Asylum and Immigration internship.
Our award winning Immigration and Asylum team is resuming its internship programme offering the opportunity for an enthusiast and committed volunteer to provide paralegal support to both asylum and immigration clients and the solicitors and caseworkers within the Asylum and Immigration team for a six-month part time placement.
The program will run from March to August and October to March each year Please see below for details of how to apply
General tasks you may be asked to carry out :
1. Legal research
2. Analysis of Asylum Statements, Country reports, Witness statements
3. Creation of Asylum Statements
4. Writing attendance notes
5. Assisting with booking clients and interpreters to the service
6. General administrative tasks such as filing, archiving, scanning, photocopying, binding of files
If you are seeking a career in Law and have an interest in Asylum and Immigration matters/ interest in working and supporting Asylum seekers / Immigrants/ Human Rights, this role will provide you with invaluable experience and insight into the problem faced by this group of communities
In this role, you will gain an invaluable insight into the day to day activities involved in Asylum and Immigration work. You will develop your research and drafting skills as well as having the opportunity to gain some client facing experience with the support of our expert team. To support your professional growth you will have access to internal training provided by SWLLC as well as other ad hoc training and events provided by external organisations.
You will also benefit from a structured placement with active supervision and an end of placement evaluation so that you can review your learning from the placement. However note, that because of the sensitive nature of the work carried out by our Asylum and Immigration team and the ongoing support and training provided during the placement, only candidates who can show they can commit for the full length of the placement (6 months) will be considered. Inability to attend on a regular basis and to complete the internship will have a negative effect on future reference requests provided by the law centre.
Because of the nature of the role, the ideal candidate will need to show a solid understanding of the work undertaken by our colleagues.
Work will include dealing with traumatic materials from extremely vulnerable clients who are victims of torture, slavery, trafficking. The volunteer may be asked to review materials such as scar reports, medical reports and statements with disturbing events happened to clients. As such, it is necessary that the candidate is aware of the work undertaken by our Legal Aid solicitor and is desirable that the candidate can show some level of previous experience working alongside a similar setting, supporting colleagues working with sensitive information.
Personal attributes
1. Working towards a legal qualification (LLB, GDL, LPC/ BPTC , ILEx/CILEx or equivalent);
2. Some equivalent experience in a role where you have been supporting a team and colleagues to help achieve targets;
3. Commitment to equal opportunities as set out in the principles and policies of South West London Law Centres.
4. An intelligent and highly motivated person who is accustomed to taking significant decisions and having a high level of personal accountability.
5. Ability to work independently with a proven ability to prioritise work and to meet deadlines.
6. Excellent communication skills: you must be able to relate well to colleagues, clients and third parties, in person, in writing and on the telephone, despite the pressures of the role.
7. Understanding of the problems which face diverse communities.
8. Ability to use computer and information technology including management information systems and to be self servicing. Must be proficient in Microsoft operating systems (Word, Excel, and Office).
9. Ability to work collaboratively within SWLLC