Lawyers decide on Standards
26 December draft quality standards for secondary legal aid in criminal proceedings was introduced during presentation "Developing best defense practices in criminal proceedings", informs the press service of the Ministry of Justice.
The draft standard was developed by a working group composed of lawyers that provide or arrange provision of secondary legal aid, members of the Council of Advocates of Ukraine, regional councils of advocates and qualification and disciplinary commissions of the legal profession, academics in the field of criminal procedure. It is expected that the standards previously approved by the Board of Advocates of Ukraine on 17 December this year, will be approved by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine and will be enacted in January 2014.
The standards are based on the rule of law, rule of law, independence of advocacy, confidentiality, avoiding conflicts of interest, dominance of client's interests, preventing corruption, competence and integrity in the performance by defense counsels of their duties.
Standards are developed and implemented for the following purposes:
- timely submission in required amount of high-quality secondary legal aid in criminal proceedings;
- methodological support and professional development of lawyers providing free secondary legal aid in criminal proceedings;
ensuring efficient use of budget funds allocated for payment of lawyer's efforts to provide legal aid in criminal proceedings.
Adherence to these standards is mandatory for lawyers providing free secondary legal aid under the terms of the contract (agreement) with the center for provision of free secondary legal aid. Other attorneys Ukraine may use standard voluntarily.
Evaluation of the quality of secondary legal aid by lawyers in criminal proceedings pursuant to these Standards is carried out at the request of Centers for provision of free secondary legal aid by commissions formed by regional lawyer councils.
