Refugee Legal Support
Refugee Legal Support is a UK-registered charity and Greek non-profit founded in 2017, providing free legal advice, casework, and advocacy to asylum seekers, refugees, and criminalised asylum seekers across the UK, Greece, and (under its 2026-2028 strategy) Northern France.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Refugee Legal Support does
Refugee Legal Support (RLS) is a non-profit legal organisation founded in 2017 by UK asylum lawyers who travelled to Greece to address the acute shortage of free legal advice for people seeking asylum. The organisation operates as a registered charity in England (no. 1191680) and as a Greek civil non-profit company (AMKE), with offices in London and Athens and a 17-person team that includes IAA-qualified caseworkers, solicitors, Greek Bar-registered lawyers, and staff with lived migration experience. It is registered with the Immigration Advice Authority (Ref No: N202000126), enabling it to provide regulated immigration and asylum advice.
RLS's service portfolio spans asylum casework in the UK and Greece, family reunion support, post-release assistance for asylum seekers criminalised for irregular arrival, legal aid and litigation in immigration and public law, and sector capacity-building through training and publications including the Border Violence Complaints and Litigation Practitioner's Guide. Service delivery combines in-person legal clinics, community outreach to camps and new-arrival locations, referrals from a pro bono ecosystem anchored by 14 leading law firms (notably through the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative with Safe Passage International), and digital multilingual resources. The organisation also engages in strategic litigation, policy advocacy, and research collaborations with partners including Mobile Info Team, DLA Piper, Orrick, Earth Refuge, Trauma Treatment International, and university programmes.
RLS funds its operations through individual donations processed via Beacon CRM and Stripe, Gift Aid through HMRC, trust and corporate foundation grants, and limited legal aid contracts. All legal services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. In April 2026, RLS published its Strategy 2026-2028 — explicitly extending its footprint to Northern France alongside the UK and Greece — and launched the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) to embed community input into strategic direction.
Refugee Legal Support firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Refugee Legal Support
- Legal name
- Refugee Legal Support
- Website
- https://refugeelegalsupport.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Refugee Legal Support is a UK-registered charity and Greek non-profit founded in 2017, providing free legal advice, casework, and advocacy to asylum seekers, refugees, and criminalised asylum seekers across the UK, Greece, and (under its 2026-2028 strategy) Northern France.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Refugee Legal Support industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Aid Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support (BPADAHAB), Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Diaspora, Family Reunification & Case Management Services (BPADAHAM)
Keywords
Where Refugee Legal Support is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Refugee Legal Support business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and organisational donations received through the website, with Gift Aid capability for UK taxpayers. Recurring donation options available. Processing handled through Beacon CRM and Stripe.
- Legal Aid Contracts: Legal aid contracts in immigration and public law for clients with low or no income. Limited number of legal aid cases available at any time.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free legal services for asylum seekers and refugees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Refugee Legal Support product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Refugee Legal Support (RLS) is a non-profit law centre that provides free legal services to vulnerable migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers across the UK and Greece. The organization delivers direct casework on asylum applications, family reunion matters, and human rights/European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) claims, operating from offices in London, the North West of England, and Greece.
Product overview
Refugee Legal Support is a non-profit legal organization offering a portfolio of services focused on asylum casework, family reunification, and refugee rights advocacy. The core offerings include Asylum Casework (providing casework support for asylum seekers in the UK and Greece), Family Reunification (supporting refugees to bring family members to the UK), Refugee Rights Information (accessible legal information in multiple languages), and Strategic Casework & Advocacy (systemic legal reform work). Service-specific offerings include Family Reunion to the UK, For Afghans, For People In Greece, For those criminalised for irregular arrival to the UK, and New Arrivals to the UK. Operational projects include the Asylum Clinic, Athens Legal Clinic, Community Legal Work, Family Routes Project, Legal Aid and Litigation, Legal Support for Criminalised Asylum Seekers, and the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative. The organization also produces publications including the Border Violence Practitioners Guide. Services are delivered through in-person clinics and digital platforms across the UK, Greece, and Northern France.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RLS Greece: The Greek entity of Refugee Legal Support operating as an AMKE (civil non-profit company) providing legal support in Greece.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50 Afghans arrived in the UK through APBI project
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Refugee Legal Support
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Refugee Legal Support technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Refugee Legal Support partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Safe Passage InternationalcoreJoint project implementing the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative (APBI), providing legal support to Afghans fleeing Afghanistan. APBI combines RLS expertise with Safe Passage's experience in family reunion for child refugees.
- 14 Leading Law Firms (APBI)core14 leading law firms partner through the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative to provide pro bono legal support for Afghan resettlement cases.
- Medical Solidarity International (MSI)coreMSI provides medical humanitarian aid at EU borders. RLS provides regular training sessions to MSI staff on legal frameworks, asylum process in Greece, and current migration law realities.
