Jessica Therkelsen is a strategist and human rights lawyer who advocates for the rights of immigrants, minorities, women, and children. Jessica currently serves as the Director of Legal Protection at HIAS, an international refugee rights organization. As the Director of the Pro Bono Justice Program at OneJustice, she organized life changing legal services for travelers trapped by the 2017 travel bans, survivors of 2017 wildfires across California, DACA recipients losing status, and immigrants seeking defense from deportation. As Global Director of Advocacy and Communications at Asylum Access, an international refugee rights nonprofit, Jessica worked closely with leaders in refugee response at the UN - and in the US, Ecuador, Tanzania, Thailand and Malaysia - to advocate for systems, laws and policies that help refugees build a new life. Her work has focused on access to jobs and labor protections for refugees around the world. Jessica is a Guest Tutor at the University of London, and has been an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco, School of Law (USF Law). She received her JD and Honors Certificate in International Law from USF Law, and her BA from the University of California, Irvine. She has been named one of the American Bar Association's 2016 Top 40 Young Lawyers on the Rise.
Follow her on Twitter @JessTherkelsen
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Asylum Ruling by Sessions Seen as Condemning Women to Violence
Courthouse News [June 15, 2018] -
Why The House Immigration Votes Are So Important To Every Millennial Woman
Bustle [June 14, 2018] -
Hop On The Justice Bus: Next Stop? Citizenship
NPR [August 27, 2017] -
A role for market analysis
Forced Migration Review [May 2016] -
IWHJ Podcast: Jessica Therkelsen, Asylum Access
I Want Her Job [March 28, 2016] -
A Legal Look at Refugee Crises in 2016
TheCCCBA [January 29, 2016] -
On the Rise: Top 40 Young Lawyers
American Bar Association [2016] -
Why Texas' Attempt to Block a Syrian Refugee Family Probably Won't Work
Time Magazine [December 3, 2015] -
Asylum Access interviewed by Al Jazeera English
Asylum Access [March 21, 2014] -
Asylum Access Makes Refugee Rights a Reality!
Women's Radio [June 4, 2013]