The awards were presented on 16 October at a Lawyer’s Day ceremony at the Consulate of Ukraine in Edinburgh, attended by Oleksandr Chernykh, the National Association of Ukrainian Advocates’ (UNBA) representative in Scotland.

Veronica Anderson, a former chair of the European Lawyers’ Association, was recognised for supporting the professional integration of Ukrainian lawyers. Rob Marrs, former head of solicitors’ education and training at the Law Society of Scotland, was thanked for assisting Ukrainians with qualification matters, while advocate Kenneth Young was recognised for developing links with the Ukrainian legal community.

Others honoured included Natalia Gnezdilova, co-founder of Spilka.UK, which brings together UK lawyers of Ukrainian origin, and Ukrainian lawyers Marina Nastenko and Anna Bobrovska, who provide pro bono legal advice to Ukrainians in Scotland. Ukraine’s consul in Edinburgh, Andriy Madzianovskyi, also received an award.

Participants discussed ways to strengthen professional links, support Ukrainian lawyers and improve access to legal assistance. They agreed to continue working together and organise joint educational, professional and cultural events.

“We aim not only to help Ukrainian advocates integrate into the professional community in the United Kingdom, but also to develop partnerships between legal institutions and exchange experiences”, Chernykh said.

It was previously reported that a UNBA representative had agreed with Scottish colleagues to organise online lectures on British law for Ukrainian advocates.