Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V.

What Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V. does

Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V. is a registered non-profit association (Vereinsregister VR 35872 B, Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg) coordinating a network of 38+ university-based Refugee Law Clinics across Germany and one international location on Samos, Greece. Founded circa 2015-2016, the organization trains and deploys 2,000+ student volunteers to provide free legal advice to refugees and migrants in asylum procedures, residence permits, Dublin regulation, and family reunification cases, all under professional supervision. Its primary technology product is Law&Orga, a free, GDPR-compliant virtual office and case management platform tailored for Law Clinics, featuring permission systems, encryption, statistics, collaboration tools (Collab), and event calendars, hosted on Scaleway's French data centers.

The organization follows a project-bound, donation-only revenue model with no membership fees, relying on a diversified base of foundation grants (CMS Stiftung, Robert Bosch Stiftung, terre des hommes, UNO Flüchtlingshilfe, Prototype Fund, Deutsche Stiftung für Engagement und Ehrenamt, and others), the Bundesbeauftragte für Migration, and pro bono support from international law firms including Ashurst, Dentons, Orrick, Freshfields, Fieldfisher, and Noerr. Its two main customer segments are refugees and migrants seeking free legal counsel, and law students seeking practical migration law training that traditional curricula do not provide. The movement runs adjacent programs including the European Dublin Project, rlc.minors (specialized advice for migrating minors), rlc.publish (experience management), and the MOVE Moot Court. In 2023, the organization completed a merger with the Dachverband Studentischer Rechtsberatungen (DSR), unifying the national law clinic movement under a single entity.

Name

Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V.

Legal name

Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V.

Website

https://home.refugeelawclinics.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V. coordinates 38+ university-based Refugee Law Clinics across Germany, deploying 2,000+ trained student volunteers to provide free migration law advice to refugees and migrants. It also builds and offers Law&Orga, a free GDPR-compliant case management platform for Law Clinics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pro Bono Migration Law Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE), Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

Keywords

• Pro bono legal services
• Migration law advice
• Clinical legal education
• Refugee legal aid
• Student legal clinics

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Project-based Funding and Donations: As a student association operating without membership fees, the organization depends entirely on external project-based funding and donations. Funders include foundations, government bodies, law firms, and individual supporters. Funds are exclusively project-bound.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V. coordinates a national network of 38+ student-run law clinics at German universities that provide free legal counseling to refugees and migrants on asylum procedures, residence permits, Dublin regulation cases, and family reunification. The organization also trains law students in migration law and counseling skills, and develops the Law&Orga case management software used by its member clinics. Activities are structured around three pillars: beraten (advising), bilden (educating), and bewegen (advocating/mobilizing).

Product overview

Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V. offers Law&Orga as its primary software product — a free, privacy-focused virtual office platform designed specifically for Law Clinics (RLCs). Law&Orga provides integrated case management, document handling, collaboration tools, statistics, and member administration features. Beyond the software product, the organization also coordinates the RLC movement across Germany through advocacy, education (bilden), legal advice (beraten), and public engagement (bewegen). The organization manages 38+ local RLC locations, projects like the Dublin Project (European network for Dublin cases), rlc.minors (competence cluster for minor refugees), rlc.publish (experience management), and the annual MOVE Moot Court competition in migration law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Law&Orga: A free virtual office software specifically adapted for Law Clinic needs, featuring data protection, case management, statistics, collaboration tools, and member administration.
• rlc.minors
• rlc.publish
• rlc.lab
• Dublin Project
• Balkan Projekt
• RLC Mastermind
• Teaching Manual
• Datenschutz Reader
• Berater:innen Skript
• Asyl im Dialog
• MOVE Moot Court

