The Ukrainian Bar Association is implementing the project "Support for the Reform of the Occupational Classifier, development of legal profession standards in Ukraine" under a grant agreement with the USAID program "Justice for All."

The project started in September 2023 and included two areas — support further the reform of the Occupational Classifier DK 003:2010 in terms of the legal profession and the development of professional standards for Judges, Prosecutors, and Legal Advisors.

In 2022, the Ukrainian Bar Association (hereinafter - UBA), with the support of the USAID program "Justice for All," held a series of discussions on the Occupational Classifier concerning the legal profession. During these discussions, there was a consensus on the need to amend the Classifier, taking into account methodological principles regarding the nature of professional activities and qualifications, as well as the structural organization of relevant professional groups and subgroups.

It is crucial for Ukraine that the Occupational Classifier is a systematic list of professions created in accordance with international standards to ensure the accounting and comparison of professions both at the national and global labor market levels.

The first draft of comprehensive recommendations for reforming the National Classificatory of Occupations in terms of the legal profession was prepared in September-November 2023. In November and December 2023, these recommendations were presented at 6 regional online meetings with the participation of judges, prosecutors, lawyers, notaries, legal advisers, and legal scholars. More than 200 legal professionals from all over Ukraine joined the discussions.

In addition, during January-April 2024, the UBA received comments and suggestions on improving the prepared amendments to the Classificatory from key stakeholders. In particular, valuable recommendations were received from the Prosecutor General's Office, the High Council of Justice, the State Judicial Administration of Ukraine and the Council of Judges of Ukraine. Based on the collected comments and suggestions, a number of additions were made to the draft amendments.

The Ukrainian Bar Association has carried out substantial work on developing proposals for the reform of the Classifier in the legal profession segment and aligning it with the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO 08). However, in July 2024, it became known that preparations are currently underway to amend the existing Classifier, which is based on the methodological principles of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO 88). In light of this, the UBA conducted an additional round of meetings and communications with the Supreme Court, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the High Council of Justice, and the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine, and presented expert recommendations to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, reflecting proposals for improving the current Classifier.

Additionally, in August 2023, the National Qualifications Agency of Ukraine registered the Ukrainian Bar Association as the developer of standards for the legal profession "2422 Judge," "2421.2 Prosecutor," and "2429 Legal Adviser."

More than 30 leading experts, including representatives of the judiciary (judges, representatives of the Supreme Court, High Council of Justice, High Qualifications Commission of Judges of Ukraine, State Judicial Administration of Ukraine, Council of Judges of Ukraine, National School of Judges of Ukraine), the Prosecutor General's Office, higher education institutions, and international organizations, were involved in the development of the draft professional standards for Judges, Prosecutors, and Legal Advisors. Such broad stakeholder participation ensures a thorough approach to standardization and consideration of the interests of all key players in the legal profession.

As part of the work on the standards, UBA conducted:

• two surveys among members of the legal community, which covered more than 500 representatives of these legal professions;
• online presentations of interim developments;
• public discussion of draft professional standards;
• repeated online presentations of the draft professional standards.

The following steps:

• approval of draft professional standards by a representative all-Ukrainian association of trade unions at the sectoral level;
• verification by the National Qualifications Agency of compliance with the requirements of the procedure during the preparation of draft professional standards;
• approval of professional standards.

All materials are available below:

• Proposals to the National Classificatory of Occupations: link.
• Draft Professional Standards for Judges: link.
• Draft Professional Standards for Prosecutors: link.
• Draft Professional Standards for Legal Advisors: link.
• Cabinet Resolution No. 373 of May 31, 2017 "On Approval of the Procedure for the Development, Implementation, and Review of Professional Standards": link.
• Methodological Recommendations for Developing Professional Standards: link.

______________

This project has been made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the USAID Justice for All Activity.