The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a legal and policy advocacy organization that works to develop and enforce a system of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced people around the world, providing free and comprehensive legal services. IRAP operates offices in the U.S. (New York City, Washington, D.C.), Jordan (Amman), Lebanon (Beirut), and Europe (Berlin), with over 100 full-time staff. IRAP Europe's legal team is made up of 11 members providing legal representation and related assistance to clients in family reunification, humanitarian visa, and asylum procedures through direct legal services and partnerships with local NGOs and pro bono law firms.
IRAP is seeking a Staff Attorney to represent refugees seeking relocation through family reunification and humanitarian pathways to Germany. The Staff Attorney's main responsibility will be representation of clients at all levels of the family reunification and humanitarian visa processes; casework will primarily be done remotely, as clients are located throughout the world. The Staff Attorney will also provide guidance to IRAP staff members and volunteers on German family reunification cases and participate in the strategic work of the team (e.g. organization of workshops, publications in legal journals). The position reports to the team's Supervising Attorney for Germany and is part of a 3-person team.
Responsibilities: directly representing clients in family reunification and humanitarian visa cases to Germany at embassy and court level (intake interviews and research, developing strategies, informing clients of their rights and applicable procedures, drafting submissions, follow-up and advocacy with adjudicating bodies); working in collaboration with partner NGOs and German lawyers; ensuring detailed and accurate record-keeping; keeping up to date on legislative and caselaw developments on family reunification and asylum law at European and German domestic levels; participating in drafting legal manuals and pro se guides and providing training to legal practitioners.
Qualifications: Second German law degree (2. Staatsexamen) required; demonstrated experience providing legal assistance to refugees and/or asylum-seekers in Germany (family reunification experience preferred); sound knowledge of European and German legislative framework and jurisprudence regarding refugees and/or human rights; strong research, writing and analytical skills; strong interpersonal and communication skills with prior client interviewing and counseling experience; highly organized and flexible; sensitivity to client empowerment and working with clients of all backgrounds, including LGBTQI clients and survivors of trauma; proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite; excellent German and English communication skills required (Arabic, Farsi, French, Somali, Swedish, Tigrinya a plus).
Salary: €59,740 - €84,505 a year (full-time equivalent, commensurate with experience). Contract offered at 80-100% depending on experience and budget, permanent (unbefristet) from the outset with a six-month probationary period. Benefits include supplementary company health insurance, Berlin transport pass, daycare reimbursements, wellness reimbursement, professional development, 30 vacation days, and office closures.
Closing date: 2026-09-15
HOW TO APPLY:
Apply online via the Lever application link. Please submit an updated resume, a cover letter, and a writing sample. Please send your application by September 15th, 2026.
https://jobs.eu.lever.co/refugeerights/15f60e18-30ec-459d-9591-3cb1e29c2573/apply