Disciplinary Liability of Lawyers in Ukraine in 2024
Overall picture. In 2024, a total of 2,931 complaints were received by the Qualification and Disciplinary Commissions of the Bar (QDCBs) of Ukraine. However, complete statistical data could be obtained from only 12 regional QDCBs: a number of bodies are not constituted, have been declared inquorate, or refused to provide information or did not respond to the request. The analysis is based exclusively on complete datasets.
STRUCTURE OF SANCTIONS
Of the total 556 sanctions across Ukraine (of which 267 are warnings, 123 are suspensions, and 29 are disbarments), the highest absolute activity was recorded in the QDCBs of Kharkiv (111 warnings), Poltava (64), and Kyiv (18) oblasts. However, absolute figures do not reflect the qualitative severity of practice: QDCBs with a small number of proceedings may systematically apply severe sanctions.
| QDCB | Complaints | Warnings | Suspensions | Disbarments |
| Donetsk | 115 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Zakarpattia | 92 | 17 | 9 | 3 |
| Ivano-Frankivsk | 173 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Kyiv | 853 | 18 | 21 | 4 |
| Kirovohrad | 89 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Odesa | 313 | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| Poltava | 283 | 64 | 15 | 11 |
| Rivne | 94 | 8 | 32 | 7 |
| Ternopil | 122 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Kharkiv | 233 | 111 | 17 | 1 |
| Chernivtsi | 66 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Chernihiv | 157 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 2590 | 267 | 114 | 27 |
Note: the table includes only QDCBs that provided complete data across all four indicators. The Chernihiv QDCB is included because zero values constitute substantive data.
PUNITIVITY INDEX (PI)
To measure the qualitative severity of disciplinary practice, a punitivity index is applied: PI = (nₘᵉᵈᵉᵉᵐ × 1 + nₛᵉᵒᵉᵒᵓᵔ × 2) / (N × 2), where nₘᵉᵈᵉᵉᵐ is the number of suspensions, nₛᵉᵒᵉᵒᵓᵔ is the number of disbarments, and N is the total number of sanctions. The index range is 0 (warnings only) to 1.0 (disbarments only).
The highest PI was recorded in the QDCBs of Rivne (0.489) and Chernivtsi (0.375) oblasts; the lowest among those that applied sanctions — in the QDCBs of Donetsk (0.029) and Kharkiv (0.074) oblasts. The Chernihiv QDCB opened 32 cases but imposed no sanctions.
| QDCB | N sanctions | Suspensions | Disbarments | PI |
| Rivne | 47 | 32 | 7 | 0.489 |
| Chernivtsi | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0.375 |
| Kyiv | 43 | 21 | 4 | 0.337 |
| Odesa | 20 | 9 | 1 | 0.275 |
| Zakarpattia | 29 | 9 | 3 | 0.259 |
| Kirovohrad | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0.208 |
| Poltava | 90 | 15 | 11 | 0.206 |
| Ivano-Frankivsk | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0.077 |
| Kharkiv | 129 | 17 | 1 | 0.074 |
| Donetsk | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0.029 |
| Ternopil | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| Chernihiv | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A * |
The Chernihiv QDCB opened 32 disciplinary cases but imposed no sanctions (N = 0); calculation of PI is not possible.
CONCLUSIONS
The data obtained reveal significant regional differentiation both in the intensity of disciplinary activity and in the severity of measures applied. The absence of unified reporting significantly constrains comparative analysis and highlights the need for centralised statistical collection by the National Bar Association of Ukraine (NAAU).
