They came to Europe seeking a better life, but the reality of Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos is anything but.

The words ‘Welcome to prison,’ crudely spray-painted at an entrance surrounded by barbed wire, greet migrants arriving at the camp.

Moria is a maze of tents and washing lines set among mountains of waste and lakes of stagnant water. It is home to up to 10,000 people despite having a capacity of less than 3,000. Sickness is rife, with a failing sewage system, one toilet for 70 people, and three-hour queues for food.

The summer brings searing temperatures and disease, giving way to freezing cold winters in a constant struggle to survive.

To make matters worse, the camp’s residents come from all sides of the conflicts they are fleeing, meaning racial and religious tensions often overflow into violence, particularly at night.

In fact, the United Nations declared the camp’s bathrooms no-go zones for women and children after dark. Even showering in the day is seen as a risk due to the threat of sexual violence.

Little wonder that Moria has been labeled the worst refugee camp on earth – a place some charities have abandoned in protest at the horrific conditions.

The tragedy of the situation is amplified by the picture-postcard beauty of the island, which until recently was more famous as a scenic holiday destination than as the epicentre of a humanitarian crisis.

“The thing that really breaks my heart about Moria is the total lack of hope,” explains Madrid-based Partner Yoko Takagi, who spent two weeks providing pro bono legal advice to asylum seekers at the camp as part of a collaboration of five law firms, including White & Case and two NGOs – European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL) and the UK-based charity Refugee Legal Support.

“For many people here, including young children, the harsh reality is that things simply won’t get better. There is no light at the end of the tunnel and there are reports of children as young as 10 attempting suicide, which is absolutely heart breaking.”

Since August 2019, White & Case, Allen & Overy, Ashurst, Dentons, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe have been providing pro bono legal advice to migrants ahead of their asylum interviews.

The volunteer lawyers are trained before being matched with immigration specialists, interpreters and Greek lawyers. They also have access to psychological support during and after their time on the island.

Global Pro Bono Practice Leader Jacquelyn MacLennan says: “It’s great to be part of a consortium of law firms working together on such an important initiative.

“Our global pro bono practice has a particular focus on the rights of migrants globally, and we view this work as incredibly meaningful.”

A year-round project

Yoko is one of several White & Case people to travel to the camp from August with a determination to play their part in making a positive difference in a seemingly hopeless humanitarian disaster. As part of the initiative, we’ll be sending volunteers to the camp every two weeks until July 2020.

Yoko, who also serves as a Pro Bono Leader for the Madrid office, says: “When I arrived, the conditions were unimaginable and even worse than I expected. It makes you wonder how bad things must have been in the countries they left.

“It was incredibly humbling meeting people who are coping despite everything life has thrown at them.

“I carried out around four to five appointments a day and one client told me it was the first time someone had actually listened to him in years. It was such a privilege to give people the legal help they so desperately need.”

Telling their stories can change outcomes

The initiative seems to have had a life-changing impact, with ELIL noting that success rates for asylum seekers achieving legal status increase significantly when they receive free legal advice.

Yoko says: “It’s not about telling clients the right thing to say, but it is about helping them identify the parts of their story that could mean they have a genuine right to claim asylum.

“For instance, one client didn’t tell us his real reason for fleeing Syria until we convinced him to open up about his life.

“It turns out he was conscripted into the Syrian army but escaped, only to be captured, shot and nearly killed. He fled again, only to be caught by the Taliban, who subjected him to inhumane torture and abuse before he again managed to escape, albeit with a death warrant on his head.

“Incredibly, he wasn’t planning to mention this in his asylum interview, because of the shame he felt about the abuse he’d suffered – something he was even keeping from his wife.

“If we hadn’t explained the importance of this evidence, his chances of gaining asylum would have been extremely low, but I’m now confident he has a compelling case, which has the potential to be life changing, even life saving for him.”

Never the same again

Milan-based Louise Ruggiero also spent time at the camp alongside fellow associate Elin Brännström from Stockholm.

She says: “I found out about the opportunity from a pro bono recruiting email and was attracted by the chance to play an active role in helping the migrants.

“The great thing about this initiative is that you don’t need to specialize in immigration law to apply. It’s easy for people to feel helpless to act in a humanitarian disaster on this scale, but being a lawyer puts you in a position where you can make a difference.

“I’m thankful that the Firm provides this sort of opportunity and takes its global responsibility so seriously.

“On a personal level, it opened my eyes to how awful conditions are in Moria and made me want to do all I can to help.”

The experience has had a profound and lasting impact on Yoko, who adds: “One young Syrian woman I interviewed was in her twenties, had a law degree and spoke seven languages, but was living in Moria with nothing.

“It made me realize how unfair life can be if you happen to be born in the wrong place at the wrong time. My time on Lesvos has totally changed my perspective on life and has made me appreciate how lucky I am.”

At the time of writing, Yoko was planning to return to the camp independently as a volunteer. She says: “I’d love to say things will get better in Moria, but the reality is they are only likely to get worse because of poor funding and the worsening conditions for migrants in nearby Turkey. I’d encourage anyone to volunteer and help in any way, so we can continue to make a positive impact.”