The professionalism of Samara's legal profession is growing

On April 18, 2024, the Twenty-fourth (regular) annual conference of lawyers of the Samara Region was held in the Ice Sports Palace. 249 elected delegates (with a representation ratio of 1:5) congratulated colleagues on well-deserved awards, held a rotation in the PASO Council, voted for the updated composition of the Qualification Commission, analyzed the results of the chamber's activities in 2023, approved the reporting and budget for the next period.

Recognition

At 11:00, the President of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region Tatyana Dmitrievna Butovchenko opened the conference, warmly welcoming the participants and introducing the chairman (according to the decision of the PASO Council dated 04/15/2024) - Vice President of the PASO Aleksey Viktorovich Borodin.

The conference was attended by the Head of the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region Pavel Viktorovich Sokol and the Head of the Department for Issues in the Field of Advocacy, Notaries of State Registration of Civil Status Acts of the Department of the Ministry of Justice Elena Sergeevna Yeshiganova.

In his speech, P. V. Sokol noted that in terms of numbers, the Samara advocacy ranks first in the Volga Federal District and seventh in the Russian Federation; although the increase in the number of lawyers with suspended status is a cause for concern, in connection with which verification activities are planned.

According to Pavel Viktorovich, the level of professionalism of the Samara advocacy is growing. Thus, out of 41 appeals received in 2023 by the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region, only three were sent with requests to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

The report included a reminder to the heads of advocacy entities (with the exception of law offices) about the need to submit reports in a timely manner. For his part, P. V. Sokol assured that the issues of debt to lawyers for the provision of subsidized legal assistance are under constant control of both T.D. Butovchenko and the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region.

The Head of the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region spoke about the main changes made to the Federal Law "On Advocacy Activity and the Bar in the Russian Federation" and adopted on April 10, 2024 in the third reading by the State Duma. Among the innovations is the formation of a single state register of lawyers, which will become more technological and convenient; increasing the requirement for the level of education of applicants for lawyer status ("For such qualified legal professions as a lawyer, a bachelor's degree is not enough"); the introduction of a 15-year validity period for a lawyer's certificate; termination of the status of a Russian lawyer who has not lived in the Russian Federation for more than a year. According to Pavel Viktorovich, all these innovations are correct, developed taking into account the comments and suggestions of the bar.

P.V. Sokol thanked the lawyers of the Samara Region for their concern and active work in the system of providing free legal assistance to citizens. "Behind the prosecutor is the law, and behind the lawyer is a person with his own destiny, with his own aspirations, and this person climbs on the lawyer, seeks his protection, and it is very scary to slip with such a burden," said F.N. Plevako. I wish you health, professional success and never slip with this burden!"

P.V. Sokol presented letters of gratitude from the Office of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for the Samara Region for effective assistance in solving the problems facing the Ministry of Justice of Russia, a significant contribution to strengthening the rule of law, protecting the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of citizens to lawyers:

Volkova Taisiya Alekseevna,
Kokin Aleksey Valerievich,
Smorodinov Maksim Vladimirovich.

The award ceremony continued – more than 100 people on this day received well-deserved recognition of their professional achievements and friendly applause from the audience.

The following lawyers were nominated for the Order "For Loyalty to the Lawyer's Duty":

Goncharova Natalya Alekseevna,
Konnova Victoria Valentinovna,
Strahova Irina Viktorovna.

The Medal "For Merit in the Protection of the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens of the 1st Degree" was awarded to

Almazova Anna Aleksandrovna,
Lisova Oksana Vyacheslavovna,
Takidze Larisa Lukmanovna.

Medals "For Merit in Protecting the Rights and Freedoms of Citizens, 2nd Degree" were awarded to lawyers with at least 10 years of continuous experience in advocacy:

Leonid Borisovich Zakharevsky,
Zoya Vyacheslavovna Baybulatova,
Sergey Alexandrovich Gorokhov,
Alexander Ivanovich Shatsky.

The medal of the order "For Service to Advocacy" is awarded to individuals for their great contribution to the implementation of the policy for the development of the Russian advocacy, for having a significant impact on increasing the prestige of the profession of lawyer, for the effective performance of their duties and for their achievements in the field of advocacy. The 2024 laureates are

Rumiya Rustamovna Abdryakhimova,
Galina Sergeevna Zakharova.

