The draft law on mediation restricts advocates’ rights - Oleksandr Drozdov
The draft Law of Ukraine "On mediation" (registration no. 3665) approved by the Parliament in the first reading contains restrictions on advocates’ rights. A letter referring to such restrictions was sent to Mr Andriy Parubiy, Parliamentary Speaker, by Mr Oleksandr Drozdov, President of the Union of Advocates of Ukraine and Head of the HQDCB, who is also a member of the UNBA Committee on mediation.
Article 7 of the proposed draft law stipulates that a mediator cannot act as an advocate, representative and/or legal counsel for a party in the mediation. A person cannot be an advocate or a representative of a party in the mediation in the case (proceedings), in which he/she provides/provided services of a mediator. In the opinion of Mr Drozdov, these provisions are contrary to the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On the Bar and Practice of Law".
Article 59 of the Constitution of Ukraine stipulates that everyone has the right to professional legal assistance. In the cases provided for by law, assistance is provided free of charge. Everyone is free to choose a defender of his/her rights. In turn, Article 131(2) of the Fundamental Law stipulates that the bar functions for the provision of professional legal assistance in Ukraine. The independence of the bar is guaranteed. Only advocate can represent another person in a court or provide defence in criminal proceedings.
Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Bar and Practice of Law" provides that practice of law is carried out on the basis of principles of the rule of law, legality, independence, confidentiality and avoidance of conflict of interests. Conflict of interests is a conflict between the personal interests of an advocate and her professional rights and responsibilities, the presence of which could affect the objectivity or impartiality in the performance of her professional duties of the advocate as well as her acts or omissions in the practice of law (Article 1 of the Law). It is the advocate who is required to immediately inform the client about the conflict of interest (Article 21 of the Law).
However, Article 21 of the Law of Ukraine "On the Bar and Practice of Law" provides that advocate is prohibited: 1) to use her rights against the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of the client; 2) without the consent of the client, to disclose information constituting professional secrecy, to use it in her own interests or the interests of third parties; 3) to take position in the case against the wishes of the client unless the advocate is confident in the client’s self-incrimination; 4) to refuse to provide legal assistance, except when required by law.
Accordingly, neither the Constitution nor the specialized law establish a range of grounds under which an advocate can be limited in providing professional legal assistance. At that, ascertaining the presence or absence of such circumstances is made on case-by-case basis taking into account the mentioned criteria, normally between the advocate and the client. Therefore, it is unlikely that the law, other than in connection with the mentioned grounds, can a priori prohibit an advocate to carry out his activities only because he conscientiously realized his constitutional right to provide professional legal assistance to the client.
It is also important that in choosing among other participants of legal relations an advocate as a subject, on whom relevant restrictions are planned to be imposed, the draft law becomes quite vulnerable in view of compliance with standards of fundamental human rights and freedoms in terms of the general prohibition of discrimination, because it inter alia deprives an advocate without proper grounds of the right to exercise use professional skills also in other areas of public relations, for example, to act as a mediator.
At the same time, the proposed draft law on mediation sets the basis for limiting the constitutional right of persons, who in criminal proceedings or other judicial proceedings decided to take part in mediation, to a free choice of a counsel in this alternative (non-judicial) method of dispute resolution and deprive participants of judicial proceedings of professional legal assistance, which will lead to violations of the right of a counsel to provide professional legal assistance and will significantly limit the requirements of Article 131(2) of the Constitution of Ukraine.
Referring to the Law of Ukraine "On the Rules of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine", Mr Drozdov requested to inform the VRU specialized committee about the UAU opinion in order to prevent possible restriction of constitutional rights of everyone to receive a professional legal assistance and to a free choice of a defender of their rights.Popular news
Advocacy
FLA needs urgent help, - Valentyn Gvozdiy
Twelve years of existence of the free legal aid system in Ukraine is enough to understand the inability of the Ministry of Justice to effectively manage this area.
Advocacy
The Ombudsman is concerned about the state of the FLA system
The Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights is ready to join the development of proposals for amendments to the legal acts developed by the Ukrainian National Bar Association that will improve the functioning of the free legal aid system.
Advocacy
Ombudsman to provide legal aid with support of UNBA - pilot project
The Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights has launched a pilot project to provide professional legal aid to citizens in five regions of Ukraine.
Advocacy
Another model should be introduced for the FLA system, - Lidiya Izovitova
Monitoring of the current state of functioning of the legal aid system shows the existence of significant and conceptual problems in the implementation of this assistance in Ukraine.
Advocacy
Violation of media guarantees of advocacy is being studied by the UNBA
An open appeal of the Ukrainian National Bar Association's Committee on Information Policy and Interaction with the Mass Media to the advocates.
Advocacy
Lawyers are offered to be booked - amendments to draft law No. 10449
In their amendments to the draft law on strengthening mobilization, MPs propose to provide for the booking of lawyers. The goal is to prevent disruptions of court hearings.
Advocacy
E-Court failures violate constitutional guarantees – UNBA
In recent days, the Ukrainian National Bar Association has received numerous reports from lawyers about technical failures in the operation of the Electronic Court subsystem. In particular, the complaints relate to the inability to log in to the electronic office, which restricts advocates in exercising their procedural rights, in particular, to submit documents and participate in court hearings in the videoconference mode.
Advocacy
Fixed fee: time of work is important for reimbursement of attorney's fees – SC
The procedure for calculating the hourly fee differs from the fixed fee, which does not take into account the actual time spent. However, in both cases, they are taken into account when deciding on the reimbursement of legal aid expenses.
Publications
Ihor Kolesnykov A BRIEF SUMMARY REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE ORDER ON EXTENDED CONFISCATION IN LATVIA REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSETS OF…
Valentyn Gvozdiy WORKING IN A WAR ZONE
Lydia Izovitova Formula of perfection
Sergiy Vylkov Our judicial system is so built that courts do not trust advocates
Iryna Vasylyk Advocacy in the proclamation of Independence of Ukraine
Oleksandr DULSKY When we cross the border of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court, we get into another department of the National Anti-Corruption…
Vadym Krasnyk The UNBA will work, and all obstacles and restrictions are only temporary inconveniences
Lydia Izovitova Interview with Lydia Izovitova on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the founding of UNBA: We are the voice of t…