PAGE 7
Many pledgers shared that they will continue to employ at least some remote work in
future projects while others shared that they have been motivated by the effectiveness of
remote working to develop new projects, which are predominantly delivered remotely. For
example, the law firms Orrick and Ashurst have worked with another firm to develop a
new collaboration with Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland (RLC), called Refugee Rights
Access. Volunteer lawyers from the German offices of these three firms provide free legal
information sessions via the Zoom platform, alongside RLC student advisors, on the EU
asylum system and process to individuals who have arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina
from other third countries.
Given financial and other uncertainties faced by many NGOs as a result of the pandemic,
some private sector pledgers highlighted that they chose to strengthen relationships with
existing local legal aid partners rather than develop new partnerships. A number of firms
worked with existing partners to refocus their pro bono activities to provide services to
those particularly vulnerable to the virus, including detained asylum-seekers. Others
shared that the pandemic brought about some positive procedural changes in certain
jurisdictions, which created opportunities for greater rights for refugees.
"The shock and turmoil of the pandemic also created
new possibilities: the government created a first ofits-kind forum for deliberation between NGOs and
government offices relating to the needs of refugees
and migrants during the crisis; legal dead-ends in
regards to releasing detainees were reconsidered by
the courts, opening the path to the release of more
detainees than before; and even the requirement
that asylum seekers renew visas in person, which has
been an ever-present burden for the community, was
removed, moving to an online system for visa
renewals.”
The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants (Israel)