- Mobile Info Team (MIT)coreCo-published reports on living conditions in Greek refugee camps including 'Voices from the Camps' and follow-up reports documenting conditions on the Greek mainland.
- DLA PiperminorCo-hosted the first UK conference on International Protection in the Context of the Climate Crisis. DLA Piper provided pro bono support including previous UK Pro Bono Director role at the firm.
- Earth RefugeminorCo-hosted the first UK conference on International Protection in the Context of the Climate Crisis.
- Orrick (Law Firm)minorVolunteer lawyers from Orrick work with RLS on family reunion cases, including Qaed's two-year case to reunite his family.
- Trauma Treatment International (TTI)minorCo-produced 'Supporting Survivors of Torture: A Guide for Professionals' using co-production model centring survivors' views.
- Captain SupportminorCollaboration on identifying and supporting asylum seekers who are arrested and imprisoned, working on criminalisation issues.
- Humans for Rights NetworkminorCollaboration on identifying and supporting asylum seekers who are arrested and imprisoned, working on criminalisation issues.
- University of EdinburghminorInformation sessions provided to MA Geography students on legal clinic work, asylum context in Greece, and civil society.
- Operazione ColombiaminorItalian non-violent association. RLS provides regular information sessions covering asylum procedure and context for people seeking asylum in Greece.
- HMRCminorIf donors opt into Gift Aid, data is shared with HMRC for tax reclamation purposes as required by UK law.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Refugee Legal Support competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Praxis for Migrants and Refugees: London-based charity providing legal advice, housing, and casework to refugees and migrants. Domenico Ragozzino (RLS Fundraising Director) previously led fundraising there, signaling deep operational and mission alignment.
- Mobile Info Team: Athens-based refugee legal info NGO serving camps and community centers. RLS co-publishes research with MIT (e.g., 'Voices from the Camps'), and both operate in the Greek asylum information ecosystem.
- Bail for Immigration Detainees: UK charity focused on immigration detention and bail support for asylum seekers and migrants. Provides adjacent legal support to criminalised and detained asylum seekers, a key RLS service line.
- Greek Refugee Council: Athens-headquartered refugee support organization providing legal aid, social support, and integration services. Operates in the same Greek asylum legal clinic space as RLS Greece.
- Safe Passage International: UK-based charity focused on safe legal routes for refugees, including family reunion and child refugee protection. Direct partner of RLS on the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative and operates in overlapping UK and Greece geographies.
- Refugee Legal Centre: UK charity providing free legal advice and representation to refugees and asylum seekers. Isaac Shaffer (RLS Legal Director) previously worked here, indicating direct overlap in expertise and service model.
Broad incumbents
- Refugee Council: UK's largest refugee support charity, providing legal advice, resettlement, and advocacy. A larger, broader incumbent against which RLS competes for grant funding and pro bono support in the UK.
- International Rescue Committee: Major global humanitarian organization providing legal aid, resettlement, and refugee support across many countries. Operates in both UK and Greece as a much larger, broader incumbent in the refugee legal aid space.
Regional players
- Ecclesia Refugee Project (Helsinki): Provides legal aid and social support to asylum seekers in Finland. Shares the small-specialist-refugee-legal-aid model but operates in a different European geography.
Emerging players
- Justice Centre Hong Kong: Hong Kong-based refugee legal aid organization. Isaac Shaffer (RLS Legal Director) served as Head of Legal there, giving RLS a strong peer overlap in operating model though in a different geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Refugee Legal Support social profiles
Digital presenceRefugee Legal Support compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Refugee Legal Support financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Refugee Legal Support leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Refugee Legal Support funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Refugee Legal Support M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Refugee Legal Support
What does Refugee Legal Support do?
Refugee Legal Support (RLS) is a non-profit law centre that provides free legal services to vulnerable migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers across the UK and Greece. The organization delivers direct casework on asylum applications, family reunion matters, and human rights/European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) claims, operating from offices in London, the North West of England, and Greece.
Is Refugee Legal Support a public or private company?
Refugee Legal Support is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Refugee Legal Support founded?
Refugee Legal Support was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Refugee Legal Support based?
Refugee Legal Support is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Refugee Legal Support make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are legal Aid Contracts.
Who are Refugee Legal Support's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Praxis for Migrants and Refugees, Mobile Info Team, Bail for Immigration Detainees, Greek Refugee Council, Safe Passage International and Refugee Legal Centre. Broad incumbents are Refugee Council and International Rescue Committee. Ecclesia Refugee Project (Helsinki) is listed as a regional player. Justice Centre Hong Kong is listed as an emerging player.
Does Refugee Legal Support have an API?
No public API is recorded for Refugee Legal Support.
What industry is Refugee Legal Support in?
Refugee Legal Support's product category is Legal Aid Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAHAE, Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services, with a secondary code of BPADAHAB, Asylum & Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Support. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8111.