Andriy Fomin, an attorney at Barristers LLP, participated in the “Second Annual Conference of Regional Councils for Judicial Reform”

The conference consisted of two sessions.

The first session was devoted to presenting the results of the Regional Councils for Judicial Reform’s (RCJR) work, including an overview of the RCJR’s goals and objectives, a review of its success stories, challenges faced, and plans for the future.

The second session consisted of panel discussions covering the following topics:

• the administration of justice during the quarantine period;
• personal bankruptcy;
• overcoming the negative consequences of armed conflict and transitional justice.

The Second Annual Conference of Regional Councils for Justice Reform served as yet another platform for representatives from various sectors—including the judiciary, the justice sector, and international experts from the EU Project—to engage in dialogue.

Since 2018, the Odesa Regional Council for Justice Reform has been working on topics such as:

• reforming the enforcement proceedings system and introducing a fully-fledged mixed system of enforcement,
• improving the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code,
• ways to accelerate the transition to e-justice,
• introducing the institution of mediation in Ukraine.

Thanks to the council’s active and coordinated efforts, concrete results have been achieved in improving the system for the enforcement of court decisions in Ukraine and amending the Code of Ukraine on Bankruptcy Procedures.

Through amendments to regulatory acts, certain procedural issues related to the bankruptcy process have been improved, in particular, regarding procedural matters related to the conduct of public auctions and the state registration of ownership rights to acquired property, as well as the procedure for appointing an arbitration manager.

Work is ongoing to improve the legislation on enforcement proceedings; the relevant draft laws are currently under consideration by the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada.

There is always work to be done, so every project we undertake requires constant development and modernization. Through joint analysis of the effectiveness of laws and discussion of identified gaps, we find ways to address them and are able to convey the necessary messages to government authorities.