For long-term and fruitful work in the bodies of the lawyers' self-government and significant contribution to the legal education of young lawyers, interns and assistants of lawyers, teaching them the basics of the lawyer's craft and the moral principles of the lawyer's profession, the "Best Mentor" badges were awarded

Ivanova Tatyana Dmitrievna,
Kokin Alexey Valerievich,
Yankina Vera Ivanovna.

The professional merits of 40 lawyers of the Samara region were recognized with honorary certificates of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation. The laureates participating in the conference were awarded the certificates upon registration.

Work as part of the Qualification Commission of the Bar Association is truly difficult, it requires deep knowledge and high professional qualities. The following were awarded with gratitude from the Federal Chamber of Lawyers for their work in the Qualification Commission:

Arziani Vakhtangi Eduardovich,
Zhdanov Igor Alekseevich,
Kokin Aleksey Valerievich,
Latyshkin Evgeny Viktorovich,
Mozharova Svetlana Viktorovna,
Tokar Efim Yakovlevich,
Shamanova Ksenia Viktorovna.

The work of colleagues in the field of protecting the professional rights of lawyers was also recognized with gratitude from the Federal Chamber of Lawyers. The 2024 laureates are:

Mirzoyan Sergey Karoevich,
Sviryakin Aleksey Viktorovich,
Strukov Igor Anatolyevich,
Sukhova Natalia Yuryevna,
Kharitonova Evgenia Gennadyevna,
Yankina Vera Ivanovna.

The new developing information system KIS AR requires efforts not only from developers, but also from operators of bar associations implementing the functionality of the software. Since 2022, the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region has been successfully operating in the KIS AR "Qualification Examination" block. The gratitude of the FPA RF for the work on the implementation and operation of the Integrated Information System of the Advocacy of Russia (KIS AR) was awarded to the PASO employees:

Kiselyova Elena Alevtinovna,
Osipova Ekaterina Viktorovna.

Traditionally, the conference delegates honored the lawyers who achieved the highest professional result in criminal defense - an acquittal. Laureates of the Honorary Badge "For an Acquittal":

Ivanova Nina Vasilievna,
Kusakina Tatyana Viktorovna,
Motin Anatoly Vladimirovich,
Motin Nikita Evgenievich,
Naida Sergey Viktorovich,
Novikova Olga Borisovna,
Pykhtin Mikhail Yuryevich.

Achieving an acquittal in a private prosecution case is sometimes no less difficult. It is necessary to have the highest professional skills and incredible persistence. The Certificate of Honor "For an acquittal in a private prosecution case" was awarded to Karnomazova Marina Olegovna.

A. V. Borodin: - It is especially gratifying that Samara's initiatives and experience, including in rewarding colleagues, are not only approved and supported by the Russian legal community, but are also transformed into new types of federal-level awards. 2024 was the year of the birth of the medal "For Professionalism". Candidates for the award may be lawyers whose legal practice includes 2 or more acquittals that have entered into legal force and with the termination of criminal prosecution in full. 7 Samara colleagues responded to the appeal of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation and submitted the necessary documents and petitions for the award.

The following were awarded the Medal "For Professionalism":

Gudkov Denis Yuryevich,
Dzhubandikov Nadyrshe Asylbekovich,
Ermilov Vyacheslav Vladimirovich,
Zotova Lolita Viktorovna,
Kazakov Dmitry Sergeevich,
Mirzoyan Sergey Karoevich,
Sanatullov Amirzhan Rakhimzyanovich.

26 lawyers were awarded Gratitude from the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region based on requests from clients. A mandatory condition for the award is the absence of disciplinary proceedings during the current year. Information about the award of Gratitude from the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region is included in the personal files of lawyers.

Concluding the award ceremony, which, thanks to the impeccable organization of the event, took no more than 20 minutes, T.D. Butovchenko said: "It is very joyful to see that the professionalism of our colleagues has received such wide recognition. Let these moments become an incentive for all of us to continue to develop and improve in our professional activities. I congratulate the legal community of the Samara region on its well-deserved success!”

