Lidiya Izovitova took part in an online meeting of the CCBE Standing Committee in Brussels
UNBA President Lidiya Izovitova took part in an online meeting of the CCBE Standing Committee in Brussels. The event was joined by European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders.
The speech of the UNBA/BCU President was devoted to the situation in Ukraine and the peculiarities of the bar operating under martial law.
“Internal consolidation, reliable support from advocates' self-government, which we try to provide to every advocate, as well as maintaining public trust in the Bar are extremely important for the Ukrainian legal profession at this time. The issue of human rights is currently one of the most pressing issues on the agenda for our entire country, for thousands of our citizens. The role of advocates in ensuring the entirety of human rights, the role in protecting human rights cannot be exaggerated," said Lydia Izovitova.
"It is a great responsibility for our entire community to ensure that the parameters of the rule of law in our country do not deteriorate," said the UNBA President.
Currently, the justice system in Ukraine operates under wartime rules.
"We are entrusted with the constitutional function of protecting the rights of citizens, and the right to protection, according to the Constitution of Ukraine, is not subject to restrictions even during martial law. We understand this responsibility to all citizens of Ukraine, and we understand the responsibility to the entire professional community of advocates, "said Lidiya Izovitova. At the same time, advocates do not refuse to provide free legal aid via Free Legal Aid system, in which the payment of fees began to be delayed due to the status of unprotected budget expenditures.
The UNBA President stressed that the self-governing organization of the bar should work continuously and effectively during martial law.
"The great resources of our organization - financial, organizational, human, logistical - are now used to help citizens, lawyers and their families. For the sake of transparency of this process, we have created the UNBA Board of Trustees of, which collectively decides on the provision of charitable assistance from the account of the UNBA Charitable Foundation. At this time, we feel the great support of our international partners. We are extremely grateful to all those who supported Ukrainian advocates during this difficult time, "said the UNBA/BCU President to representatives of European lawyers and leaders of the CCBE.
UNBA offices representative offices abroad are involved in providing assistance to all victims of hostilities, providing legal assistance to Ukrainians who are now forced to leave Ukraine free of charge.
Together with the Chairs of the Bar Councils of the regions, UNBA supports the western region's aid chain for advocates and their families traveling from areas under the Russian invasion. Bar Councils of the regions provide free legal aid to displaced persons, the military and volunteers, working pro bono on a round-the-clock basis.
"We are making every effort to ensure that the activities of self-governing bodies of advocates, as well as the Ba, continue in such difficult conditions. We must preserve the profession, its mission, and ensure the right to the legal profession for those who have just begun this path to the legal profession, "said Lidiya Izovitova.
During the meeting of the CCBE in Brussels, the UNBA/BCU Vice-President Valentyn Gvozdiy thanked foreign lawyers and international professional organizations for their support of the Ukrainian Bar. In particular, he reported on the activities of advocacy self-government bodies at all levels to assist internally displaced persons, refugees, as well as fundraising and humanitarian work of UNBA offices abroad.
"We are open to cooperation with European institutions and even I am personally ready to be a contact person in this process," said Valentin Gvozdiy.
Valentyn Gvozdiy also joined the discussion on the preparations for the meeting of the Council of Europe Expert Group on the Protection of Lawyers' Rights in early April in Strasbourg.
CCBE is a professional organization representing more than one million lawyers from the Member States of the Council of Europe and the EU. UNBA has observer status in this organization.
Popular news

Advocacy
The Bar Council of Ukraine appealed to the High Council of Justice due to delays in forming the Competition Commission of t…
On June 13, 2025, Lidiya Izovitova, President of the Bar Council of Ukraine, addressed Grigory Usik, Head of the High Council of Justice, regarding the violation of the deadlines for forming a new composition of the Competition Commission for the selection of members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine.

Advocacy
UNBA calls for compliance with Council of Europe standards for the legal profession
The recently approved roadmap for EU accession in terms of bar reform refers to non-existent European standards and was adopted in violation of international principles. Therefore, before talking about changes, it is necessary to compare the current model of the bar with the Council of Europe standards embodied in the Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer.

Advocacy
Mobilization of advocates in court: UNBA records another case of pressure
The Ukrainian advocacy has once again faced extrajudicial influence on advocates with the aim of obstructing the exercise of their legitimate powers related to the provision of professional legal assistance to clients.

Advocacy
BCU demands verification of authenticity of SSU letter on «dangerous» advocacy
The Bar Council of Ukraine will appeal to the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Malyuk, regarding the verification of information about «negative trends in the legal profession» disseminated by some media outlets on behalf of the SSU.

Advocacy
Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Advocate open for signature
Thirteen member states of the Council of Europe have signed the Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Advocate, which was adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on March 12, 2025. Four more countries will do so today. Ukraine is not among them.

Advocacy
BCU initiates resolution of the issue of visits by advocates to convicted persons
Article 110 of the Criminal Enforcement Code guarantees convicted persons confidentiality of meetings with their advocate. One of the important elements is the possibility to communicate with an advocate in a room without a solid partition. In practice, this provision of the law is systematically violated.

Advocacy
Advocates, academics, and experts examine problems in forensic examination (video)
The Ukrainian National Bar Association, in cooperation with leading scientific and research institutes of forensic expertise, organized a round table on expert support for legal practice.

Advocacy
Does the mobilization of a lawyer violate the human right to defense - conclusion of the Supreme Court
Article 335 of the CPC provides for the suspension of court proceedings only in cases where the accused was called up for military service during mobilization. However, this provision does not apply to the mobilization of a defense counsel.
Publications

Ihor Kolesnykov A BRIEF SUMMARY REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF THE ORDER ON EXTENDED CONFISCATION IN LATVIA REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSETS OF…

Valentyn Gvozdiy WORKING IN A WAR ZONE

Lydia Izovitova Formula of perfection

Sergiy Vylkov Our judicial system is so built that courts do not trust advocates

Iryna Vasylyk Advocacy in the proclamation of Independence of Ukraine

Oleksandr DULSKY When we cross the border of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court, we get into another department of the National Anti-Corruption…

Vadym Krasnyk The UNBA will work, and all obstacles and restrictions are only temporary inconveniences

Lydia Izovitova Interview with Lydia Izovitova on the occasion of the 8th anniversary of the founding of UNBA: We are the voice of t…