The Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA) has adopted a resolution dedicated to reforming the Bar, as envisaged by the Rule of Law Roadmap approved by the Government in May 2025. The document outlines the position of the legal community on the key directions of reform necessary for Ukraine to fulfil its EU integration commitments in the field of justice.

The resolution emphasizes that Bar reform is an integral component of Ukraine’s European path and must proceed alongside strengthening the role of attorneys within the justice system. The goal of these changes is to ensure the independence, professionalism, and transparency of the Bar, and to establish an effective self-governance system that aligns with European standards.

The full text of the resolution is available here.

Key points of the UBA resolution

• Bar reform is part of the European integration process aimed at reinforcing the rule of law.
• The renewal of Bar self-governance must ensure transparency, trust, and effectiveness.
• Expanding professional rights and strengthening guarantees of attorneys’ independence are key to improving the quality of legal assistance.
• Attorneys must be adequately protected in order to effectively protect others.

Main directions of further reform

1. Expansion of professional rights and procedural tools of attorneys — to strengthen their role in the judicial system and safeguard clients’ rights.
2. Guarantees of independence of the profession of attorney — including a prohibition on interference in attorneys’ work, stronger protection of professional communications, and improved disciplinary procedures.
3. Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer (No. 226) — an important step toward harmonizing Ukrainian and European standards.

The resolution also proposes measures to enhance the transparency and accountability of Bar self-governing bodies, such as regular congresses and conferences, open leadership elections, mandatory financial reporting, and independent audits. It also calls for improvements in access to the profession, including a unified digital qualification exam, updated traineeship procedures, expanded professional development opportunities, and a public electronic register of disciplinary decisions.

UBA is ready to contribute to the discussion and drafting of the relevant reforms foreseen by the Rule of Law Roadmap.

To ensure the effective progress of Ukraine’s European integration, the Association urges the Government of Ukraine and its European partners to take into account the position of the legal community regarding comprehensive and systemic reforms in the justice sector, and particularly within the Bar.