Odessa - Refugee Law Clinic
Added on Mon, 2005-12-12 18:10
South Ukrainian Center of Young Lawyers
Description
The Odessa Refugee Law Clinic (ORLC) is a subdivision of the public organization South Ukrainian Center of Young Lawyers. It is affiliated with Odessa National Law Academy, Odessa Law Institute of the National University of Internal Affairs, and Odessa National Mechnikov University. As an implementing partner of UNHCR, the clinic has enjoyed cooperation with other partner organizations of UNHCR, ECRE, Amnesty International in the Ukraine, International Renaissance Foundation, Red Cross representatives in Odessa, the Jagiellonian University Human Rights Centre in Krakow, and the Charity Foundation "Sympathy", (which provides social assistance to refugee families, with state authorities as well as with the local newspaper entitled Migration). The clinic has trained 130 students. The course "International legal regulation of refugee status and asylum seekers" is an integral part of the educational process for the students of the European Law Institute. In some cases, however, it is regarded as an internship.
Main objectives of ORLC:
Clinic Activities
Students are generally involved in interviewing asylum-seekers, conducting country of origin information research, legal research, legal counseling, representation before the court and state authorities, assistance in organizing seminars, conferences and other educational events, and preparing newspaper articles. Guidance is provided by 2 profess ors, 3 teaching assistants and 7 legal practitioners. Workshops and seminars are an essential part of the clinic training. When the topics also concern lawyers or migration service employees, ORLC invites them to participate along with the students. The clinic covers issues such as age or gender-related persecution, persecution by non-state agents, domestic violence, and exclusion and cessation clauses. Some of the workshops focus on developing the skills necessary for performing well in working with asylum seekers and refugees. The ORLC students participated at the Third and Fourth Annual International Asylum Law Moot Court Competitions, reaching the semi-final.
Academic years 2001/2002 and 2002/2003:
Contact information
Ak. Philatova St., 65009
Odessa, Ukraine
Tel/Fax: +38 048 7601616
Email: lawcentre@optima.com.ua