Low-income people will be provided free secondary legal aid lawyers

Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has announced a competition for the selection of lawyers to provide free secondary legal aid, which will be held from October 14 to November 1 of the year in three stages. Documents of applicants to participate in the contest will run from September 2 to October 2, 2013.

During the competition prevail applicants with appropriate specialization and thorough knowledge of civil and administrative law, as from next year expanding the number of participants receiving free secondary legal aid for cases in which such assistance is provided.

As the Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olena Lukash, on January 1, 2014 secondary legal aid shall be granted except criminal, even in administrative and civil cases.

"Secondary legal aid will be provided to low-income persons, persons with disabilities who receive a pension or benefit, appointed instead of a pension in the amount of at least two living wages for disabled persons, orphans, children deprived of parental care, homeless children, children who are become or are victims of domestic violence and other categories as provided by the Law "On legal aid", - said Elena Lucas.

To this end, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine will develop a list of test task competition and balance the weight criteria for evaluating applicants, including the facilitation of access to lawyers who can provide legal assistance round the clock.

Overall, as of July 1, 2013 in the local registers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, oblasts, cities of Kyiv and Sevastopol are 3016 lawyers, which centers on the provision of secondary legal aid, established under the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, signed 1,989 contracts and 217 contracts.