We provide consultation on the rights of asylum and residence to refugees and asylum-seekers
Facilitating access to legal aid for refugees and asylum-seekers in Dresden is our driving force. That’s why the Refugee Law Clinic Dresden advocates for the support of all people in our bureaucratic legal system—regardless of their means or language skills. The RLC Dresden thus upholds constitutional fairness and practiced democracy.
The Refugee Law Clinic Dresden is an initiative that was founded by students at TU Dresden in the fall of 2015. Initially operated by the Faculty of Law, the RLC Dresden is now part of TU Dresden’s Center for International Studies. The initiative has also received support from the RLC Dresden non-profit since January 2020.
We train new student counselors each year
Training at RLC Dresden is spread across two semesters. In the first semester, trainees familiarize themselves with basic rights of asylum and residence, finishing with a written examination.
At the same time, the students shadow qualified counselors in their consultations at RLC Dresden to combine theory with practice. Between semesters, they also complete an obligatory four-week internship at a court, advisory center, law firm or official authority.
The second half of training is dedicated to consultation in practice. Guests to the organization hold presentations on important topics such as family reunification, securing residence status and detention pending deportation. This provides the trainees the specialized knowledge necessary to properly classify complex consultation cases. But the course also addresses other questions, for instance: How can asylum-seekers and refugees best prepare for their hearings? How should I speak with those I am counseling? What do I need to pay attention to when speaking with people who have experienced trauma?
Further information on training
Legal counsel is the core element of RLC Dresden
Once training is over and the oral exam is completed, voluntary consultation may begin. But counselors never stop learning. Thanks to regular professional development courses, counseling team members always stay up-to-date and enjoy many opportunities to consolidate their knowledge of the rights of asylum and residence.
Always working in tandem, RLC counselors’ support focuses primarily on the official asylum procedure, the Dublin procedure and family reunification. Some of the organization’s students also provide consultations at Dresden’s detention facility for those facing potential deportation. To ensure proper legal supervision, all cases are discussed with an experienced lawyer on a weekly basis.
Student legal consultations take place multiple times a week in various districts of Dresden. They are offered free of charge. So far, RLC Dresden has handled nearly 500 cases. Nonetheless, every case is different. Therefore, RLC Dresden’s student counselors take plenty of time to come to grips with each individual’s unique conditions. At RLC Dresden, people come first!