Equal Justice 平義社 is an award-winning community legal access charity that helps people who are facing legal problems but who cannot afford, or otherwise access, legal information and support. Hong Kong has limited publicly funded community legal information and advice centres and we are working to bridge this vital welfare gap. We believe that access to legal services is a key driver of social wellbeing, enabling more inclusive societies and economic progress, much like healthcare, welfare and education.

Equal Justice 平義社 is a referring agency under The Duty Lawyer Service Free Legal Advice Scheme. We are authorised by the Hong Bar Association to instruct barristers directly for legal advice. We are Members of the World Justice Project and of Namati, the Grassroots Justice Network.

Launched in 2020, our community legal centre is overflowing, even without advertising. It’s never our work alone, however. We partner with over 100 law firms and 50+ NGOs to improve community legal access through three focus streams:

· PREVENT: Free Community Legal Education

· PROVIDE: A Community Legal Centre where we provide free, face-to-face, tailored legal information and support, and referrals to lawyers and counsellors. So far, we have helped over 2,000 people living at or below the poverty line. Typical legal problems include family matters, employment and discrimination, education and housing, immigration, criminal matters and, sometimes, personal injury, healthcare, probate and online scams. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice.

· PROGRESS: o 香 港 社 區 法 律 服 務 Community Legal Access Forum 2025 : 絕 不 遺 漏 一人 No One Left Behind: Our second, annual, cross-sector forum about the importance and social impact, status of, and opportunities for accessible and affordable community legal support in Hong Kong SAR. o CLIX: an online lawyer-NGO matching platform, in partnership with two other NGOs. CLIX was a finalist in the 2023 ALITA Legal Tech for Good Awards. In June 2024, the inaugural CLIX Pro Bono Services Excellence Awards celebrated the most engaged pro bono barrister, local law firm and international law firms. o PAT: Pregnant@Work: Our first, free, public, digital legal platform to help employers, employees and families to better manage pregnancies at work. It won the 2022 ALITA Legal Tech for Good Award.

We do not offer legal advice. Instead, we offer initial assistance and legal systems’ navigation support and, when needed, refer clients to, and partner with, a network of ~100 law firms and barristers’ chambers. Learn more about us by clicking on the following links: Video I Website I LinkedIn I Impact Report I Financials

FUNCTION & PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

An opportunity to create impact by directly providing legal information and support to some of Hong Kong’s most legally underserved and marginalised people.

DETAILS OF THE POSITION

1. Duration: initial one-year contract;

2. Location: primarily at our Community Legal Information Centre in Yau Ma Tei;

3. Weekly hours: full-time (40 hours per week/Mon.-Fr.,10am-6pm), although there may be some flexibility;

4. Pay: HK$18,000 ~ 24,000 per month, with room for discussion for those with extensive experience; and

5. Generous 30 days’ paid annual leave per calendar year, accruing on successful completion of probationary period.

WHAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE IN THIS ROLE

1. Provide direct casework services and support to clients facing legal problems: inform them about their legal rights and duties; help them make informed decisions; file claims; write intervention letters; help them navigate their way through various government departments, bodies and the courts; accompany them to court and appointments with lawyers and government departments; help them to obtain pro-bono legal advice/support or to apply for Legal Aid for legal claims and then work collaboratively with their legal representatives.

2. Draft and deliver legal information to our clients and our NGO/social enterprise partners;

3. Support the development of community legal education by designing and delivering education sessions;

4. Contribute to the development of our digital platforms;

5. Research law and contribute to invitations for public submissions;

6. Contribute to research and strategic initiatives with lawyers, government, academics, consulates, NGOs; and

7. Support our team, volunteers, interns and fellows.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Hold an undergraduate or graduate degree in law, political science, international relations, public administration or related fields; Preference will be given to applicants who have studied Hong Kong law;

2. Have a demonstrated interest in, and commitment to, social justice, and the alleviation of poverty for a happy and more inclusive Hong Kong;

3. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in legal case work and of working with disadvantaged people, ideally in Hong Kong, and/or a legal qualification in any jurisdiction;

4. Strong drafting legal writing and research skills;

5. Be a dynamic team communicator and player; and a quick learner who works well under and thrives under the pressure that a direct service role entails. Free counselling is available to our clients and team to support mental wellbeing and balance;

6. A commitment to technology and to working smartly is strongly preferred, as is a proactive approach to identifying potential digital solutions that bridge community legal access gaps;

7. Be fluent in written and spoken English and Cantonese and/or Mandarin, or other languages such as Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi, Tagalog or Urdu;

8. A preference for working collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team that values community partnerships. This position will not suit an individual operator – we value collaboration and partnerships over competition;

9. Be comfortable with, and committed to operating within, our core values: open, inclusive, people-centered, and transparent; and

10. Have an existing right to work in Hong Kong S.A.R.

Candidates with more significant and/or relevant case experience may be considered for a Legal Case Manager role.

HOW TO APPLY

1. Please email your CV, a letter of interest, the contact details of two referees, your pay expectations and available starting date; and

2. Applications must be sent by email to work@equaljustice.org and state “Legal Case Officer/Manager: [YOUR NAME]” in the subject line.

Please note that Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Early submission is encouraged.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Equal Justice 平義社 is a committed equal opportunities employer. We are a signatory of the Equal Opportunities Commission’s ‘Racial Diversity & Inclusion Charter for Employers.’ We are a Mental Health Friendly Organisation and signatory of ‘Hong Kong’s Workplace Mental Health Charter.’

DATA PRIVACY

Please note that data sent by you to Equal Justice 平義社 in connection with this application will be retained by Equal Justice 平義社 for 6 months after the hiring process completes. All information and personal data provided by you to us as part of this recruitment process will be treated with discretion and will be used for recruiting for this role only. Please also refer to the Privacy Policy on our website https://www.equaljustice.org/privacy-policy