Legal Assistant Volunteer (Full-time or Part-time)

Job Description

Job title: Legal Assistant Volunteer (full-time or part-time) 

Service: Legal Services and Intake Service 

Reporting to: Legal Services Manager / Intake Officer

Salary: Voluntary 

Work pattern: Full Time, Monday – Friday, 9:30 am – 6:00pm; Part-time, minimum 15 hours per week  

Duration: 6 months, with the opportunity to extend (a shorter commitment may be considered) 

Desired Start Date: Late-Jul to Early Aug 2026 (a later start date may be considered) 

Asylum Services & Knowledge is a non-profit organisation that delivers legal and social services to refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people in Hong Kong SAR. We work to support the vision of Hong Kong SAR as a welcoming and inclusive society. 

We provide free specialist legal help to people experiencing forced displacement, while offering tailored welfare and psychosocial support to those affected by trauma and destitution. Through strategic casework, research, training and technical assistance and community initiatives, we work to ensure that even the most marginalised members of Hong Kong society have equitable access to essential services and a voice in our society.  

Our engagement with the community aims to promote refugee participation in Hong Kong society. We are committed to creating a safe, supportive working environment, reflecting of the diverse communities we serve. For more information about ASK, please visit www.ask.org.hk. 

Purpose of position

The Legal Assistant Volunteer is a position for those with legal experience and for those with a passion for supporting refugee, asylum seekers and other forced migrants in the Hong Kong SAR. It is a structured position, generally requiring a minimum commitment of six months, with detailed training and supervision provided by ASK’s experienced legal team. Volunteers will develop legal and practical expertise and deliver a valuable contribution to the Legal Services of ASK, and to our clients. 

Responsibilities

• Support in reviewing and actioning incoming and outgoing communications (post, fax, telephone, walk-in clients, etc.); 

• Support in responding to any client enquiries (often highly vulnerable people), and also that of other visitors, agencies, etc. in a professional, sensitive and respectful manner;  

• Assist with the coordination of intake for new and existing clients; 

• Support the delivery of legal services and information to persons in immigration detention or at risk of detention, including drafting letters, visits, collecting and organising case documents; and supporting with the coordination of detention visits; 

• Arrange internal and external appointments, including coordinating schedules, reserving office space, and confirming appointments with all attendees; 

• Liaise with interpreters, attend to interpreter matters, and keep an up-to-date records of interpreter details; 

• Assist with intake assessments, conduct client interviews and manage small caseload of client matters, under supervision; 

• Conduct legal and factual (including country of origin) research, and write interview and research-based reports; 

• Contribute to ASK’s legal and file management systems as well as to monitoring and evaluation systems in terms of collection, verification, database entry, and filing of client data;  

• Support the coordination and assistance of client and stakeholder events and outreach initiatives;  

• Ensure the organisation and tidiness of the office, and undertake other administrative and organisational tasks, such as taking minutes, scanning, filing, and document management; 

• Attend all relevant staff meetings; 

• Perform other tasks as required for the support of the delivery of Legal Services, as requested by the Legal Services Manager; and 

• Comply with ASK’s policies and procedures, and treat everyone with respect, dignity and fairness. 

Requirements

Essential 

• University degree in law, social science, international relations, or other relevant fields, or equivalent industry experience (current/ prospective university students will be considered); 

• Multicultural sensitivity and ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and across varying language barriers;  

• Commitment to upholding the principle of equal opportunities, and interest in issues related to refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants; 

• Fluency in verbal and written English, and ability to present complex information using simple and accessible language; 

• Demonstrable organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise multiple tasks and to work effectively when under time pressure; 

• Team-player with excellent interpersonal skills; 

• Willingness to learn and develop new skills; 

• Literacy in basic data entry, Microsoft Office and Outlook; and 

• Legal right to work/volunteer in Hong Kong. 

Desirable

• Direct experience of forced displacement, or understanding of the challenges faced by refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants, including legal, mental health and social welfare issues; 

• Experience of working with vulnerable people in a professional setting; 

• Experience of and/or training in the domestic and/or international legal system, particularly if related to migration; 

• Fluency in Cantonese; and 

• Fluency in another language such as French, Arabic, Somali, Urdu, Hindi, Sinhala or Bengali would be a considerable asset. 

