On 29 July 2025, the Federal Chamber of Advocates of Russian Federation held a discussion on a draft legislation that would establish the exclusive right of lawyers to representation in courts. The discussion was attended by Konstantin Olefir, partner at Orion, and other representatives of major Russian legal businesses.

The draft legislation suggests that only advocates (with rare exceptions) will be able to defend the interests of citizens and organisations in courts. The participants of the meeting supported the initiative, noting that such a reform corresponds to international practice and will be a step towards the unification of the profession in Russia. If the law comes into force, the advocacy may become a key platform for court defence, which will lead to a large-scale change in the legal market.

Learn more in Russian at the link.