Happy New Year 2021

Dear Colleagues!

So 2020 is a thing of the past. The year that divided people's lives into "before" and "after". He radically changed our reality and with such frightening speed and obviousness stopped all conservative objections to the development of information technology that the need for digitalization is no longer discussed.

The unprecedented situation in which the world finds itself in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, to the credit of the Chamber of Lawyers of the Samara Region, did not take the Samara Bar by surprise.

Since 2008, purposefully introducing the latest IT developments, we were ready for remote work, and for electronic document management, and for the effective use of modern communication channels. The successfully functioning Center for Subsidized Legal Aid (SJA) allowed not only not to stop human rights activities, not to suspend them for a minute, but also to maintain the same volumes of free legal aid even during the period of severe restrictions imposed to combat COVID-19 (for example, in April 2020, the SUP PASO Center distributed 4569 requirements of the bodies of inquiry, investigation and court). The electronic Procedure for visiting by lawyers of clients held in FKU SIZO-1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Samara Region, adopted by the PASO Council, continued to operate. Lawyers defended the interests of citizens and legal entities, switching to a remote mode of work if necessary.

The period of self-isolation by people of the public profession is perceived very sharply. However, we found the moral and physical strength to spend the time freed from the court hearings with maximum benefit: mainly, we were engaged in self-development, advanced training, actively using PASO electronic services and training programs of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation. Classes at professional development courses and at the PASO Young Lawyer School were conducted in the format of webinars. The meetings of the PASO Council were also transferred to the videoconference mode. The President of the PASO, the staff of the chamber worked as usual, observing the increased sanitary and epidemiological requirements.

I can note with satisfaction that the technical equipment of the chamber, which has always been considered by the PASO Council as one of the priority tasks and carried out at the own expense of lawyers (from membership fees), allows even in force majeure conditions to carry out work to protect citizens and organizations in full.

At the same time, the annual conference, which, after changing the date three times, could only be held in September, "with the permission" of the epidemiological shutdown, showed that non-electronic professional communication, the exchange of living energy is necessary for everyone, like air. Colleagues were looking forward to this event as never before.

The year 2020 has shown that the legal profession is able to cope with the challenges of the time. The optimism with which we look to the future is not based on empty space. First of all, the legal profession has something to rely on: our corporate values ​​and ethical principles are unshakable. Working conditions and laws may change (for example, on March 1, amendments to the law “On advocacy in the legal profession in the Russian Federation” came into force), but the essence of the relationship between the client and the lawyer is the same at all times. On the other hand, the advocacy, being at the forefront of society, warmly welcomes the advanced achievements of science and technology, uses them for the benefit of their clients. The InternetP @ CO system, which has successfully passed the "pandemic" test, continues to develop. In order to increase the information content of lawyers, we have updated the paso.ru website, and to increase the efficiency of advocacy, the development of a mobile application is being completed, which is planned to be launched in January 2021. Every PASO attorney will be able to use the mobile office for the immediate solution of numerous current tasks.

The conditions of uncertainty, turbulence are already a constant, a constant attribute of the current reality. But let all the cataclysms and difficulties of the transition period remain in 2020, and the New, 2021, year will be marked by qualitative changes: consciousness and welfare in society, the system of law enforcement in the state, relations in the world.

One thing is seen as the bulwark of stability in the new reality: professionalism. Therefore, I would like to wish you the highest skill in everything that you do, to improve your skills and abilities, to learn from colleagues and to appreciate your professional environment.

Be healthy, take care of yourself and your loved ones, tune in to the positive, do not be afraid of the new and look to the future with confidence! Happy New Year!

The president
Chambers of Advocates
Samara region
Etc. Butovchenko