Reporting

At 11:35, the conference began work on the agenda items (in accordance with the Decision of the PASO Council No. 23-12-09/SP dated 21.12.2023 "On convening the Twenty-fourth (regular) annual conference of lawyers of the Samara Region"):

Approval of the reports of the PASO Council, including on the implementation of the income and expense budget for the maintenance of the bar association, for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023.
Approval of the report of the PASO Audit Commission on the results of the audit of financial and economic activities for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023.
Formation of the PASO Council, election of new members and termination of powers of Council members subject to replacement, in accordance with the procedure for renewal (rotation) of the Council, provided for in paragraph 2 of Art. 31 Federal Law "On Advocacy and the Bar in the Russian Federation".
Election of members of the Qualification Commission of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region from among lawyers.
Election of members of the Audit Commission of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region.
Determination of the amount of mandatory deductions for the general needs of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region.
Approval of the income and expenditure estimate of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the period from 01.01.2024 to 31.12.2024.
Election of a representative to the All-Russian Congress of Advocates.

To count the votes during the voting of the conference delegates by open ballot and to support the electronic voting, the Counting Commission was unanimously elected: Ekaterina Sergeevna Bikmurzina (AC 980), Elena Vladimirovna Muratshina (CA 36), Dmitry Sergeevich Rakov (CA 77).

The report on the work of the Council of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region and on the implementation of the income and expenditure budget for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023 was presented to the audience by the President of the PASO T.D. Butovchenko.

“The PASO Council and the Qualification Commission worked in the normal mode, performed all the functions assigned to them in full,” said Tatyana Dmitrievna.

Analyzing the statistical indicators, she expressed concern that the number of active lawyers is decreasing: 168 lawyers (out of 1887 in the register) have their status suspended and 63 lawyers have been terminated (for various reasons). The increase in the number of lawyers with suspended status is explained by new provisions of the law allowing a lawyer to suspend their status at their own request without giving reasons.

95 applicants joined the ranks of the PASO. When choosing the form of advocacy, the predisposition to teamwork remains: lawyers are attracted by the developed mentoring system, belonging to the galaxy of lawyers, well-established office work and accounting.

T.D. Butovchenko spoke about the main areas of the chamber's work in 2023.

The Subsidized Legal Aid Center continued to operate around the clock. During the reporting period, 47,377 requests were distributed, 724 lawyers are involved in the system.

Advanced training is, as Tatyana Dmitrievna said, an opportunity to continue advocacy. 40 academic hours per year for lawyers with 3 years of experience or less and 30 hours per year for other lawyers is a standard that is easy to fulfill, using the variety of training forms provided by PASO and the FPA RF, including those that do not require additional costs from the lawyer.

T.D. Butovchenko informed her colleagues that the issue of introducing specialization, which as the highest level of professional advocacy skills should be confirmed (by examination), is being discussed at the federal level.

The School of Young Advocates is a forge of personnel, where over 300 lawyers have been trained in 10 years (including experienced lawyers, law enforcement officers), of which 100 have successfully passed the exam to assign the status.

Tatyana Dmitrievna called the disciplinary practice of the previous year successful, since the number of disciplinary proceedings has significantly decreased. If in 2016 622 disciplinary proceedings were considered, then in 2023 - 4 times less (154). 39 proceedings were terminated, 62 lawyers were brought to disciplinary responsibility. The status of a lawyer was terminated for betraying the interests of the client, fighting in the court corridor with an opponent, handing over prohibited items to the defendant, systematic failure to fulfill the instructions accepted by agreement, failure to comply with the Standard of professional training and professional development, failure to fulfill the obligation to make monthly deductions.

According to the President of the PASO, the decrease in the number of disciplinary proceedings is due to the presumption of good faith of the lawyer. In addition, an excellent tool for protecting against unfounded claims of the client for the lawyer is a completed questionnaire. The widespread use of the warning procedure by the bodies of the lawyer's self-government, which allows warning the lawyer, pointing out his "mistakes" before initiating disciplinary proceedings, as well as conciliation procedures, plays a role. And the main reason is a significant improvement in the quality of the work of lawyers.

T.D. Butovchenko sincerely thanked her colleagues who are developing such a direction of the Chamber's activity as legal mentoring. This work is carried out mainly on a voluntary basis in schools, universities, social rehabilitation centers for minors, at the sites of the School of Young Lawyers, the Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Samara Region, the Public Chamber of the Samara Region, the Public Organization "Association of Lawyers of Russia", the State Institution of the Samara Region "Center for Assistance to Children Left Without Parental Care, named after B.P. Frolova" and others. More than 570 lawyers participate in this socially significant activity.

The Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region has representation in many government bodies, public associations and organizations, from the Public Chamber of the Samara City District to the Reception Office of the President of the Russian Federation in the Samara Region.

A special source of pride is the paso.ru resource, a recognized leader in the digital information space of the Russian bar community. Having already won the award four times, in 2023 it again won the Best Bar Association Website competition, and in two nominations at once.

