Protecting the legal profession, cybersecurity and support for advocates: common themes for the IBA and the UNBA

On September 18, a working meeting was held at the office of the Ukrainian National Bar Association with Executive Director of the International Bar Association (IBA) Mark Ellis. The parties discussed the Ukrainian advocacy profession’s participation in European legal processes, the protection of the UNBA’s digital infrastructure, psychological support for advocates and future areas of cooperation.

The meeting was attended by the Vice President of the UNBA, BCU Valentin Gvozdiy, the Head of the Secretariat Vadym Krasnik and the coordinator of the project to support advocates’ mental health Hanna Udovenko.

V. Gvozdiy, who represented Ukraine on the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on the preparation of the Convention on the Protection of the Advocate’s Profession and was elected deputy chairman of that body, provided an update on the progress of its ratification. According to him, Ukraine has the opportunity to be among the first to complete this procedure.

Separate discussion focused on bringing relevant legislation into line with European standards. The results of this work are scheduled to be presented in Brussels to representatives of the European Commission and European advocacy groups

V. Krasnik presented the results of the project to strengthen the cybersecurity of the UNBA’s systems. The work covers the Unified Register of Advocates of Ukraine, the UNBA’s official website, and the advocate’s electronic office — resources on whose uninterrupted operation the advocacy profession’s ability to perform its functions depends.

In particular, he noted that as part of the project, the email infrastructure software was updated and the security of data exchange interfaces was strengthened. Today, these systems require constant improvement due to the rapidly evolving nature of cyber threats. M. Ellis, in turn, highlighted the project’s concrete results and its significance for the resilience of the bar’s self-governance.

H. Udovenko spoke about the implementation of a psychological support program for advocates. According to her, the assistance is being utilized by advocates from temporarily occupied and frontline territories, as well as by specialists working with people who have lost loved ones, their homes, or suffered other consequences of the war.

The meeting participants discussed continuing this initiative to support the professional capacity of advocates and citizens’ access to legal aid, as guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine.

The parties agreed to continue exchanging information on the results of joint projects and to develop new initiatives for 2027 aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of advocacy and ensuring access to justice in wartime.