Articles, photos and documents about the Union of Ukrainian Advocates have been compiled into a single book

The Center for advocacy and law research of the Ukrainian National Bar Association presented a scientific and documentary publication entitled «100 years of the Union of Ukrainian Advocates: articles, materials, documents».

The book contains reports from participants in the round table discussion «The Union of Ukrainian Advocates in the service of justice and Ukraine», as well as materials from open lectures at the Solemn Academy dedicated to the anniversary. Selected articles from the UUA magazine «Life and Law» and photographs are also published.

The editor of the publication was the head of the Center Iryna Vasylyk, who presented it at a meeting of the Bar Council of Ukraine.

She recalled that the UUA, whose centenary was celebrated relatively recently, was the largest Ukrainian professional bar association in the interwar period of the last century. Its activities took place in the difficult socio-political circumstances of its own statelessness and the need to incorporate into the legal field of the Polish state. However, the Ukrainian advocacy of Galicia managed to unite and for 16 years to lead an organized professional life, subordinate to the principles of law and morality, patriotism, and justice.

«It is important for the Center to study the history of the creation and functioning of advocate associations and legal societies and organizations, especially the Union of Ukrainian Advocates as the first body of advocate self-government. This is interesting from the point of view of functionality, structure, and activities, and for the purpose of studying the experience of reforming the advocacy as a whole, improving legislation, and rules of legal ethics», - noted I. Vasilik.

The rich history of the Lviv region's advocacy was recounted by the chairman of the region's Bar Council Ulyana Kovna. «In every Galician city, advocates formed a highly educated and passionate segment of society that was always at the forefront of political events, progress, and modernization. Advocates managed public and economic life and supported education and science. Among the members of the Union of Ukrainian Advocates were very successful figures who became patrons and philanthropists. Advocates-financiers founded banks and savings banks, advocates-writers, alongside their legal practice, promoted the Ukrainian language and developed Ukrainian literature, she noted. These are our roots, which give us strength, set an example, and keep us on our land. Therefore, we must research, study, and popularize our historical heritage».

The importance of research was highlighted by the Vice President of the UNBA, BCU Valentin Gvozdiy. «The Center for advocacy and law research has been operating under the UNBA for twelve years. Its goal is to research the history of advocacy and popularize knowledge, preserving historical memory, - he noted. - The primary task has been the implementation of the project «History of advocacy in Ukraine», which promotes the popularization and establishment of respect for the profession of advocate, as well as encourages research and study of the heritage of predecessors by the younger generation of the advocacy corporation».

V. Gvozdiy also noted that Ukrainian advocates, just like a hundred years ago, are patriots who defend their people with weapons in their hands, support the front, volunteer, and carry out humanitarian missions. And the UNBA, like the UUA before it, has created a Charitable Foundation to help advocates and their families who have suffered during the war.

The scientific and documentary publication «100 years of the Union of Ukrainian Advocates: articles, materials, documents» may be of interest to lawyers, scholars, teachers, students, local historians, and anyone interested in the history of Ukrainian advocacy.