Who We Are

Our Independent Law Centre provides legal representation for refugees and international protection applicants. We also monitor emerging policies and pursue strategic litigation to advance the rights and dignity of people seeking protection.

Founded in 2011, the Centre was established to address unmet legal needs in the asylum system. From the outset, our focus has been on providing early, specialist legal advice and targeted representation to those most in need.

What We Do

Core Legal Services

• Early Legal Advice (ELA): Guidance before and during the protection process, including completing questionnaires, preparing personal statements, and attending International Protection Office interviews. This ensures applicants understand the process, gather relevant documents, and are properly prepared. Our ELA model, piloted by the Centre, was later adopted by the Legal Aid Board.
• Family Reunification: We represent a limited number of refugees and beneficiaries of protection in family reunification cases. In partnership with Kids in Need of Defence (KIND), the Immigrant Council of Ireland, and leading law firms, we provide child-friendly legal advice to unaccompanied minors seeking to reunite with their families. Since launch, the project has supported more than 430 children.
• Age-Disputed Minors: We assist young people in establishing their age, supporting them in assessments and protection applications. Over 20 of our clients have since been recognised as children and taken into care.
• Reception Conditions: We represent clients in cases involving failures to provide accommodation or basic needs, particularly for newly arrived applicants experiencing homelessness.

Strategic Litigation

We bring cases that address systemic failures and clarify rights.

• Homelessness Cases (2023–2025): We represented 10 international protection applicants denied accommodation. Test cases taken to the High Court established that the State had breached applicants’ right to dignity. The Court of Justice of the EU confirmed in 2025 that Member States cannot cite capacity pressures to justify denying basic reception conditions.
• Impact: These cases ensured accommodation was provided to new arrivals and strengthened EU law protections for applicants across Europe.

Policy and Capacity Building

Our client work informs submissions on issues such as:

• Early legal advice in asylum procedures
• Reception conditions for applicants
• Age assessment processes

We also publish practical resources, including an Early Legal Advice Manual for practitioners and NGOs.