The 2nd Youth Legal Forum organized by the Association of Lawyers of Russia closed today in St Petersburg. EPAM Law acted as a sponsor of the event which took place under the aegis of the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum.

Young practicing lawyers and students of law schools from across Russia gathered with their senior colleagues to discuss the issues related to development and improvement of Russian laws, opportunities for young lawyers participate in implementing national anticorruption strategy and actions to counter extremism, as well as initiatives aimed at increasing the legal literacy and provision of free-of-charge legal aid to people. The Forum was attended by representatives of the Russian Ministry of Justice, the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, members of the Russian State Duma and Federation Council, and leading Russian advocates and lawyers.

Mr. Aleksander Konovalov, Russian Minister of Justice and a member of the Presidium of the Russian Association of Lawyers started his speech as follows: “Today we are witnessing a phenomenon of law formation in our country. We are passing through the Renaissance period in this regard and the role of the legal profession is acquiring a new meaning.”

“Without improving the laws and legal practice, and without putting in place high and demanding standards of conduct for public officers and generally for members of the legal profession, people will not respect law and order “, said Mr. Konovalov.

Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner at the Firm in St Petersburg, addressed the attendees of the Forum at a plenary session. “Our profession provides us with a unique opportunity to make a contribution to public life; to fight for justice and stand for the national ideals and human dignity. When people express their deep gratitude for the help that we provided to them, - this, I believe, is the highest reward in the legal profession”, he noted.

Andrey Porfiriev, Senior Lawyer at the Firm and Coordinator at the Center of Public Procedures Business Against Corruption, told the participants of the Youth Movement of the Association of Lawyers of Russia about the involvement of the public in anticorruption expert reviews and initiatives of the business community in implementing national anticorruption strategy.