FIRST GROUP OF PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE SECOND MODULE OF “TOMORROW’S LAWYER” PROGRAM
On 21 — 23 April 2017 the first group of participants of Tomorrow’s Lawyer Program (hereinafter – the Program) completed the second module dedicated to building collegial relations within the justice system.
“While during the first module we came off the ground and soared into the air, the second sent us in the higher space” – these were the precise words of the welcoming speech delivered by the manager of the Ukrainian-Canadian Project “Quality and Accessible Legal Aid in Ukraine” Ms Oksana Kikot. She said that the second module was special because in fact it consisted of three training sessions – three topics which, however, are interrelated and essentially complement each other.
The Program participants were trained by a business coach Ms Iryna Gluschenkova; advocate, human rights activist, media person and a popular writer Ms Larysa Denysenko and trainer on mediation Roman Koval. The training process was supervised by the Program experts Mr Sergiy Goncharenko, Mr Andriy Kostin and Ms Yulia Lisova supported by Ms Ivanna Ibragimova, expert of the Ukrainian-Canadian project “Quality and Accessible Legal Aid in Ukraine”.
During the opening of the Module II training the participants were greeted by the director of the Bar Association of Legal Aid Providers Ms Victoriya Mitko. She told participants that “the second module of the “Tomorrow’s Lawyer” program contained new exercises, new games and new knowledge. Despite the fact that the topics might be quite familiar for some lawyers, it would not prevent the members of the first group to hunger for knowledge as much as people need air under the water”.
The training was also attended by the Ukrainian Bar Association President Mr Denys Bugay, expert of the Program Mr Dmitry Kuhnyuk and the team of the Tomorrow’s Lawyer Program.
Topics of three-day training covered issues of managing difficult conversations and dealing with toxic clients; conflict of interests and the fight against corruption; mediation and the role of the lawyer in the mediation process. During the studying session, an open discussion on burning issues of judicial life between lawyers and judges took place. The special guests for the discussion were Mr Volodymyr Kravchuk, a judge of Lviv Administrative Court, Mr Roman Tsyatsyaka, judge of Appeal Court of Lviv region, famous attorneys Mr Igor Fomin and Mr Oleg Mytsyk. Mr Fomin also took the floor with a special workshop on “The Art of Pleading”.
“The three days of training brought a strong impetus towards self-improvement. For the first time in my life I took thought that we, lawyers, should cooperate more within the judiciary system – with colleagues, prosecutors and judges, establish connections in our legal community”, – said one of the Program participants.
The first group emphasized that the training allowed them to look at their practice on the other side and see the possibilities for its improvement. “The core of our legal profession turned out to be much more than mere knowledge of the laws and practices, while communication turned out to be an essential element of professional success. And this program really shows that we have something to strive for”. Lawyers took a fresh look at mediation understood that there are tools that work successfully: “one of my principles in life: never give up, and in three days I had a dream to become a cool mediator in Ukraine”.
“The most striking impressions I have received from the session on “toxic communications”: “Our profession is full of these “toxins”. But after the second module, I realize that I can properly respond thereto that will have a positive impact far beyond my professional life”, “elaboration of this topic has pushed me to continue studying it further. As it is extremely important and may affect the performance of my professional activities”.
The complete photo-report is available by the link.
***
“Tomorrow’s Lawyer” Program is being implemented by the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA) and the Bar Association of Legal Aid Providers (BALAP) supported by the “Quality and Accessible Legal Aid in Ukraine” (QALA) Project funded by the Government of Canada, implemented by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) in cooperation with the Coordination Centre for Legal Aid Provision.
“Tomorrow’s Lawyer” Program — the first All-Ukrainian professional development program for lawyers, intended to form a strong and active community of lawyers who are expected to become the agents of change with high ethical standards of work; introduce reforms, both at the regional and national levels; improve standards of legal aid providing and facilitate the effective implementation of self-government functions.
In total from 707 applicants 111 lawyers were selected to attend four training modules in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv during the year of 2017.
The Program consists of four training modules, covering the most important aspects of legal practice, namely attorney-client relations, building collateral relations in the justice system, communication within the legal society, public relations and media.
