On Thursday, March 27, the Ukrainian Bar Association held the jubilee 5^th Women's Leadership Forum.

The participants discussed the challenges faced by women leaders — from career development to mental health, from mentoring to judicial leadership. It was a great opportunity to hear real inspiring stories, get tools for personal development, and become part of a powerful community that supports and motivates.

Before the start of the Forum, the participants observed a minute of silence in memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

The event was welcomed by Tetiana Lysovets, Vice President of the UBA, Senior Partner at Sokolovskyi and Partners. She emphasized that it is important to showcase women's success stories, as it gives strength and inspiration.

The first session of the Forum was entitled “Leadership as an Art of Balance”. The discussion was moderated by Diana Yakovleva, Chair of the UBA Odesa Region Branch, Partner, Head of Criminal Law Practice at AS Legal.

The discussion was joined by:

• Svitlana Glushchenko, Counsel at VB Partners, former Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine;
• Angelina Chachuna, Head of Compliance Officer, Legal Support Directorate of Metinvest Holding LLC;
• Yulia Azarina, Director of the Anti-Corruption Office of Ukrzaliznytsia;
• Olena Osmolovska, CEO, Acting Editor-in-Chief of Yurydychna Gazeta.

One of the topics of discussion was women's leadership as a burden or a privilege. The speakers shared their thoughts on what it means to be a leader in a professional environment, as well as how it affects personal life and development.

Particular attention was paid to the issue of career and family balance, particularly in times of crisis, and the impact of motherhood on women's leadership ambitions. The session participants also shared their experience of how to find the strength and energy to support their teams, as well as how not to lose their female superpower by adapting to the “male” norms in the professional world.

As part of the Forum, Olena Osmolovska presented the results of the Ukrainian Women in Law — 2025 survey conducted by Yurydychna Gazeta. The purpose of the study is to support women lawyers who, despite all the challenges of war, are actively changing the country, shaping the legal framework and acting as its strong rear.

In particular, according to the survey, women still have a smaller presence in leadership positions in Ukrainian law firms. Although women make up 55% and 47% of lawyers and senior lawyers respectively, their share decreases at the partnership level:

• managing partners: 32% women vs. 68% men;
• partners: 35% women, 65% men;
• equity partners: only 29% women.

For more information about the results of the study, please follow the link.

Wartime challenges was the topic of the second session of the Forum. The panel was moderated by Andriana Fozekosh, Attorney at Law, Head of Military Defense Practice at AVER LEX, member of the Board of the UBA Committee on Military Law, Military Justice and Veterans' Rights.

The discussion was attended by:

• Veronika Plotnikova, head of the Coordination Center for Victims and Witnesses;
• Dzvenyslava “Dzvinka” Sira, head of the department for work with the wounded of the Angels Patronage Service of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade;
• Daria Kasyanova, program director of SOS Children's Villages Ukraine, chairman of the board of the Ukrainian Child Rights Network;
• Oksana Sosidenko, certified career counselor, mentor, volunteer.

One of the topics of the session was important social issues that arise in times of war. The panelists discussed key aspects of support for victims of war crimes, as well as the role of women in supporting the mental health of veterans and soldiers returned from captivity.

Dzvenyslava “Dzvinka” Sira noted that the 3rd Brigade's “Angels” patronage service currently has about 50 people. She explained how the wounded soldiers of the brigade are supported and gave advice on how to communicate with the wounded who need psychological support.

Special attention was paid to the topic of professional relocation under martial law. The speakers shared their experience of overcoming the psychological challenges faced by many women during the war.

The participants also shared their thoughts on new career opportunities that open up for women in times of crisis and discussed how the war changes professional trajectories, providing new opportunities for development and growth.

The session was followed by a prize draw from the Forum's branded partner, the online bookstore Ridmi.

The third and final session of the Forum was titled “Leadership Trajectory: Mentoring, Growth, Opportunities”. The discussion of this topic was moderated by Aliona Shulima, PhD, Chair of the UBA GR Committee, Partner at Pragma Consulting Group, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine.

The speakers of the session were:

• Anna Monakhova, Business Partner at VB Partners;
• Anastasiia Bezkorovaina, Head of HR at AVELLUM;
• Karina Panchenko, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution at Miller Law Firm, Attorney at Law.

The participants of the session discussed the mechanisms of women's mentoring, including strategies for effective support and development of junior colleagues, as well as the role of HR and top management in forming a talent pool.

One of the key topics was building an inclusive corporate culture that supports diversity and equal opportunities for all employees. The speakers shared their experience on how lawyers can assess their potential and find their way, as well as how to turn the legal profession into a successful business.

They also paid attention to the topic of leadership through support. Participants shared ideas on how to build not only a career but also a community that supports development and mutual assistance.

The 5^th Women's Leadership Forum has become an important event for sharing experiences and support on the way to professional development. Participants discussed important topics such as career and family balance, support for victims of war crimes, and the development of female mentoring. The forum demonstrated how important it is for women to support each other and create a strong community to achieve success.

For a photo report from the event, please follow the link.

The UBA would like to thank the following partners for their support in organizing the Forum:

• partners of the event: VB Partners, Miller Law Firm;
• partners of the sessions: AVER LEX, Sokolovskyi and Partners, AVELLUM, Pragma Consulting Group, AS Legal;
• branded partners: Ridmi, soovikast.

We are also grateful to the Forum's media partners:

• Yurydychna Gazeta;
• LIGA ZAKON;
• Loyer;
• Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine);
• ACKERMANN PR-bureau.

Tags: UBA activities, UBA events