About us
ELIL has teams in both Greece and Poland. In Greece, we have offices in Lesvos, Samos, Athens and Thessaloniki. In Poland, we provide free legal assistance to refugees crossing the Belarus border and to those arriving from Ukraine.
The asylum process is a legal one, yet in Greece and in Poland the state does not provide any legal aid for asylum applicants before their decisive first interview, meaning that many attend without having spoken to a lawyer. ELIL exists to plug this gap. Since 2016, we have assisted over 30,000 people, including 8,000 children. Our work contributes to upholding the rule of law, protecting human rights and ensuring the asylum procedure is fair, efficient and robust.
Free, unrestricted access to legal support
Our Values
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Unhindered access to legal assistance
We believe access to independent legal assistance from a lawyer is a fundamental right and vital to upholding the rule of law. -
Equality
We provide legal assistance to all, irrespective of nationality, age, gender identity or expression, ethnic or social origin, religion, beliefs, disability, ability or sexual orientation and at all times all team members abide by the European Lawyers in Lesvos Code of Conduct. -
Independence
Our legal work is completely independent, and in the interest of the individual we are assisting. -
Quality
Legal assistance is provided by practicing and experienced Greek and European asylum lawyers who have been identified through a rigorous selection process. It complies with the professional and ethical standards of the legal profession, including those relating to privacy and confidentiality.