Experience in the coordination of legal aid services and pro bono activities;

– Experience in collaborating with non-governmental organizations;

– Demonstrable interest and experience in human rights;

– Experience working with vulnerable populations;

– Technologically literate, both in using tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and in adopting new collaboration tools such as Instant Messenger and web conferencing.

The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic, organized self-starter who is a positive team player with the ability to work both independently and to collaborate effectively with teams. The candidate must possess superior skills in both written and verbal communication, and in problem-solving.

This description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of the collaboration with the Lawyer. The actual duties, responsibilities, scope and qualifications may vary to some degree. Thecandidate must respect the principle of confidentiality and the ethics of the project.

Languages: fluent in Greek and English; knowledge of French and/or Arabic would be an asset Conditions:

– Six-month collaboration agreement, renewable upon funding;

– Competitive monthly rate

– Housing allowance

Starting date: First week of January