The National Bar Association of Ukraine hosted a meeting of the Committee on Lobbying, which demonstrated the emergence in Ukraine of a professional core of attorneys engaged in lobbying activities. The meeting participants outlined future areas of focus, centered on the legal regulation of the status of lobbyists, the protection of professional information, and the development of a uniform approach to the application of legislation.

One of the priorities identified is the preparation of official clarifications regarding the relationship and differences between attorney-client privilege and lobbyist confidentiality. Pursuant to Article 22 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Bar and the Practice of Law,” attorney-client privilege encompasses any information about a client that becomes known to an attorney in connection with the provision of legal assistance, and the obligation to maintain such confidentiality also extends to assistants, interns, and other persons working with the attorney.

At the same time, the Law of Ukraine “On Lobbying” No. 3606-IX, which entered into force on September 1, 2025, introduced separate legal regulation of lobbying activities and defined lobbying as an activity aimed at influencing the subject of lobbying in the commercial interests of the beneficiary or in the person’s own commercial interests. The law also provides for the operation of a Transparency Registry and sets out reporting obligations for lobbying entities.

Following the meeting, a decision was also made to draft legislative proposals aimed at strengthening safeguards for lobbyists’ activities, particularly regarding the protection of information in their possession, personal data, and information obtained and used in the interests of clients. Such initiatives are intended to ensure legal certainty regarding the boundaries of professional confidentiality and to promote the development of consistent law enforcement practices in accordance with the requirements of Ukrainian law.

From the perspective of legal doctrine, this signifies a shift from a fragmented understanding of lobbying to an institutionalized model of professional practice, where transparency, accountability, and the protection of confidential information must be balanced with the constitutional guarantees of the right to legal assistance and the professional independence of attorneys.