Fighting for Justice: ASRC’s Human Rights Law Program

At the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), we know that navigating Australia’s complex and ever-changing asylum system can be overwhelming, isolating, and sometimes terrifying. Every person has the right to seek protection. But without expert legal advice, many people can find themselves trapped by bureaucracy, language barriers, or simply a lack of understanding of their rights.

That’s why our Human Rights Law Program (HRLP) exists: to ensure that people seeking asylum have access to free, high-quality legal support and a fair chance at building a safe future. Our team is made up of committed staff and a network of passionate volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and law students, all working tirelessly to uphold the rights and dignity of people seeking asylum. 

Hear from Akshay, an international student and ASRC’s Human Rights Law Program volunteer, on what he likes the most about volunteering at the ASRC and what his favourite part of the day is.

Through our Legal Program, we provide expert legal advice and casework for people at all stages of the refugee determination process. Our team offers assistance with visa applications, appeals, and submissions. Our solicitors offer representation at the Department, Administrative Review Tribunal, the Federal Circuit and Family Court, the Federal Court, and occasionally the High Court of Australia. We also refer to our pro bono legal partners to increase our ability to help a wider range of clients

But it’s about more than paperwork and courtrooms. At ASRC, we don’t just represent cases, we stand with people through some of the most challenging times of their lives, offering not only legal expertise but also humanity, respect, and hope.

Through advocacy and strategic litigation, ASRC’s Legal Program also fights for broader systemic change, pushing for fairer laws and policies that recognise the inherent worth of every individual. Our Law Program works to promote community legal education, law reform, sector capacity building, and advocacy, providing fundamental support for our advocacy work as we continue to fight for the human rights of asylum seekers in Australia, because justice should never depend on where you come from. 

Volunteers are the backbone of our work, whether assisting with research, helping clients prepare documents, interpreting, or offering a listening ear. 

As a social justice organisation, we offer a unique opportunity for students studying law to gain an insight into working in a legal environment and applying legal knowledge and skills to real-life problems in the area of refugee law. Our volunteer program creates an energetic and engaging workplace for aspiring human rights lawyers and advocates, offering ongoing training and development opportunities that make a real difference in the lives of people seeking asylum and refugees in Australia. 

HRLP volunteers get the opportunity to work with solicitors in a busy legal clinic, delivering high-quality refugee law advice and receiving hands-on experience in casework at all stages of the refugee determination process. Students can also undertake legal research, including country of origin information, human rights reports and relevant case law, to assist our advocacy and campaign team in our continued fight for the protection of people seeking asylum. 

If you’re a legal professional or a passionate supporter of refugee rights, we invite you to join us. Find out more about volunteering with our Legal Program. Together, let’s create pathways to protection, stability, and belonging. 

#JusticeForAll #RefugeeRights #ASRCLegal #StandWithRefugees