For 19 years of our Association, we have managed to achieve considerable results in uniting lawyers to implement the rule of law principle in the state, social, and public life, facilitate the establishment of the rule of law state and promote legal awareness and the development of the legal profession, protecting the rights and legitimate interests of the members of the Association, as well as supporting their communication and networking.
A rapidly changing world amplifies existing challenges and adds new ones. A key leadership trait in today's world is a willingness to change and evolve. To determine the ways of further development of the Association, first of all, we need to shape our vision of the UBA.
Our answer: the Association is a strong player, successor, and bearer of the Ukrainian legal tradition, which follows world standards and trends, able to meet the challenges of the modern world, free from any discrimination, and full of common goals and values.
The Association should become a key unifying institution
for the whole legal community,
because there is only one legal profession
and its progress is in unity!
I. Association as a driver of the legal community development
A lawyer, a judge, a legal counsel, a prosecutor, a notary, a private enforcement officer, a civil servant, an arbitration manager are the components of a single legal profession. Only by combining these “legal components” is it possible to form a common voice - the voice of the entire legal community. A voice that will be heard throughout the legal world.
Goal
- Create a single platform for all legal professions, where the opinion of each participant forms common principles and key legal vectors.
- Approve common standards of the legal profession. The uniform rules for all lawyers will help strengthen the rule of law and civil society.
How to achieve this
- To popularize and approve the ethical components of the legal profession and ethics rules of the Association. Ethics should become the foundation of the legal practice, and ethical rules and standards should become common for every law professional;
- Foster Knowledge Sharing through mentoring programs and activities both in the field of law and practical jurisprudence. Organize the selection and production of quality content for the UBA members;
- To deepen and bring to qualitatively new level cooperation with relevant legal industry associations and training centers;
- To improve the training of lawyers - in the way of harmonization of educational programs of the National School of Judges of Ukraine with programs for other lawyers;
- To expand the participation of legal counsels (in-house lawyers) in the formation of a common vision of the development of the legal profession and the legal system in general;
- Create a model of effective protection of lawyers - members of the Association, providing the appropriate level of support in case of safety threats against their professional activities;
- Implement an appropriate communication strategy for a broad dialogue both within the Association and externally with other civil society institutions.
II. Association as an expert opinion leader and opinionmaker
Ukraine is in the process of reforming its key legal institutions. Land and judicial reforms, changes in taxation, the energy sector, and corporate governance are far from all the changes that are taking place. The active involvement of the intellectual assets of the Association will provide an opportunity to make a quality and professional contribution to the latest strategies that await our society.
Goal
- To form in Ukraine a normative field and law enforcement practice taking into account the best world and European standards;
- Strengthen the institutional capacity of the Association;
- Involve a wide range of members of the Association in professional discussion and development of expert vision.
How to achieve this
- Strengthen the GR with the relevant committees of the Verkhovna Rada, ministries, and other executive bodies;
- Expand cooperation with international and national projects and NGOs active in the field of establishing the rule of law;
- Conclude memoranda of cooperation with public authorities and NGOs;
- Conduct examinations of draft laws and bylaws, identify their risks and shortcomings, express comments and suggestions;
- Involve representatives of the public and private sector in the activities of the Association.
III. The Association as an authoritative player in the international arena
Strengthening the Association's position at the international level will allow more effective development of the national market of legal services, as well as improve the investment attractiveness of the state and business.
Goal
- Ensure that the members of the Association have access to the best world practices and strengthen the role of the Association in the global legal community.
How to achieve this
- Improve cooperation with key international associations. Expand the conclusion of memoranda of cooperation and implementation of joint projects on key issues of law and business;
- Establish direct contacts with associations of Ukrainian lawyers in other countries;
- Establish cooperation with foreign embassies and other diplomatic missions;
- Cooperate with Ukrainian diplomatic missions abroad.
IV. Association as an agent of women's leadership
Protecting women's rights and promoting women's leadership is not just a global trend. This is an indicator of a “healthy” society and professional environment. The UN calls gender equality one of the most important human rights; and the establishment of the principle of equal opportunities for women and men - one of the most important tasks of our time. Special studies have witnessed a direct link between economic growth and the level of women's involvement in business. Participation in the establishment of the idea of women's leadership is the most justified evolutionary path of the Association.
Goal
- Change current approaches to understanding women's leadership.
How to achieve this
- Promote the women's leadership in the legal profession and advanced practices to overcome gender inequality, in particular: quotas, reducing the gender pay gap, and implementing gender strategies;
- Conduct educational and pro bono activities in the field of protection of women's rights and gender equality;
- Lobby for gender-equitable changes in legislation.
V. Association as a well-developed system with strong regional centers
The legal world is not only the aggregate of diverse elements of the legal profession but also the legal market development at different levels, in particular - regional. Strengthening the role of lawyers from different regions will help diversify the practices of the UBA and highlight the best of them.
Goal
- To strengthen the regional branches of the UBA.
How to achieve this
- Support and encourage initiatives of regional branches of the Association;
- To change the approaches to work coordination of the regional branches of the Association;
- Monitor regional practices and promote the best of them;
- Encourage the development of pro bono culture and educational projects at the regional level.
VI. Association as a bearer of social responsibility
Respect for honor and dignity, non-discrimination, development of human rights, protection of “weak” segments of the population should be not just slogans, but a daily practice. This approach will help create a comfortable and high-quality environment that can meet the most complex requirements and challenges of today.
Goal
To affirm the principle of the rule of law in all its manifestations; to protect the “weak” segments of the population.
How to achieve this
- Strengthen the Association's cooperation with leading international projects;
- Develop and promote pro bono projects for vulnerable groups - children, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities;
- Establish links with key projects and government institutions in the field of protection of the rights of certain segments of the population.
VII. Association as an influencer in the field of legal education
The members of the Association, as practicing lawyers, are well aware of the weaknesses of the legal services market and form key approaches in law enforcement practice. The active role of the Association in the field of legal education can influence the future market of legal services and become a reference point for the training of qualified specialists.
Goal
Improve national legal education, develop its practical component and synchronize with international educational trends.
How to achieve this
- Participate in the examination of educational draft laws and join the development and promotion of quality educational legislation;
- Improve communication between law schools and the professional community - to bring the basic needs of the legal market to universities;
- Support advanced universities by conducting joint activities and implementing projects together;
- Organize competitions among law students and encourage the best of them, in particular, by organizing internships in leading law firms, business projects, and in the public sector;
- To improve the image of a lawyer in modern society in the context of the general oversaturation of the “market of lawyers” and the corresponding devaluation of the status of a lawyer. Introduce educational and outreach projects at various levels, in which everyone should be involved - from schoolchildren to “legal tops”;
- Collaborate with the scientific community and promote the best research results. Support scientific developments that have a practical implication.
