Refugee Legal Aid Resources

Fairness

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Accountability

This site is not associated with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and does not reflect the views of UNHCR.

The Nairobi Code

 

Model Rules of Ethics for Legal Advisors in Refugee Cases

 

 

Annex 1

Model Minimum Standards of Qualifications

for Legal Advisors for Refugees

 

 

Qualifications of Legal Adviser: Subject to any domestic rules to the contrary, a person may be recognized as a legal advisor for refugees if they meet either criteria A or B:

 

Criteria A:

 

Current license issued by the relevant authority of a member state of the United Nations as a lawyer, solicitor, attorney, barrister, counselor-at-law or equivalent professional designation.

 

 

Criteria B:

 

· Undergraduate degree, equivalent to a bachelor's degree or

· is a current student in a supervised legal clinic connected with an accredited University or other legal institution or

· is a person with more than 2 years experience working in refugee matters

 

and

 

· Training in refugee law (minimum 20 hours)

· Training in interviewing techniques and testimony writing (10 hours)

· Training in ethical responsibilities (2 hours)

 

 

Training may consist of independent reading, observation of practitioners, or other types of instruction.

 

A person who is recognized as meeting either of these criteria may offer the full services of a legal adviser to applicants in refugees.

 

 

 

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