V. Gvozdiy told his Finnish colleagues about the experience of the Bar during the war
Finland, which has about 1,300 kilometers of land border with Russia, joined NATO in April 2023. However, bordering on an aggressive neighbor obviously leaves the risks of conflict and even war relevant. Therefore, Finnish lawyers are interested in the experience of their Ukrainian colleagues in organizing work under martial law.
On October 10, Valentyn Gvozdiy Vice president of the UNBA, BCU, held a webinar for representatives of the Finnish bar self-government bodies, during which he spoke about the challenges faced by Ukraine since the beginning of the war and after the full-scale invasion, and presented the main steps taken by the Ukrainian National Bar Association to establish the normal operation of the bar in the new conditions.
V. Gvozdiy emphasized the importance of cooperation with international and foreign professional societies, their assistance, including financial, as well as support for those lawyers (mostly female lawyers) who have moved abroad with their families and integrated into the professional environment of European countries.
In addition to organizational measures aimed at ensuring sustainable operations, Vice president of the UNBA, BCU emphasized the special role of digitalization of as many work processes as possible. In particular, he spoke about the capabilities of the Ukrainian system «Electronic Court», which provides for the exchange of electronic documents between the court and participants in the trial, as well as remote participation in court hearings. «Thus, despite the war, we continue to comply with the guarantees of access to justice, defense and professional legal assistance», - said V. Gvozdiy.
In addition, he spoke about the peculiarities of the Unified Register of Advocates of Ukraine, which is maintained by the UNBA in terms of protecting personal data of advocates, creating conditions for the proper exercise of their rights and observance of guarantees of the practice of law.
Popular news
Support
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.
War
Are Europe's advocacy associations prepared for a potential war? V. Gvozdiy shared lessons from the Ukrainian experience
The continuity of the bar’s self-governance, the protection of professional registries and archives, as well as equal guarantees of employment for advocates, judges, and prosecutors must be enshrined in advance in legislation in the event of war or another emergency.
Educational events
How DISC helps manage «tigers», «monkeys», «elephants» and «turtles»
The same instruction from a manager may motivate one employee to take action, while leaving another without the necessary guidance. People perceive work tasks differently: for some, a deadline and the expected outcome are enough, while others need explanations, time or a detailed plan.
Legislation
The Verkhovna Rada is preparing a bill to implement the Convention on the Protection of the Professions of Lawyer
Members of Parliament plan to introduce a bill in the near future to implement the main provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Professions of Lawyer. This parliamentary initiative may also prompt the government to expedite the preparation of the ratification package.
Educational events
What an advocate should consider when a fee dispute escalates into a complaint to the QDBC
If an advocate files a lawsuit seeking to recover fees from a client, the client may in turn file a complaint with the High Qualification and Disciplinary Commission of the Bar in an effort to compel the advocate to withdraw the lawsuit. How do the advocacy’s disciplinary bodies handle such cases?
Edition
Veteran-advocates returning to the practice of law: the UNBA has prepared recommendations
Military service is incompatible with the practice of law; therefore, an advocate suspends their practice for the duration of their service. However, upon returning, they must reinstate their right to practice law, refresh their knowledge and reestablish their organizational and digital processes.
Educational events
Energy, focus and priorities: how an advocate should plan their day
A rigid workday schedule becomes irrelevant when your routine depends on air raid alerts and disrupted sleep caused by nighttime explosions. Under such conditions, advocates should assess the resources they can actually manage.
Discussion
Appeals by NGOs and advocates' access to the SLC were discussed with the State Geocadastre
Advocates’ access to data from the State Land Cadastre remains limited: there is no separate access, and a court order is required to obtain coordinates. At the same time, the functionality for generating extracts from the State Land Cadastre as of a specific date still needs further refinement. The State Geocadastre is working on this.
Publications
Vasyl Kolishnyi, «Law and Business» Supporting mental health should become part of the professional culture of the Bar, - H. Udovenko
Volodymyr Matsko Extradition during wartime: when the risks outweigh the request
Volodymyr Matsko Extradition as a systemic form of rights violations
Victoria Yakusha, Law and Business The anti-corruption vertical cannot «take care» of the Bar as an institution, - acting head of the HQDCB
Censor.net Protecting advocates – protecting justice: addressing concerns about the new law
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
