Ukrainian judges and advocates completed a professional internship in Scotland

In March, a week-long institutional study visit took place in Scotland as part of the Institutional Study Visit program, involving 10 Ukrainian advocates and 30 judges. The program was designed to familiarize participants with the Scottish judicial system, professional standards, and the practices of the courts and the legal community.

One of the organizers of this program was Oleksandr Chernykh, the representative of the Ukrainian National Bar Association in Scotland.

Ukrainian advocates visited the Inverness Sheriff Court, the Glasgow Sheriff Court and the High Court of Justiciary. During the meetings, they familiarized themselves with the specifics of the judicial system, procedural approaches, and the practices of Scottish courts.

«The Scottish legal system, which organically combines the Romano-Germanic tradition and the common law system, is considered one of the most authoritative in the world. Therefore, such programs create a platform for exchanging practical experience, introducing the world’s best standards in Ukraine, strengthening professional ties, and forming a shared vision for the development of legal systems in the democratic world», - noted O. Chernykh.

The delegation also met with Principal Sheriff Aisha Anwar. At the High Court of Justice, the participants also met with Lord Malholland, former Solicitor General of Scotland and currently a judge of the Supreme Court. During these meetings, standards of evidence, witness examination, and prosecution for war crimes were discussed. As an example of effective international cooperation (evidence-gathering mechanisms and collaboration), participants examined the circumstances surrounding the investigation of one of the largest terrorist acts in Europe — the 1988 terrorist bombing of a Boeing 747 over Lockerbie, which killed 270 people.

One of the program’s central academic events was an international roundtable at the University of Glasgow’s School of Law, dedicated to the role of courts and lawyers in times of war. Participants in the discussion, which was co-organized by the Ukrainian National Bar Association, included Dr. Henry Lovatt, who leads the research program «International justice under pressure», Professor Claire McDiarmid, chairman of the School of Law; Professor Akbar Rasulov, an expert in international law; and Imon Keen, a senior lecturer in evidence and criminal procedure. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Larisa Zhdanina, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow and a Ukrainian advocate. The discussion covered the challenges of administering justice in wartime, the functioning of judicial institutions in crisis situations, issues of evidence, and international legal responsibility. In his remarks, O. Chernykh also highlighted the significance of the Convention on the Protection of the Advocate's Profession, which Ukraine signed on March 9 of this year.

The Faculty of Advocates noted that the visit served as a platform for discussing shared professional challenges, standards of the legal profession, and the role of advocates and judges in modern legal systems. For the Ukrainian participants, it was also an opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the workings of Scottish justice institutions and to continue professional dialogue with their British colleagues.

The concluding public event was a reception at the Supreme Courts of Scotland building, organized by the Faculty of Advocates of Scotland. Participants were welcomed by Tony Lenihan, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Advocates of Scotland, and Andriy Madzianovsky, Consul of Ukraine in Edinburgh. The delegation also visited the Advocates’ Library.