Legal Officer Careers - Refugee Law Project (RLP)

Organization: Refugee Law

Project (RLP)

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Reports to: Programme

Manager, Access to Justice

The Refugee Law

Project (RLP) is an outreach project of the School of Law, Makerere University.

Our Mission is to empower asylum seekers, refugees, deportees, IDPs and host

communities to enjoy their human rights and lead dignified lives.

Job Summary: The Legal

Officer provides direct legal support to victims of forced migration and

carries out policy advocacy on forced migration. The job holder also provides

technical support to RLP in relation to legal work through an active

contribution in defining legal priorities on research, partnership, alliance

building and advocacy.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: 

·        
The incumbent will represent forced migrant clients

before the courts of law and other institutions as necessary

·        
Offer legal advice to forced migrants and support

migrant groups

·        
Identify and make referrals for resettlement of

clients as per established procedure

·        
Facilitate Alternative Dispute Resolution among

conflicting parties

·        
Carry out legal aid clinics in the refugee

settlements to provide on-spot legal aid services

2.

Research and Advocacy:

·        
Carry out research, documentation, and publication

on issues of access to justice as they relate to forced migrants and forced

migration

·        
Prepare legal opinions and advice on general issues

of forced migration that may arise from time to time

·        
Organize and carry out trainings for government duty

bearers and forced migrants

·        
Develop Information, Education and Communication

(IEC) materials relating to access to justice

·        
Organize and facilitate information sessions and

dialogues with forced migrants and other stakeholders

·        
Build and strengthen working relationships with

other stakeholders in the provision of legal aid, including but not limited to

government institutions, UNCHR, among others

·        
Initiate, review and advise on MoUs between the RLP

and other partner organizations as necessary.

·        
The incumbent will assist the Programme Manager in

developing technical narratives for purposes of fundraising, as required

·        
Actively participate in identification of new lines

of intervention that facilitate fundraising.

·        
Work in liaison with the Grants team to identify

funding sources relevant to the programme work

·        
Make appropriate referrals for legal and alternative

support

·        
Prepare and submit individual reports about the

progress of activities as planned

Qualifications, Skills and

Experience: 

·        
The ideal candidate should preferably hold a good Bachelor’s

Degree in Law from a recognized university

·        
Completion of a Bar Course and possesses a

Practicing Certificate

·        
A minimum of three years’ experience in practicing

law in a recognized firm

·        
The applicant should have experience in representing

clients before courts of law or any other governing bodies.

·        
Previous experience in engaging with key partners on

legal related issues

·        
Possess the ability to think and write conceptually,

convincingly and strategically

·        
Ability to engage in advocacy at both local and

national level

·        
Ability to give timely reports on activities

undertaken

·        
Ability to work under pressure with minimum

supervision

·        
Highly creative and innovative skills

·        
Excellent interpersonal skills and high level of

self-motivation

·        
Computer skills in MS Office applications and good

communication and presentation skills.

·        
Good touch typing skills of at least 30 Words Per

Minute

·        
Fluency in Kiswahili and/or any other language

spoken in refugee communities will be an added advantage

All suitably

qualified and interested candidates must send a motivation letter and

curriculum vitae electronically to: recruitment@refugeelawproject.org. The

position applied for MUST be indicated in the subject line of the email. Copies

of certificates SHOULD NOT be attached, but will be requested for from

short-listed candidates only.

Attention: The

Human Resources Manager

Refugee Law

Project, School of Law, MUK

Plot No. 7

& 9 Perryman Gardens,

P. O. Box

33903, Kampala. Uganda

Deadline: 13th November 2015 by 5.00pm