Staff Attorney

Opportunity

IRAP is seeking to hire a Staff Attorney to represent refugees seeking relocation through family reunification and humanitarian visas, primarily to France. Some of this work will be conducted as part of IRAP’s partnership with UNHCR to provide legal assistance to refugees in East Africa and the MENA region seeking reunification with family members in Europe and the U.S. In addition to directly representing clients, the Staff Attorney will oversee the work of caseworkers and provide guidance to IRAP staff members and volunteers on complementary pathways cases. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual interested in refugee rights to be part of a growing, international legal aid organization.

Responsibilities

• Directly representing clients (including conducting intake interviews and research, elaborating strategies, informing clients of their rights and applicable procedures, drafting submissions, and ensuring follow-up and advocacy with adjudicating bodies) and working in collaboration with partner NGOs and French lawyers on (1) family reunification cases to European countries and/or North America (with a focus on family reunification to France); and (2) humanitarian visa applications to countries in Europe and North America (with a focus on French Asylum Visas)
• Drafting administrative appeals and, where necessary, coordinating with lawyers regarding further appeals.
• Overseeing work of other IRAP staff, caseworkers, and volunteers on individual complementary pathways cases (including trainings and review of intake interviews and submissions)
• Ensuring detailed and accurate record-keeping regarding all potential and active cases
• Coordinating with partner organizations on cases IRAP is representing and more broadly on advocacy related to complementary pathways in France
• Providing guidance and training to pro bono legal teams individually representing asylum seekers in France
• Keeping up to date on legislative and caselaw-related developments on family reunification and asylum law at European and French domestic levels
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of law experience required
• Law degree (LLM or equivalent) required
• Demonstrated experience providing legal assistance to refugees and/or asylum-seekers in France, particularly in family reunification or humanitarian visa procedures
• Sound knowledge of European (and preferably French) legislative framework and jurisprudence regarding refugees and/or human rights
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills and prior experience interviewing and counseling clients in a legal setting
• Highly organized and flexible, able to multi-task and manage a high-volume workload, and excellent time management skills
• Sensitivity to client empowerment and to working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTQIA clients, survivors of trauma, and other vulnerable populations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite
• Excellent written and spoken English and French skills required; excellent skills in other languages (particularly Arabic, Farsi, German, Somali, Swedish, Tigrinya) a plus but not required

Location: The candidate will work in IRAP’s office in Berlin. Remote candidates and candidates willing to relocate will be considered.

Compensation

The annual full-time equivalent salary range for this position is €65,893 – €92,606 commensurate with experience and office location.

Benefits

• IRAP’s benefits vary across office locations, and IRAP seeks to offer equitable and generous benefits to all employees. The benefits include:

• Supplementary company health insurance for staff as well as their partners and dependents

• Berlin transport pass (A, B, C)

• Daycare reimbursements

• A wellness reimbursement twice per year

• Generous professional development opportunities

• 25 vacation days

• Office closure December 25-January 1

• Approximately 20 additional paid office closures throughout the year (incl. public holidays)