Benefits

• A daily stipend of HK$75 (when attending the office); 

• Access to in-depth training and supervision from internationally qualified lawyers;  

• Flexible working hours; and  

• Generous leave policy. 

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and, where appropriate, will require the successful applicant to undertake a police background check. 

Please e-mail your statement of interest, CV, Two writing samples (academic or professional; each over 500 words). and fill out the Application Form to jobs@ask.org.hk with the subject line ‘Legal Assistant Volunteer’. Deadline for applications is Friday 31st July 2026 and applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Interpreters (Consultants)

Service: Direct Services

Salary: $280/hour

Work pattern: Availability as-needed weekdays between 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, out of office hours may be required

Duration: A minimum of 3 months’ commitment preferred

Justice Centre is a non-profit organisation that provides legal and social services to refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people in Hong Kong SAR. We work to support the vision of Hong Kong SAR as a welcoming and inclusive society.

We provide free specialist legal help to people experiencing forced displacement, while offering tailored welfare and psychosocial support to those affected by trauma and destitution. Through strategic casework, research, training and technical assistance and community initiatives, we work to ensure that even the most marginalised members of Hong Kong society have equitable access to essential services and a voice in our society.

At Justice Centre Hong Kong, we strive to foster community engagement and promote the active participation of refugees in Hong Kong society. Our commitment extends to creating a safe and inclusive working environment that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage candidates with personal experiences of forced migration, individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and individuals with disabilities and neuro-diversity to apply. To learn more about Justice Centre and our mission, please visit our website at www.justicecentre.org.hk.

Purpose of position

We require interpreters who are fluent in English and selected languages to assist with our work with protection claimants. Most interpreters are paid an hourly rate; some interpreters generously donate their time as volunteers. Interpreters’ responsibility includes providing interpretation assistance during meetings with clients, and translating correspondence and documents.

Work Arrangements

• Interpretation assistance is booked on an “as-needed’ basis. Our interpretation needs can vary widely and there is no guaranteed minimum number of hours.

• Interpretation services usually take place on weekdays between 9:30 am – 6:00 pm, out-of-office hours may be required depending on the nature of the appointment

• We prefer in-person interpretation, but are able to facilitate remote interpretation where needed. Our usual channels for booking appointments and remote interoperate are WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams.

JCHK Language Needs

Justice Centre is in need of interpreters for the following languages:

Desirable

• Mandingo

• Amharic

• Kinyarwanda

• Luganda

• Malayalam

• Russian

• Somali

• Wolof

• French

• Arabic

Requirements

Essential

• Oral and written proficiency in both English and the language of interpretation. Proficiency can be demonstrated by being a native speaker, completing or attending a university degree that is being taught in that language, achieving at least C1 (Advanced) Proficiency in English the Common European Framework of Reference[1] or equivalent in other languages.  

• Sensitivity towards working with asylum seekers and survivors of torture and trauma.

• Ability to interpret in an impartial manner.

• Ability to maintain all interpretations confidential, and maintain high levels of professionalism in the provision of services.

• Proof of immigration or resident status in Hong Kong (or where interpreting online) relevant country/territory of residence, which permits engaging in paid work outside of any sponsoring employer/institution. (Note: Justice Centre is unable to sponsor work visas.)

Desirable

• Professional certification in interpretation or translation

• University degree in language, translation, interpretation and other related fields, or other relevant formal training or certification

• Demonstrable understanding of forced migrants and asylum issues, especially in the Hong Kong context

• Experience working with people in distressing or vulnerable situations

• Experience working in legal, welfare, medical or community setting, either taking the role of an interpreter, translator or in other professional capacity

If you are interested in assisting us with interpretation, possess language skills but have little or no prior experience, we are still interested in hearing from you. We may be able to provide training.

Benefits

• An hourly rate of HK$280;

• Access to in-house training where available; and

• Flexible working arrangements.

We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a police background check.

Please e-mail your statement of interest and CV to jobs@justicecentre.org.hk with the subject line ‘Interpreter’. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

[1] See here the requisite test scores: https://www.efset.org/cefr/c1/.

To apply please email your CV and statement of interest to jobs@ask.org.hk with the name of the position you are applying for in the subject line.

Unfortunately, due to the high level of interest in our organisation, we are only able to reply to shortlisted applicants. The information requested will be used only for the purpose of assessing your suitability for the role advertised.