Minsk Legal Forum – current challenges and reforms of legal profession





On 22 October 2015 the Minsk Legal Forum was launched in Minsk (Belarus). Its first day was devoted to a meeting with students of the Law faculty of the Belarus State University.
Speakers from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and other countries told the students about the role of the legal professional community in the development of legal education and the practical aspects of their activities.
The Ukrainian National Bar Association was represented by Mr Oleksandr Drozdov, Chairman of the Higher Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of the Bar, who spoke during the meeting about the role and importance of the bar for the formation of civil society in Ukraine, the procedure for becoming an attorney, guarantees of practice of law in the context of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, interaction of the bar self-government bodies and unions of attorneys with the leading law universities of Ukraine. There was a lively discussion on this subject between speakers and students.
Ukraine was also represented at this international event by Mrs Iryna Nikitina, consultant on strategy and development, Mr Oleg Makarov, partner at the law firm "Vasyl Kisil and Partners" and Mr Nazar Chernyavskyy, partner at the law firm "Sayenko Kharenko".
On the next day, 23 October, at the beginning of the Minsk Legal Form the participants were welcomed by the opening remarks of Mr Valeriy Mitskevich, Deputy Head of Presidential Administration of Belarus, and Mr Sergey Zadyran, Deputy Minister of Justice.
In the course of the work of the Form, representatives of the leading law firms and attorneys’ formations from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan made presentations and discussed the results of reforms and the ways of improving the legal profession on the example of several European countries.
In his report, which was accompanied by the visual presentation, Mr Oleksandr Drozdov informed foreign colleagues about the structure of the bar self-government bodies in Ukraine, procedure of their formation and their powers; with particularities of continuous training of attorneys; he briefly discussed the main aspects of future changes to the Constitution of Ukraine in the part related to practice of law and the Law of Ukraine "On the Bar and Practice of Law".
A separate part of the presentation made by Oleksandr Drozdov was about the positive impact of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights, both on the strengthening of the guarantees of practice of law and on the application by attorneys of the Strasbourg court’s jurisprudence in the domestic courts.
On the whole, the event became a platform for sharing experiences on current challenges facing today the legal business, as well as on new opportunities for the development in the present-day conditions.
It should be noted that the Minsk forum was held in a warm, friendly atmosphere which encouraged participants of the event to a constructive and fruitful dialogue.
Popular news

Educational events
Ukrainian advocacy integrates HELP into the system of professional development
In recent years, the Ukrainian National Bar Association has become one of the Council of Europe’s key partners in implementing the HELP programme, an educational project aimed at developing the legal profession through training in European human rights standards.

Legislation
Those who equate advocates with clients will be fined – law passed
Public identification of an advocate with a client to whom such advocate provides professional legal assistance will become an administrative offense, and forms of interference in the activities of an advocate, for which liability is provided for in Article 397 of the Criminal Code, are detailed.

Discussion
Experts have exceptional potential that should be developed jointly — Lidiya Izovitova
The professions of advocate and expert can and must develop by learning from each other, exchanging experience and best practices. Together, we can build a strong, independent, and effective justice system worthy of a European Ukraine.

Discussion
Strengthening the country's sovereignty requires a new model for forming the HQCJ – round table
The model of the competition commission for selecting members of the High Qualification Commission of Judges, introduced as an anti-crisis measure, has exhausted itself. The inaction of the HCJ in forming a new composition of the CC, the lack of accountability, and the existing signs of political influence indicate that powers should be transferred directly to the entities responsible for forming the HQCJ as defined by law.

Guarantees of the practice of law
UNBA Committee reviews new cases of violence against advocates in TCC
New facts of physical violence, obstruction of access to clients, as well as sabotage of investigations in cases involving lawyers were considered by the UNBA Committee on the Protection of Lawyers' Rights and Guarantees of the Legal Profession during its last meeting.

Guarantees of the practice of law
One third of complaints to the UNBA are due to unlawful actions by the TCC
In the first half of 2025, the Committee for the protection of lawyers' rights and guarantees of advocacy of the Ukrainian National Bar Association recorded 46 complaints of violations of professional rights. A third of these concerned unlawful actions by territorial recruitment centers—systematic obstruction of advocacy or violation of the right to defense.

Self-government
The HCJ continues to ignore the legal deadlines for forming the Competition Commission of the HQCJ
The High Council of Justice continues to violate the statutory deadlines for forming a new competition commission to select members of the Competition Commission of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine.

Advocacy
UNBA asked the UBA about the facts of the alleged violations of lawyers' rights
The National Bar Association of Ukraine is concerned about information regarding violations of the professional rights of advocates and guarantees of advocacy, which was disseminated on June 16 by the UPO «Ukrainian Bar Association». This issue will be discussed at a meeting of the Bar Council of Ukraine.
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…