Ukrainian Lawyers Matching Scheme

The Inner Temple and Middle Temple are collaborating on a project to give practical support to Ukrainian lawyers currently based in the UK, a number of whom have been seeking opportunities to work with UK lawyers – for example, by providing legal advice, undertaking research, or providing administrative or clerical assistance. 

The Ukrainian Lawyers Matching Scheme has been devised to collate details of: 

1. Ukrainian lawyers/legal professionals currently residing in the United Kingdom who would like to develop a working relationship with an individual barrister or chambers/legal organisations; 
2. Individual barrister members of any of the four Inns of Court and chambers/legal organisations and who are willing to offer work opportunities, mentoring or other support to Ukrainian lawyers at this exceptionally difficult time. 

The scheme will seek to match in a structured way Ukrainian lawyer applicants with individual barristers, chambers or legal organisations and based on location, area(s) of practice and experience and opportunities sought and offered. The Inns are engaging with the Ukrainian Bar Association and other networks to connect with Ukrainian lawyers who are already in the UK. The Inns will attempt to make matches within two weeks of submission of an application.

This is an introductory scheme in the sense that it seeks to act as a portal through which Ukrainian lawyers might be introduced to colleagues in the UK in their practice areas willing to help. Unfortunately, the Inns are not equipped to provide support or guidance to Ukrainian nationals on immigration issues. UK Government visa support information for Ukrainian nationals is available here.

The Inns will not undertake identity or other checks on Ukrainian applicants to this scheme but it is at the discretion of barristers and chambers/legal organisations to do so. The Inns will also not deal with any issues concerning financial compensation for arrangements made for working opportunities – this must be discussed between the two parties directly. We hope, however, that the service will provide a means of introducing Ukrainian lawyers to a potential source of assistance.

In the event that the initial attempts to make a match are not successful for any reason, we are happy to re-enter the details back on the system for attempted future matching of interests.

For questions about the Ukrainian Lawyers Matching Scheme please contact ulms@innertemple.org.uk