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
Guarantees of the practice of law
The process of signing the Convention on the protection of the profession of advocate was taken under control by t…
The Ministry of Justice sent the text of the translation of the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of the advocate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs «for review and approval». The main legal authority also expressed its support for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the signing and ratification of this Convention.
Discussion
Without the protection of advocates, there will be no fair trials in Ukraine — forum in Odesa
Identifying an advocate with their client undermines the foundations of justice, as it deprives individuals of the opportunity to exercise their right to defense, forces advocates to avoid participating in high-profile cases, and ultimately renders procedural guarantees meaningless. Without this, fair trial is impossible.
Guarantees of the practice of law
The number of cases where advocates are identified with their clients is growing – UNBA report
Advocates are increasingly being held hostage to political processes, with them being equated with their clients. Such actions undermine the independence of the profession and create an atmosphere of intimidation, as a result of which Ukrainian citizens are deprived of their right to defense.
Legislation
What data is sufficient to initiate an investigation – UNBA comments on draft law No. 12439
The problem of law enforcement pressure on business remains one of the most acute for the Ukrainian economy. The lack of regulation of certain procedures in the Criminal Procedure Code leads to abuses, as a result of which entrepreneurs find themselves in a state of legal uncertainty.
Guarantees of the practice of law
Law on advocacy and the Council of Europe Convention: the UNBA assessed compliance (comparative table)
The Ukrainian National Bar Association has prepared and published a comparative table showing the extent to which Ukrainian legislation complies with the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the protection of the profession of advocate.
Guarantees of the practice of law
The Verkhovna Rada is waiting for the Minister of Justice to take action on signing the Convention on the protection of t…
Ukraine, which was directly involved in the preparation of the world's first Council of Europe Convention on the protection of the profession of advocate, has still not signed it. There appear to be no formal objections, but no real steps have been taken towards accession either.
Abroad
Australian advocate apologizes in court for fake AI quotes
In Australia, a royal advocate apologized to a judge for submitting documents in a criminal case against a teenager accused of murder that contained fabricated quotes and non-existent court decisions generated by artificial intelligence.
Legislation
Support for the defense industry should not upset local budgets, - UNBA
It is necessary to create additional incentives for enterprises in the defense and industrial complex, while ensuring the balance of the budget system and the predictability of both revenues and expenditures of local self-government.
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
