Marina Stavniychuk: The UNBA is a professional organization, not a monopoly

A unitary state requires uniform standards for access to the profession and disciplinary responsibility, which is why the Ukrainian National Bar Association acts as a professional organization. Accusations of monopoly are false, because public associations cannot replace professional self-government.

These arguments were voiced in the studio of Kyiv FM radio station during a discussion on the reform of advocacy in Ukraine, existing problems, and conflicts. The expert invited was the chairman of the UNBA Committee on the rule of law, member of the Venice Commission in 2009-2013, Marina Stavniychuk, according to the publication LIGA ZAKON.

She recalled that the current status of advocacy was the result of long stages of reform. At the beginning of independence, it was effectively subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, as in a number of other countries. After Ukraine joined the Council of Europe, a requirement was made to create an independent professional advocacy. This led to the adoption of a number of laws that for the first time enshrined self-government and new rules for access to the profession. The modern model was finally introduced by the 2012 Law «On the advocacy and the practice of law», which was based on European standards. In 2019, the Constitutional Court considered a case concerning the so-called bar monopoly and ruled that the mandatory participation of an advocate in court applies only to criminal proceedings. It was then that the discussion about the status of the UNBA intensified.

«The Law «On the advocacy and the practice of law» refers to a professional organization. Undoubtedly, advocates have the right to be and are members of many public organizations. For example, the Ukrainian Bar Association, where a significant number of members are Ukrainian advocates. But I would not say that this is an advocate monopoly», - explained Marina Stavniychuk.

She emphasized that a professional organization performs unified functions necessary for the country. «A professional organization provides access to the profession and uniform standards based on the principle of the rule of law. It also has the ability to use a unified mechanism for bringing people to justice throughout the country through single qualification and disciplinary commissions», - said the advocate.

She stressed that in a unitary state, a multiplicity of associations would be destructive. «Many would like to create different organizations, introduce different standards, different approaches. But excuse me: the profession of advocate in a state, especially a unitary state, must have uniform principles and foundations, uniform mechanisms for access to the profession, uniform mechanisms for activity, opportunities, capabilities for advocate practice, and uniform mechanisms for accountability if an advocate commits a disciplinary violation», - said Marina Stavniychuk.

«Many people dream of holding leadership positions in such a huge cohort of lawyers. No question: there will be elections, compete, propose candidates for various positions in the bar self-government, win in accordance with the procedures provided for by law», - she concluded.

The advocate also recalled that in March 2025, the Council of Europe adopted the Convention on the Protection of the Legal Profession. The document explicitly states that bar associations are professional organizations. And the Ukrainian model, established back in 2012, fully complies with these standards.