Ukraine law day 2026

About the event

Building on the success of Ukraine law day in 2025 this conference provides a dedicated forum for dialogue and cooperation between the UK and Ukrainian legal professionals. The day will bring together legal practitioners, academics, judges and policymakers from Ukraine and the UK to examine key areas of legal cooperation between the countries.

This year we’ll focus on accountability for war crimes, civil and international law mechanisms for addressing war-related losses, disputes in the defence sector, and the legal framework supporting the rebuilding of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure amidst ongoing attacks.

The conference will be followed by a networking reception, providing an opportunity to continue discussions and strengthen your professional connections. 

Event Programme

09:00: Registration

09:30: Opening remarks 

10:00 - 11.00am: Routes towards recovery of losses caused by the war

This session will explore legal routes to recovering war-related losses and will focus on potential routes to recovery of losses via:

• national and international courts (including the European Court of Human Rights)
• international arbitration
• the claims via the international compensation mechanism launched in the Hague 

11:15am to 11:45am: Break

11:45am to 12:45pm: The role of English and Ukrainian law in Ukraine’s reconstruction

Ukraine’s reconstruction is expected to be the largest such effort in Europe since the Second World War. Under the UK-Ukraine 100-year Partnership Agreement, both countries have committed to enhancing economic co-operation across sectors — including through the increased use of English law in Ukrainian legal contexts. This session will discuss:

• the use of English law and/or dispute resolution clauses in investment and construction contracts for the rebuilding of Ukraine
• the interplay between English and Ukrainian law in any contracts for Ukraine’s reconstruction
• the future of Ukraine’s capital markets
• corporate governance in Ukraine

1pm to 2pm: Networking lunch

2pm to 3pm: Rebuilding Ukraine’s energy and wider energy geopolitics

Following the large-scale destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, this session will explore opportunities for sustainable reconstruction and the role of law in facilitating energy co-operation. The UK-Ukraine 100-year Partnership Agreement envisages collaboration on energy based on 'principles of sustainability and clean transition'. This panel will discuss:

• the geopolitical importance of Ukraine’s ecology and the need to focus on renewable energy sources
• the future of Ukraine’s energy markets and the UK’s role in rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure
• the role of English and Ukrainian laws in energy markets

3pm to 3:30pm: Break

3:30pm to 4:30pm: Family law issues for Ukrainian families in the UK

The war has displaced thousands of Ukrainian families to the UK. Many families displaced by war navigate complex legal challenges around family life. The session will explore the interplay between English and Ukrainian law in family matters, including:

• jurisdiction over divorce, children and financial proceedings across borders
• disputes between parents where one is in the UK and the other in Ukraine
• cross-border issues in child contact and relocation
• enforcement of child maintenance when the paying parent is in a different country

4:30pm to 5pm: Closing remarks

5pm to 7pm: Networking drinks reception 
 

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