We are lawyers, analysts, and advocates focusing on conflict-related justice and protection of human rights
Founder, Head of Organisation
Nadia Volkova, lawyer, practicing in Ukraine and specialising in international humanitarian and international criminal law, founder and director of Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group (ULAG), an organisation focusing on monitoring, analysing and continuously assessing legal landscape in Ukraine through the prism of the international standards of due process, litigating strategic cases at the national and international courts and tribunals, advocating for and implementing legislative and institutional changes in Ukraine. Nadia has extensive work experience from the UK, France and the US. In 2015 she started working on cases of alleged atrocity crimes committed in eastern Ukraine domestically and internationally. In 2022 Nadia was a recipient of the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) Human Rights Award for her outstanding commitment in to human rights and the rule of law in Ukraine and internationally.
Deputy Head of the Organisation
She ensures effective interaction of team members, is responsible for the institutional development of the organization, development and implementation of key policies of the organization in accordance with the best governance practices. Liana’s responsibilities also include overseeing the development and implementation of the organization’s strategy, as well as HR policy.
She has more than 10 years of experience in program management at one of the largest donor organizations in Ukraine (2008-2022, manager of the Human Rights and Justice Program Initiative at the International Renaissance Foundation).
Coordinator and co-author of the first comprehensive study of the capacity of the national judicial system to deliver justice in the context of Russia’s armed aggression.
Co-author of the Ukrainian version of the manual on establishing mechanisms of prosecution for the most serious crimes, which contains descriptions of more than 30 such mechanisms from all contexts.
Field of expertise: transitional justice, international mechanisms of accountability for the most serious crimes (in particular, the ICC), building hybrid mechanisms of justice.
Coordinator of the work of lawyers, Analyst
The main focus of her work is researching the effectiveness of the national justice system of Ukraine in ensuring justice for the most serious international crimes committed in the context of armed conflict. She summarizes the practice of conducting strategic cases, coordinates the work of the organization’s lawyers and is responsible for the preparation of analytical products.
She has 10 years of experience in protecting the rights of victims of the armed conflict in Ukraine through both national and international justice mechanisms. She has a deep understanding of national criminal justice processes and practical challenges that affect their effectiveness due to her experience in the prosecution service. She represents the interests of victims of human rights violations committed during the armed conflict in the European Court of Human Rights and has experience of cooperation with the International Criminal Court. She develops and conducts comprehensive training programs on international humanitarian law, international criminal law and international human rights law aimed at implementing international law in practice. She is an expert of the Council of Europe.
Grant Manager
Alla Smolanka is a seasoned professional in grant management and fundraising, having worked extensively for international organizations. She was responsible for fundraising, development of donor support strategy and preparation of project proposals. Her work included establishing partnerships with international donors and organizations, as well as coordinating the processes of obtaining grants and reporting on their use.
During her work, Alla was actively engaged in searching for new funding opportunities, analyzing donor programs, and establishing long-term relationships with donors. She has also successfully managed grant application processes, organized tenders, and coordinated communication between all stakeholders to ensure effective project implementation. Alla has a deep understanding of grant processes, which allows her to achieve high results in raising funds and using them effectively for the development of organizations.
Advocacy and Communications Manager
Arie Mora is an advocacy and communications manager at the Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group — an organisation with the focus on conflict-related justice. He also worked as a communications and training consultant for the international organisation WITNESS. As part of his work, Arie is engaged in efforts related to strengthening the capacity of the domestic justice system, as well as supporting other justice mechanisms to ensure justice for grave crimes committed in context of Russia’s war against Ukraine; training and consulting of specialists in IHL, documentation, and other conflict-related justice topics.
He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Law from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a master’s degree in Law from Mykolas Romeris University (Vilnius, Lithuania).
Lawyer, Attorney at Law
He specializes in the protection of human rights in the context of armed conflict. At the Ukrainian Legal Advisory Group, Vitaliy is involved in strategic litigation cases involving victims of the armed conflict in Ukraine: illegal deprivation of liberty, torture, cruel and inhuman treatment in captivity, violation of the right to a fair trial, interference with privacy, and violation of property rights. In addition, he focuses on analytical activities based on the organization’s strategic case management practice, as well as providing legal advice in the area of his expertise.
With more than 9 years of experience in the legal field, Vitaliy has gained considerable experience in dealing with cases of prisoners of war, persons who were illegally deprived of their personal liberty in the armed conflict and went missing during hostilities. Since 2015, he has filed more than 200 applications for urgent and emergency measures with the European Court to stop violations of the rights of prisoners of war and civilian hostages, which were granted by the Court. In addition, Vitaliy has established the legal department of a non-governmental organization specializing in comprehensive psychological, legal and humanitarian assistance to families of prisoners of war, civilian hostages, missing persons and persons released from captivity during the armed conflict. Since 2022, Vitaliy has also been involved in the process of implementing international humanitarian law in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and improving the collection of data on international crimes by the military.
Expert
The main focus of her work is on the study of transitional justice mechanisms, in particular in terms of ensuring justice for the most serious international crimes committed in the context of armed conflict and occupation. She coordinates analytical research on the protection of human rights in the occupied territories, and develops policies for de-occupation and reintegration. She is also actively working to protect the rights of lawyers practicing under occupation and to help restore their professional activities after de-occupation.
With more than 15 years of experience in human rights protection, Daria has worked on strategic cases related to human rights violations and war crimes in Crimea, and represented victims in international courts. She actively cooperates with Ukrainian and international human rights institutions, participates in the preparation and conduct of training programs on international humanitarian law aimed at implementing international standards in Ukrainian justice. Daria Svyrydova is a member of a number of advisory councils to the President of Ukraine, where she deals with de-occupation and reintegration issues, and is an expert on international legal standards, working with the Council of Europe.
Lawyer, Attorney at Law
Her work focuses on strategic litigation in national and international justice mechanisms to protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of persons affected by the armed conflict in Ukraine.
Ievgeniia has experience in matters related to the investigation of the most serious international crimes, such as: illegal transfer and deportation of children; arbitrary detention of civilians, including those who enjoy certain privileges and immunities under international law; cruel and inhumane treatment of civilians and prisoners of war after their capture (detention), etc.
Lawyer, Attorney at Law
Her work focuses on strategic litigation in national and international justice mechanisms to protect the rights of victims (survivors) of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), and to protect the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of victims of armed conflict in Ukraine.
In addition, Iryna has experience in matters and disputes related to family, civil, commercial, and criminal law, as well as issues related to mobilization and mobilization training, and is certified as a mediator.
