First Group Finished The Fourth Module Of The Program

On November 3rd-5th, 2017, the first group of the “Tomorrows Lawyer” Program passed the fourth module devoted to the topics of communication with the public and media, as well as the role of advocacy, as one of the cross-cutting themes of the Program is support for reforms and changes. It is important to learn skills that will allow lawyers to become agents of change.

During the module, participants discussed the topics of cooperation with journalists, having read the results of a survey of journalists and lawyers, which was held earlier by the organizers of the Program. In addition, attorneys practically worked out the ability to work in front of the camera, interviewing skills and working out the common position of the legal team on communication strategies in individual cases. In group work format, the participants developed advocacy programs for some important and relevant initiatives, using the theoretical knowledge gained in the module.

Traditionally, the opening of the module was visited by the Chairman of the Bar Council of Odessa region, Joseph Bronze, who stated in his speech: “I am extremely concerned about the quality of lawyers in Ukraine. And I still hope that you, as Lawyers of the Future, having the knowledge and skills on the Program, will distribute them among your colleagues from all over Ukraine.

Also, the ex-President of the Ukrainian Bar Association Denis Bugai attended the training with the speech “7 elements of effective advocacy of changes in the legal sphere“: “No matter what you advocate, whether it is a change to the Constitution or a local change that will be useful a small number of people – take a very responsible attitude towards your advocacy companies, execute all program points of high quality. Only such systematic work will achieve the goals set. “

During the training the participants worked with coaches Tetyana Troshchinska, Larisa Denisenko and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn. The experts of the Program were accompanied by Olga Zhukovska, Volodymyr Sushchenko, Andriy Kostin and Yulia Lisova.

The topics of the three-day training covered the following issues:

  • Communicating the rule of law principles and promoting equal access to justice and reforms.
  • Effective verbal and written communication with media.
  • Managing public opinion.
  • Professionalism and publicity.
  • Working with mass media on matters of public interest.
  • Use of social media.

The theme of communication with the public and the media left no one indifferent: “The module has become extremely rich in the development of communication skills with the public. Only now I appreciate such a tool as media in the work of lawyer. I hope that getting to know the “fourth power” will be fruitful and effective.“- participant shared his impressions.

This is the last module and it’s the only one thing that upsets all of us. The program has become my internal engine that inspires me. And now I have no excuse. Every day should be a day of development as a lawyer, and every day we all advocates of the future have to develop a lawyer“, – said the program participant after the end of the training.

The photo tour of the training can be found by the link.

“Tomorrow’s Lawyer” is the first all-Ukrainian professional development program for lawyers aimed at strengthening soft skills. It was prepared by Canadian lawyers and adapted by Ukrainian experts. The Program was developed during 2016-2017 with the support of The Quality and Accessible Legal Aid Project with an expert contribution from the Canadian Bar Association. In 2018, the “Tomorrow’s Lawyer” Program is being implemented by the Ukrainian Bar Association and the Bar Association of Legal Aid Providers, with the support of the United States Embassy and The Quality and Accessible Legal Aid in Ukraine Project funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).