Officially: there are more than 70 thousand advocates in Ukraine
Recently, the number of advocates in our country has exceeded 70 thousand. To be more precise, as of today, the Unified Register of Advocates of Ukraine contains information about 70152 attorneys.
The official statistics were provided by Valentyn Gvozdiy, the Vice President of the Ukrainian National Bar Association and the Bar Council of Ukraine, during a meeting of the Bar Council held today, December 13, in Lviv Oblast.
He said that this year alone, the defense bar has been joined by 2,280 new colleagues. However, there are 47.4 thousand active attorneys (those who practice and have not filed an application to suspend their practice), which is 67.6% of the total number. The URAU also registers 1026 trainees and 3.5 thousand paralegals. And the vast majority (94.7%) of active attorneys use the UNBA's electronic office, which provides access to UNBA services.
In addition, the Vice President of the UNBA, BCU, the UNBA said that in 2024 the level of payment of annual contributions to ensure the implementation of bar self-government increased. Financial discipline is observed by 82% of colleagues. «I believe that this is a very high percentage. And this is the best indicator for any previous years, for which we should thank, first of all, the heads of regional councils», - he explained.
He also said that the Council of Europe is preparing to vote on the draft Convention on the Protection of the Legal Profession, which will be the first document in the world to establish international standards for the protection of lawyers and the independence of the institution. «This convention will be binding on the signatory countries. And Ukraine, which has become one of the authors, should be one of the first», - the Vice President of the UNBA, BCU is convinced.
It should be reminded that the Committee of Experts on the Protection of Lawyers (CJ-AV), whose vice president was V. Gvozdiy, was engaged in the development of the concept and drafting of the Convention. The CJ-AV operated under the Committee of Ministers and the European Committee on Legal Cooperation (CDCJ) of the Council of Europe.
Popular news
Discussion
Occupational safety during wartime: legal risks and employer liability
On October 21, the National Bar Association of Ukraine held a round table discussion on «Occupational safety in conditions of martial law». Participants discussed how the war has changed the requirements for safe working conditions, what guarantees remain for employees, and what responsibility employers bear for violations of legislation in this area.
Self-government
BCU condemned information attacks on advocacy
Bar Council of Ukraine strongly condemned the coordinated campaign to discredit advocacy, in particular the leadership of the Odessa region bar association. Protecting colleagues from manipulation and misrepresentation became a separate item on the agenda of the BCU meeting on October 17–18.
URAU
Six new advocates appear in Ukraine every day — statistics
There are almost 72,100 advocates in Ukraine. Since the end of May alone, 791 advocates have joined the national defense institute — on average, six advocates per day receive a certificate of entitlement to practice as an advocate.
Self-government
Approaches to remuneration of advocates in the FLA system must change – L. Izovitova
Payments to advocates in the free legal aid system are made after court proceedings are completed and can take years. During this time, advocates provide protection without payment, essentially lending money to the state. This practice contradicts Article 43 of the Constitution.
Self-government
The BCU holds its October meeting in Lviv region
The Bar Council of Ukraine is starting its next two-day meeting today, 17 October. Items on the agenda include issues relating to the activities of bar self-government bodies, the implementation of the institution's tasks and interaction, and the consideration of requests for clarification.
Legislation
Recodification of the Civil Code: UNBA submitted comments and proposals
Although the adoption of the Civil Code in 2003 was a defining moment in the development of national private law, the rapid development of social relations, the emergence of new technologies, and regulatory acts necessitated a systematic update of the general provisions of civil legislation.
Interaction
Advocates discussed possible areas of cooperation with the business ombudsman
Protecting the legitimate interests of businesses is a common area of work for advocacy and the Business Ombudsman Council. The former is an independent constitutional institution within the justice system, while the latter is an important element of the mechanism for responding to complaints from entrepreneurs.
Self-government
The BCU's decision regarding Maselko's actions does not constitute pressure on him — conclusion of the HCJ
The High Council of Justice did not find any signs of pressure on this member of the High Council of Justice in the decision of the Bar Council of Ukraine No. 82 of 12 August 2025 on Roman Maselko's interference in the practice of law. The BCU document was adopted within the scope of its powers and was not intended to influence the activities of a member of the HCJ.
Publications
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
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
