The Inernational Advocates’ Forum

Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, together with the National Association of Advocates of Ukraine, the Bar Council of the Kharkiv Region, and in partnership with the German-Ukrainian Lawyers Association, invites you to participate in the International Forum of Advocates, which will be held on December 5-6, 2024, at the Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

The Objectives of the International Forum of Advocates are:

• To create an academic and educational platform for the exchange of professional knowledge and practical experience among lawyers, law enforcement officers, judges of all levels, and representatives of state and international institutions in the context of Ukraine’s European integration.
• To facilitate the development of international professional networks (networking).
• To introduce innovative methodologies in legal practice.
• To examine international cases and leading legal practices aimed at adapting to European legal standards in ensuring the independent professional activities of lawyers in defending, representing, and providing other legal assistance.
• To support the further harmonization of Ukrainian legislation regulating the legal profession in line with European standards, with the active participation of Ukrainian scholars, practitioners, and leading international experts and institutions.
• To enhance the prestige of the legal profession, promoting ethical, moral, and professional standards for lawyers, fostering a community that promotes sustainable professional growth and integration into international legal systems.

The Forum will feature various educational initiatives, including the organization of masterclasses and thematic seminars that reflect current challenges and demands of legal practice in the context of European integration. In addition, the Forum aims to involve advocates and other practicing legal professionals in the educational process through preparing and reviewing study cases, expanding practical opportunities for students, and assisting them with employment both within Ukraine and abroad.

Representatives of the Venice Commission, judges of the European Court of Human Rights, the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court of Ukraine, senior self-governance bodies of the bar from Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Switzerland, Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Poland, Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Macedonia, Austria, Belgium, France and distinguished scholars and practitioners from various countries are expected to participate in the International Forum of Advocates.

Key Areas of the Forum:

1. Further improvement of the legal profession in Ukraine in line with the best global and European standards.
2. The legal profession in wartime and its development prospects in the post-war period in Ukraine.
3. The role of the legal profession in combating corruption: strategies and innovations.
4. Digital transformation of the legal profession: current risks and development prospects.

The International Forum of Advocates will be held in a hybrid format:

• Online broadcast of the Forum on the YouTube channel of Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University;
• In-person participation in Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Odesa (for safety reasons, the in-person location will be provided to registered participants by email prior to the event).

Event Details:

• Dates: December 5-6, 2024.
• Languages of the Forum: English and Ukrainian.