Law Centre

We help people get protection from persecution

At our Independent Law Centre, we meet the unmet legal needs of people seeking international protection in Ireland in a strategic manner, promoting and delivering early legal advice and representation to people from the early stages of the asylum process.

We also provide legal representation to people with refugee status and people granted subsidiary protection in their applications for family reunification.

How to get help

You can access our service through our Drop-in Centre. Please let the Drop-In Centre know if you need legal representation, and have not already availed of legal aid. They will take your relevant details and make a referral to the Law Centre.

We also take referrals from organisations in relation to individuals at various stages of the protection process where those cases may be of strategic benefit to people seeking protection in Ireland and where an individual is extremely vulnerable and has difficulties in otherwise accessing legal services. If an organisation wishes to make a referral, they can discuss this with us by contacting us via the details below. After speaking with us, we may ask referring organisations to complete a Law Centre Referral Form.

Due to limited funding it is not possible for the Law Centre to meet all requests for legal representation. Our legal service is limited for capacity reasons and to ensure the quality of our services.

Call 01 764 5854

Email Law Centre

Early Legal Advice

We provide early legal advice to people in the early stages of the international protection process, including advice on

the process before application
completing the application questionnaire and personal statement
attending interview at the International Protection Office and what to expect
making detailed submissions after the interview

To assist with our overwhelming demand and limited resources, we have partnered with A&L Goodbody Solicitors who have advised and represented over 50 people applying for international protection on a pro bono basis in the first interview stage of the asylum process. Read more out our partnership here.

Family Reunification

We have also partnered with Kids in Need of Defence (KIND) and the Immigrant Council of Ireland to help children who have been granted refugee status in Ireland reunite with the families they left behind. A&L Goodbody, Arthur Cox, Microsoft, Linked In, Simmons and Simmons have also joined the project as pro bono partners and over the next 12 months, our project hopes to support 30 refugee children in their applications for family reunification.

Policy Work and Capacity Building

Arising out of our work with individual clients, we seek to identify issues affecting people seeking protection and those recognised as refugees in Ireland. We also support voluntary organisations and practitioners working on behalf of people seeking international protection in Ireland.

The Law Centre is supported by various sources including the European Commission under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020 which is supported is by the Department of Justice and Equality, The Tomar Trust, A&L Goodbody, KIND and Wolfgang Digital.

Our Impact in 2022

Ongoing legal representation for 280 people in the international protection process.
67 clients represented in family reunification applications, and 55 in Afghan Humanitarian Admissions Programme.
48 clients received refugee status, 24 granted permission to remain, and 22 reunited with their families.
4 new High Court Judicial Review cases concerning family reunification and age assessments.
12 clients referred to A&L Goodbody solicitors for representation in their international protection applications.
71 young people supported in family reunification and citizenship applications through KIND project with support from Pro bono partner firms. 12 positive family reunification decisions, and 3 positive citizenship decisions received.
23 clients supported with reception conditions representation.
18 age-disputed minor clients represented in age assessments and international protection applications.
Developed partnership with 4 firms (A&L Goodbody, Matheson, Philip Lee and Arthur Cox) and supported them to represent 90 clients in applications for their Afghan families to join them.