Products and services

• Law&Orga Virtual Office Platform Law&Orga is a free virtual office platform specifically designed for Law Clinics, offering professional case management with data protection features, permission systems, encryption, and integrated modules for statistics, collaboration (Collab), member administration, and event scheduling. It is hosted by Scaleway in French data centers.
• Free Legal Advice for Refugees and Migrants Free legal counseling in migration law including asylum procedures, residence permits, Dublin regulation cases, family reunification, and other immigration-related legal matters. Provided by trained student volunteers under professional supervision across 38+ university locations in Germany.
• rlc.minors - Legal Advice for Minor Refugees Competence cluster providing specialized legal advice for unaccompanied and accompanied minor refugees, including child protection and age-appropriate counseling. Operated by a team of 20-25 volunteer advisors.
• Dublin Project - European Network for Dublin Cases European network connecting RLCs across borders to support refugees transferred to other EU countries under the Dublin regulation.
• Balkan Project - Legal Information Along the Balkan Route Project providing legal information to refugees and migrants along the Balkan route, active 2021-2022 with pro bono support from law firms.
• Asyl im Dialog Podcast Podcast covering asylum and residence law topics, organized by Victoria Lies from RLC Berlin, available on Spotify since 2020.
• MOVE Moot Court Competition Annual Moot Court competition in migration law to educate students and raise awareness about migration law. Sponsored by law firms including Fieldfisher, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Noerr, and Hamburgischer Anwaltverein.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 consultants surveyed across 39 RLCs in 2019 empirical study
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Akademie der Diözese Rottenburg-StuttgartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner since the beginning of German RLCs. Provides conference facilities at Weingarten and connects RLCs with migration law network and established migration research.
• CMS StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funder focused on 'Access to Justice'. Provides project funding, pro bono legal advice, strategic guidance, and vision development. Major supporter of Law&Orga software development.
• Project TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImpact-oriented support organization. Provides low-threshold assistance and strategic guidance. Shapes RLC's self-understanding as social innovation.
• terre des hommesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFocus on child protection for children in precarious situations including refugees. Supports rlc.minors project and provides organizational development guidance.
• European Network for Clinical Legal Education (ENCLE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network for Clinical Legal Education actors. RLCs are deeply embedded and gain access to exchange and collaboration with European partners. Ulrich Stege is Executive Secretary.
• Netzwerk MigrationsrechtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 250+ members from Germany and European neighboring countries in migration law science and practice. Primary goal is promoting exchange, cooperation, and further education.
• Dachverband Studentischer Rechtsberatungen e.V. (DSR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization representing all Law Clinics regardless of legal field. RLC has merged with DSR. Joint activities coordinated regularly with shared objectives.
• Bundesverband rechtswissenschaftlicher Fachschaften e.V. (BRF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational representative body for law students in Germany representing over 110,000 students. Works with RLC to improve study conditions and practical training.
• Netzwerk Stiftungen und BildungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNationwide network for civil society engagement guidance. RLC is member through board members and benefits from input and advice on educational topics.
• AshurstminorOthersLaw firm providing pro bono support for the Balkan Projekt (2021-2022) providing legal information along the Balkan route.
• DentonsminorOthersLaw firm providing pro bono support for the Balkan Projekt (2021-2022) providing legal information along the Balkan route.
• OrrickminorOthersLaw firm providing pro bono support for the Balkan Projekt (2021-2022) providing legal information along the Balkan route.
• FieldfisherminorOthersLaw firm sponsor for Move Moot Court 2022 migration law moot court competition.
• Freshfields Bruckhaus DeringerminorOthersLaw firm sponsor for Move Moot Court migration law moot court competition.
• NoerrminorOthersLaw firm sponsor for Move Moot Court migration law moot court competition.
• Hamburgischer AnwaltvereinminorOthersHamburg lawyers' association sponsor for Move Moot Court migration law moot court competition.
• ENCLEmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports Dublin Projekt (European network for Dublin cases) and provides European network connections for RLCs.
• ScalewaycoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud hosting provider for Law&Orga data. Data centers located in France. Sub-processor under DPA.
• Kremer RechtsanwälteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal tech support for Law&Orga since 2022.
• Wolters KluwerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides literature and database access for Law Clinics since 2017.
• Universität Hamburg LehrlaborminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Hamburg's Lehrlabor funded the Teaching Manual project (2019-2020) through Prof. Nora Markard's application.
• ProAsylmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor migration rights organization. Supports rlc.lab (deportation detention), provides free counseling via email, and supports strategic litigation.
• Dr. Kibreab Habtemichael GebereselassieminorOthersExternal facilitator leading antiracist self-reflection workshops at Bundeskongress 2022 with 50 participants from 25 RLCs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Asylum Access: International non-profit providing legal aid and empowerment to refugees in multiple countries. Directly comparable because it addresses the same access-to-justice gap for asylum seekers through free legal representation, community-based support, and policy advocacy.
• ProAsyl: Germany's leading refugee rights advocacy organization. Directly comparable because it operates in the same access-to-justice and migration-law space in Germany and is a formal RLC partner supporting rlc.lab, email counseling, and strategic litigation.
• Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS): International Catholic organization accompanying, serving, and advocating for refugees. Comparable because it combines direct legal/humanitarian service to refugees with advocacy and a volunteer- and accompaniment-driven model, operating across multiple European countries.

Broad incumbents

• European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE): Pan-European alliance of 100+ NGOs defending the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced people. Comparable as a higher-level policy and advocacy umbrella operating in the same migration-law space across Europe, providing strategic litigation support and policy influence.
• HIAS: Global Jewish humanitarian organization assisting refugees. Comparable because it provides legal services, resettlement support, and advocacy for refugees across multiple geographies, including a strong U.S. and growing European footprint.
• Aktion Mensch: Large German social non-profit funding inclusion, accessibility, and youth projects. Comparable as a major German non-profit social-services funder and operator, but with a much broader scope beyond migration law.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Federation of Protestant social welfare organizations in Germany. Comparable as a major German non-profit network providing social services including migration-related counseling, advocacy, and refugee support, but operating at a much larger scale and broader scope.

Others

• European Network for Clinical Legal Education (ENCLE): European network of Clinical Legal Education actors in which RLC's Ulrich Stege serves as Executive Secretary. Comparable as the most direct ecosystem peer — an umbrella body that RLC is embedded in and that supports its European expansion (Dublin Project, Samos location).

Regional players

• France Terre d'Asile: Major French non-profit supporting refugees and asylum seekers with legal aid, accommodation, and integration programs. Directly comparable as a European non-profit providing free legal assistance in asylum law to a comparable population, but operating primarily in France rather than Germany.
• Dutch Council for Refugees (VluchtelingenWerk): Dutch organization providing legal support, advocacy, and integration services to refugees in the Netherlands. Comparable as a European non-profit offering free legal advice and casework in asylum procedures, but focused on the Dutch market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rlc_deutschland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lawclinics

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Refugee Law Clinics Deutschland e.V.