Luber: Hey everyone – are you interested in Immigration Law careers?
What about International Refugee law?
That’s what we’re looking at today on JD Careers Out There – where we get you
career advice from fellow lawyers and non-practicing lawyers – to help you achieve success and
happiness in your career.
We leave it to law school to teach you how to think, read and write like a lawyer.
We’re here to help you enjoy your career – and a big part of that is finding a path
that excites you – and you’ll see that today’s guest has found a path that really
excites her.
I’m Marc Luber – and today we’re talking to Kim Trinh.
She’s a United Nations Volunteer who’s been placed with the UNHCR, which is the United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
She’s stationed in Pretoria, South Africa, where she does the work of an Associate Protection
Officer, meeting with refugees and determining whether they qualify for refugee protection
with the UNHCR.
I asked her to tell us all about her exciting path and she starts by explaining the UN Volunteer
program.
Take a look:
Kim Trinh: It’s actually a really competitive program.
They actually seek - the UN Volunteer Program seeks out people with a master’s degree
at least and then people with higher work experience.
It’s actually interesting because you actually apply through UNV but then they place you.
And so, when I applied or put my profile on UNV, they contacted me within five days and
then I was interviewed for this position and I received it.
They select three finalists for a post and then the office here, the field office, decides
who they want to choose out of the three.
But it’s not as if I’m not getting paid.
I get a stipend and also it actually leads to better positions in UNHCR if that’s the
career path I want to take.
UNVs are typically hired on after a few years to be part of the roster to be permanent staff
at UNHCR, as well as is looked highly upon in the refugee law, the refugee NGO sectors
and people working under refugee status determination as well.
Luber: OK.
So immigration law and refugee status work, that’s your passion, that’s what you’ve
always focused on?
Kim Trinh: I have.
I started out in law school working actually for Department of Homeland Security, Immigration
and Customs Enforcement.
So I did have - that was my beginning of immigration law.
I actually did asylum law for the government and refugee law is exactly like US immigration
law, except it’s just a different legal definition.
Every country has the right to determine who can enter their country and based on national
laws, that is loosely based on the UN convention definition of a refugee, they determine who
can be an asylum seeker in their country.
Actually, South Africa does that here as well.
I only do refugee status determination for those that have been denied by the South African
government or have not yet been seen as a refugee by the government, so that the UNHCR
can move on forward with their application for a possible resettlement at their country.
So yeah, my work has always been in immigration and refugee law.
I didn’t go to law school to make a lot of money.
I mean, I still have to pay off my loans, but I think it reminds me of why I went to
law school to begin with: is to do the advocacy, to actually provide legal assistance to people
who are in need of it and not have to do billable hours and seeing the reward of your assistance
to your client: the applicants.
I really love my job.
I couldn’t imagine doing this when I was in law school, but I hear a lot of stories
of lawyers miserable in their job, working so much, and I don’t feel that way at all.
I actually like working.
I’ve never been more happy in a position that I have.
I might not make a lot of money but the non-profit world, after you stay for a little while,
it’s not as low-paying of a salary as people might assume it is overseas.
Luber: Are you inspired by Kim’s path like I am?
If you’re interested in having a similar path or learning more about immigration law,
working as a UN volunteer or for the UNHCR, you can watch the full interview with Kim
at JDCareersOutThere.com.
Kim tells all about what it’s like to be a UN volunteer and work with the UNHCR.
She talks about doing refugee work, what it’s like to live and work overseas, and shares
some different directions where you can take this legal background.
You can take a shortcut to the site by going to JDCOT.com.
If you’re already at the site, you can scroll down to the full version – be sure to become
a member so you can watch the full interview and get access to lots more exclusive content
filled with great advice.
Thanks again for watching everyone – I’m Marc Luber and look forward to seeing you
again soon.
Take care.