In addition to the website, the autonomous Internet@paso system and the mobile application, which are successfully used by 1,473 subscribers, have firmly entered the lives of lawyers.

According to T.D. Butovchenko, all this data characterizes the work of PASO and deserves high praise.

Sharing the opinion of the PASO President, the conference delegates unanimously voted to approve the reports of the Council of the Bar Association of the Samara Region, including the implementation of the income and expenditure budget for the maintenance of the Bar Association of the Samara Region, for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023.

A. V. Borodin gave the floor to the Chairman of the Audit Commission of the PASO, Zoya Vyacheslavovna Baybulatova, to present the report of the Audit Commission of the PASO on the results of the audit of financial and economic activities for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023.

It follows from the presented report that the actual receipt of funds for 2023 is less by 244,863 rubles, which is due to the difference between the planned and actual number of active lawyers. The balance of target funds in the account is 83,460 rubles. The overspending according to the estimate is formed by such items as rental of premises, communication services, information services, holding an annual conference, publishing the book "History of the Samara Bar Association". Savings were identified under the following items: publication of the printed organ "PASO Bulletin", compensation of expenses related to the work of PASO bodies, travel expenses, entertainment expenses, holding corporate events, material support for the activities of the SMA.

According to the speaker, the financial and economic activities of PASO comply with the Federal Law "On Advocacy and the Bar in the Russian Federation", the Tax Code, and the Charter of PASO. Revenues are generated in accordance with the current legislation in accordance with the estimate of income and expenses of PASO. In accordance with the decision of the 23rd regular annual conference of lawyers of the Samara region, cash receipts received by the chamber in excess of the planned revenue part of the estimate were used to finance the statutory activities of PASO. PASO's expenses are all justified, documented, comply with the statutory activities and the decision of the 23rd regular annual conference of lawyers of the Samara region on their intended use.

The report of the Audit Commission of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region on the results of the audit of the financial and economic activities of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the period from 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023 was approved unanimously.

Elections

Then the chairperson proposed to move on to the issues of forming the bodies of lawyer self-government. A. V. Borodin announced:

- The formation of the Council involves the election of new members and the termination of powers of the Council members subject to replacement, in accordance with the renewal (rotation) procedure.

The President of the PASO, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 31 of the Federal Law "On Advocacy and the Bar in the Russian Federation", submitted to the Council for consideration the following candidates for membership in the Council for retirement:

Dyachenko Artem Igorevich,
Ivanova Tatyana Dmitrievna,
Ryazantsev Yuri Alekseevich,
Sviryakin Aleksey Viktorovich.

The lawyers expressed their desire to run for the Qualification Commission.

The conference delegates voted for the candidates submitted by the President of the PASO and approved in rotation by the Decision of the Council of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region dated 15.04.2024.

A.V. Borodin reminded those present that the Decision of the 18th Annual Conference of Advocates established the conditions for nominating candidates for attorneys elected to the bodies of attorney self-government:

- no current disciplinary sanction;

- compliance with the Standard for Improving Professional Level;

- income from professional activity according to the 2-NDFL certificate in the amount of at least 300,000 rubles per year.

By the decision of the PASO Council No. 23-12-09/SP dated 21.12.2023 "On convening the Twenty-fourth (regular) annual conference of lawyers of the Samara region" the deadline for submitting applications on the desire to run for membership in the bodies of lawyer self-government is set no later than 26.02.2024.

Seven applicants submitted applications that meet the specified requirements and within the established deadline:

Volkova Galina Vasilievna,
Ermolaev Evgeny Aleksandrovich,
Mirzoyan Sergey Karoevich,
Samarina Tatyana Alekseevna,
Statsenko Alexey Anatolyevich,
Khroniopulo Maria Domentyevna,
Yablokov Vyacheslav Anatolyevich.

A. V. Borodin introduced each of the candidates.

Based on the results of electronic rating voting, the PASO Council included Galina Vasilievna Volkova, Sergey Karoevich Mirzoyan, Maria Domentievna Khroniopulo, Vyacheslav Anatolyevich Yablokov.

