European integration and advocacy: development of the institution through constructive dialogue
Today, unfortunately, there are many pseudo-experts who are confidently undertaking to reform the institution of the bar. At the same time, they are unwilling to study the issue from the inside and deliberately ignore the disastrous consequences of their initiatives for the country.
This was emphasized by Lidiya Izovitova, the President of the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the Bar Council of Ukraine, during a regular meeting of the Bar Council, which is taking place today, December 13, in Lviv region.
We must remember that the Law on the Bar and Practice of Law, adopted in 2012, was one of the laws that allowed us to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union. Our current law embodies the European standards of legal profession and bar self-government. And with its adoption, Ukraine fulfilled its international obligations to the Council of Europe.
The President of the UNBA thanked her colleagues who publicly defend the independence of the Bar and ensure its evolutionary development.
L. Izovitova noted the speech of the Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine, Minister of Justice Olga Stefanishyna in the Verkhovna Rada, when she emphasized the need to establish cooperation between the Ministry and the legal community.
Another important message she delivered was that the rule of law roadmaps being prepared as part of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations should include the abandonment of competitions and the appointment of positions based on integrity assessments by international experts as a sign that Ukraine has built a stable, strong, democratic system of state institutions.
In this regard, it is important that on April 6, 2025, the Bar Council of Ukraine becomes a subject of the formation of a competition commission, which is formed to hold a competition for the position of a member of the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine and to form a list of candidates for the position of a member of the HQCJ. Today, taking into account the transitional provisions of the Law «On the Judiciary and the Status of Judges», this commission is formed and operates with the participation of international experts.
Popular news
Interaction
Protecting the rights of service members: The UNBA and the Military Ombudsman have agreed on cooperation
Servicemembers, reservists, conscripts during training exercises, members of local community volunteer units, and other individuals covered by the Law «On the Military Ombudsman» should have better access to professional legal assistance.
Rule of Law Roadmap
Reform without data and advocacy: what the Ministry of Justice’s launch has revealed
The Ministry of Justice hosted the first meeting of the working group on bar reform. But instead of professional preparation of legislative changes, we saw exactly what Armada Network Director Dale Armstrong had spoken about the day before in Kyiv: not reform, but a struggle for control over the agenda through a narrow circle of “stakeholders” who create an echo chamber of influence for themselves.
Rule of Law Roadmap
Advocacy, European integration and the limits of intervention: an American report presented in Kyiv
Following its presentation in Brussels, the report «The Ukrainian advocacy in the context of the rule of law and European integration» made its way to Kyiv. It highlighted critical issues both in understanding the very nature of the self-governing profession and in the emergence of a «shadow market» surrounding the Ukrainian advocacy.
Discussion
ETAIDF and MMC: where the system fails
The new system for assessing a person’s daily functioning and the practice of undergoing medical-legal examinations have already raised numerous questions — ranging from unclear procedures to difficulties in appealing decisions. These issues were examined by advocates during the roundtable discussion «Problematic issues of the ETAIDF and MMC», organized by the UNBA Committee on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and the All-Ukrainian public organization «Human rights union of persons with disabilities».
Rule of Law Roadmap
Access to the advocate profession: a subgroup has identified the direction of change
On Monday, March 16, a meeting was held of the subgroup «Access to the profession and training of advocates. Organizational forms of legal practice» of the Working Group on the implementation of the Rule of Law Roadmap.
Rule of Law Roadmap
Organization of advocacy: subgroup agrees on approaches to regulatory reform
On March 13, a meeting was held of the «Organization of the advocacy and self-government» subgroup of the Working Group on the implementation of the Rule of Law Roadmap regarding bar reform. The event was conducted via videoconference.
Guarantees of the practice of law
Ukraine has signed the Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer
Today, on 9 March, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Mykola Tochytskyi signed the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. This makes our country the 28th to sign this important international treaty.
European integration
The subgroup on European integration held its inaugural meeting
On March 5, the Ukrainian National Bar Association hosted a meeting of the subgroup of the Working Group on the implementation of the Roadmap on the rule of law in terms of reforming the advocacy sector, entitled «European integration, international practice and digitalization».
Publications
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
Sergiy Vylkov Our judicial system is so built that courts do not trust advocates
