The Council of Europe supported the 13th Western Ukrainian Legal Forum organised by the Ukrainian Bar Association – a traditional annual event bringing together members of the legal community to discuss current challenges in the field of justice, exchange professional experience and strengthen cooperation. The event took place on 18 June 2026.
This year's programme addressed a wide range of important issues, including the selection of judges, the reform of the legal profession, the development of self-governing legal professions, international arbitration, legislative reform, criminal law practice and the development of the legal business.
As part of the Council of Europe's support for the forum, the Council of Europe's international consultant, Jeremy McBride, participated in the event and presented an overview of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer. He paid particular attention to the Convention's importance for Ukraine in strengthening guarantees of the independence of the legal profession and upholding the rule of law.
Background:
In March 2025, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer, an international legal instrument aimed at guaranteeing the safety and independence of lawyers in the exercise of their profession. The Convention establishes the obligations of States to ensure that lawyers can practise freely and independently, protect them against threats, harassment and unlawful interference, and create conditions for the proper functioning of the legal profession as an institution ensuring access to justice.
The Convention also provides safeguards for lawyers' rights to freedom of expression, confidentiality of lawyer-client communications, fair disciplinary procedures and protection against unjustified sanctions. It is intended to strengthen the rule of law and public confidence in the justice system, and its implementation is regarded as an important step towards reinforcing legal guarantees in the Council of Europe member States.
The forum was supported within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Fostering Human Rights in the Criminal Justice System in Ukraine – Phase II”, which is part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023-2026.
