In Edinburgh expressed gratitude to those who are helping Ukrainian advocates and citizens
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Scottish legal institutions and the Ukrainian community, with the participation of the UNBA, have been helping Ukrainian advocates obtain their qualifications and Ukrainians receive legal assistance. The parties are now planning joint professional and educational events.
Acknowledgments to the UNBA for this support were presented on October 16, 2026, during a ceremony marking Lawyer’s Day at the Consulate of Ukraine in Edinburgh. The event was attended by the UNBA’s representative in Scotland Oleksandr Chernykh.
In particular, former chairman of the European Lawyers’ Association (ELA) Veronica Anderson received a thank-you for facilitating the professional integration of Ukrainian lawyers. Former head of the solicitors’ education and training division at the Law Society of Scotland Rob Marrs was thanked for assisting Ukrainians with qualification matters. And a representative of the Faculty of advocates Kenneth Young was recognized for developing professional ties with the Ukrainian legal community.
Also among those honored were co-founder of the nonprofit organization «Spilka.UK» Natalia Gnezdilova, which brings together lawyers of Ukrainian origin in the United Kingdom, and Ukrainian attorneys Marina Nastenko and Anna Bobrovska, who provide pro bono legal advice to Ukrainians in Scotland. The Ukrainian Consul in Edinburgh Andriy Madzianovskyi also received an award.
During the meeting, participants discussed how to expand professional contacts, support Ukrainian advocates, and ensure Ukrainians have access to legal assistance. Consulate staff addressed practical issues related to serving Ukrainian citizens.
«We aim not only to help Ukrainian advocates integrate into the professional community in the United Kingdom, but also to develop partnerships between legal institutions and exchange experiences», - O. Chernykh commented on the event’s outcomes.
The participants agreed to continue their cooperation and organize joint educational, professional, and cultural events.
It was previously reported that a representative of the UNBA had agreed with Scottish colleagues to hold online lectures on British law for Ukrainian advocates.
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