Refugee Law Clinic Würzburg – practical experience during law studies

We sit seven around a small table in the office of a charitable organisation. Our client does not speak German, which is why two of her friends serve as translators. She reports to us factually how she fled her violent husband and had to leave one of her minor children in her home country. The money was not enough for both children. She substantiates her account with photographs showing the dramatic effects of the marital relationship. These are accounts whose truthfulness one does not want to believe, because they are so foreign to the accustomed life of safety. Accounts that speak of considerable courage and suffering. She wants to bring her abandoned child to Germany and we are to help her do so. 

Law studies deal only with dry subject matter, so say many outsiders, who base their knowledge on daily library visits and draw their conclusions from this image. That this is "fake news" according to the subjective experience of many students is illustrated by the situation mentioned above. Law students can already work as legal advisers in the field of asylum and residence law at the Refugee Law Clinic Würzburg e.V. (RLC) before completing their first state examination. A case is usually initiated by an enquiry from someone seeking help or their carer. After contact is made and it is confirmed that advice is desired, up to three students begin to gather important information for legal case work and then develop solutions. Support ranges from explaining official documents through research to preparing a legal opinion. To ensure a high-quality solution, a qualified lawyer reviews any opinion that is prepared. 

The topics that students engage with are diverse. Advice in the area of family reunification is often requested. But contractual matters or other legal situations can also be the subject. The duration of the procedure depends on the particular situation, which can extend over several months given considerable bureaucratic effort. Students learn to deal with complex challenges, such as when language barriers arise due to lack of interpreters or when they need to familiarise themselves with the legal system of another country. 

In addition to the aspect that students acquire valuable skills through case work, the Refugee Law Clinic, as its name suggests, serves refugees themselves. It was founded in 2015 with the idea of supporting aid organisations in the overwhelming refugee situation. Today the association has around 50 members and has handled around 150 cases. For refugees, "bureaucratic German" often proves incomprehensible, which is why possible legal remedies are either not used at all or used after the deadline due to lack of knowledge. Additionally, the Law Clinic wants to build a bridge between newcomers and German society and thus contribute to successful integration. Despite the considerable practical considerations of asylum accommodation and reception centres, it is absolutely obvious that asylum seekers feel excluded from the rest of society or become resigned during the long procedure. To counter such developments, the work of many NGOs, which carry out the best possible information and integration work with various programmes, is particularly commendable. 

In Germany there is an increased need for legal advice in asylum and residence law, which currently cannot be met. The reason for this is the refugee situation in 2015 and the previously manageable significance of this area of law. Thus, the number of specialist lawyers is no longer sufficient for today's demand, which is why non-specialist lawyers also take on cases. In court practice, it is positive to note that the same chambers always deal with the respective countries of origin. It can be assumed that over time a judge can acquire respectable knowledge of the countries through the accounts of the plaintiffs. Additionally, the security assessments of the Foreign Office are consulted. However, communication continues to cause difficulties. Furthermore, according to RLC members, due to the large number of proceedings, one or another decision turns out to be imprecise. This problem must, however, be remedied urgently to ensure a modern German constitutional state. New regulations, such as the obligation to re-interview Syrian refugees who in 2015 automatically received refugee status and a residence permit (which is now to be reviewed due to a re-hearing), also lead to uncertainty among refugees. 

Pleasingly, cooperation with charitable organisations and the Government of Lower Franconia has improved significantly through networking efforts. Since mid-August 2019, the RLC has even had the opportunity to offer surgeries in the shared accommodation in Veitshöchheim through the Government of Lower Franconia. For the future, it is hoped that more career starters will complete their specialist qualification in migration law. To find out whether such work brings joy, all interested students are cordially invited to participate in case work and become part of the team. The feeling of helping someone who has been subjected to injustice and violence may be at least as rewarding as passing an exam. Do you want to become part of the Refugee Law Clinic Würzburg e.V.? 

We are very pleased about interested students who would like to get involved in the Refugee Law Clinic. In addition to the social aspect, you benefit from first practical advisory experience before the state examination and gain knowledge in a specialist field that is currently in high demand. By the way, prior knowledge is not necessary! We offer specialist workshops as well as a lecture series and, with regular participation, also issue a certificate. Recently, case work in conjunction with the lecture series "Law in Practice" has also replaced one of the required mandatory internships. It is therefore very worthwhile to contact us via info@rlc-wue.de and drop by one of our regular meetings – we look forward to seeing you!

Nabila Rehbein