Thus, the Council of the Chamber of Lawyers of the Samara Region of the 12th convocation was formed in the following composition: Butovchenko Tatyana Dmitrievna, Borodin Alexey Viktorovich, Sukhova Natalia Yuryevna, Taraborin Dmitry Alekseevich, Eremina Yulia Valerievna, Strukov Igor Anatolyevich, Yankina Vera Ivanovna, Volkova Galina Vasilievna, Mirzoyan Sergey Karoevich Khron, iopulo Maria Domentievna, Yablokov Vyacheslav Anatolyevich.

Then the conference delegates were introduced to the lawyers who expressed their desire to run for the PASO Qualification Commission:

Arziani Vakhtangi Eduardovich,
Dyachenko Artem Igorevich,
Ivanova Tatyana Dmitrievna,
Karpov Sergey Ivanovich,
Kokin Aleksey Valerievich,
Mozharova Svetlana Viktorovna,
Ryazantsev Yury Alekseevich,
Sviryakin Aleksey Viktorovich,
Tokar Efim Yakovlevich,
Shamanova Ksenia Viktorovna.

By the decision of the Conference, the members of the Qualification Commission from among the lawyers of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region were elected:

Arziani Vakhtangi Eduardovich,
Ivanova Tatyana Dmitrievna,
Karpov Sergey Ivanovich,
Kokin Alexey Valerievich,
Mozharova Svetlana Viktorovna,
Ryazantsev Yury Alekseevich,
Shamanova Ksenia Viktorovna.

Electronic voting is a procedure, the advantages of which PASO lawyers have used more than once. Significant time savings, confidentiality, simplicity and convenience allow the most difficult part of the conference work (election of lawyers to the bodies of advocate self-government) to be carried out as quickly and objectively as possible.

The Audit Commission of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region consisting of: Baibulatova Zoya Vyacheslavovna, Goncharova Natalya Alekseevna, Milevskaya Raisa Ivanovna - was elected unanimously.

Estimate

The next item on the agenda - determining the amount of mandatory deductions for the general needs of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region and approving the estimate of expenses for the maintenance of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the period from 01.01.2024 to 31.12.2024 - was preceded by the address of the President of the PASO T.D. Butovchenko. She substantiated in detail the need to increase the amount of deductions to 2,100 rubles. As Tatyana Dmitrievna reported, since 2017, the PASO has maintained membership fees at the level of 1,600 rubles, although the inflation rate during this time was 49.8%, and the indexation of lawyer's wages for a court day was 66.5%. Without increasing deductions, the continuation of the effective work of the Bar Association is impossible.

Having heard the categorical arguments of the President of the PASO T.D. Butovchenko, the majority of the conference delegates agreed on the need to increase the amount of membership fees. The Conference by a majority vote ("FOR" - 206 people, "AGAINST" - 21 people, 8 people abstained) decided:

To approve the estimate of income and expenses for the maintenance of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the period from 01.01.2024 to 31.12.2024.

In case of exceeding the size of the revenue part of the estimate, the excess amounts are to be directed to the maintenance of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region and its statutory activities in accordance with the lines of the expenditure part of the estimate.

To determine from 01 May 2024 mandatory monthly deductions from each PASO lawyer for the general needs of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region (except for deductions for the first month of membership in the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region), including the maintenance of the FPA RF, in the amount of 2,100 (two thousand one hundred) rubles.

Change the amount of mandatory monthly deductions from each lawyer of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the general needs of the PASO (except for deductions for the first month of membership in the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region) by the amount of the change in the amount of deductions for the general needs of the FPA RF in the event that such a decision is made by the next All-Russian Congress of Advocates.

Determine the amount of mandatory deductions for the first month of membership in the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the general needs of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region in the amount of 10 times the subsistence minimum in the Samara Region in effect at the time of making mandatory deductions, established by the Government of the Samara Region for the working-age population.

Determine the amount of mandatory deductions for the first month of membership in the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region for the general needs of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region in the amount of 10 times the current amount of the subsistence minimum in the Samara Region at the time of making mandatory deductions, established by the Government of the Samara Region for the working-age population.

The delegates unanimously decided to elect the President of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region T.D. Butovchenko as the representative of the Chamber of Advocates of the Samara Region to the All-Russian Congress of Advocates. Tatyana Dmitrievna thanked all those present.

This concluded the conference.

Brief results of the conference:

• Professionalism of the Samara Bar Association has increased
• Well-deserved awards have been received
• Results of work for 2023 have been analyzed
• Rotation of the PASO Council has been carried out
• New members of the Qualification Commission have been elected
• Membership fees have been indexed
• A delegate to the All-Russian Congress of Advocates has been elected

PASO Press Center