In 2024, women represented 56% of all lawyers in Ukraine, with 53% of them holding key management positions. This figure is higher than in Spain, England, Wales, and other five countries surveyed by the International Bar Association (IBA).
The editors of the "Vikna" website interviewed female leaders in the legal industry who are working in traditionally "male" fields to understand if real change has occurred in Ukraine. Among those interviewed was Angelina CHACHUNA, Head of the Compliance Officer Service at Metinvest Group.
"The role of women in jurisprudence and business will be getting stronger"
Angelina Chachuna joined Metinvest when the Group had more than 100,000 employees, each with their own understanding of business processes and cultural differences specific to individual countries. When she first started, she did not fully grasp the scope of competency required for her role, but clearly understood its importance in ensuring the effective operation of such a large company, Angelina shares.
Currently, as Group Compliance Officer, she considers strategic thinking and the ability to build communication at different levels to be key components of professional success.
It is extremely important to make decisions that consider the company's field of activity, understanding its priorities and the risks it may face.
"For example, in heavy industry, compliance decisions must not only meet regulatory requirements but also take into account the operational realities of production Furthermore, it's important not just to implement rules, but to explain their value in understandable terms – how they protect the company from fines or reputational damage, or even contribute to improving operational efficiency," explains Angelina.
Nevertheless, career growth does not always mean climbing the ladder vertically. Angelina says she knows many true professionals who develop horizontally – deepening their knowledge in specific areas and becoming pillars of stability.
The most important thing is to understand who you want to be: a manager or an expert in your niche. Both variants are valuable.
Therefore, she advises new female lawyers to track each stage of their career path to clearly understand their strengths, and not to pursue leadership positions merely because it seems like the logical next step.
Although the legal field was until recently considered male-dominated, Angelina has not encountered gender discrimination:
"I have never been denied a promotion or job because I am a woman. Similarly, my professional decisions and recommendations have never been evaluated based on my gender."
Angelina believes that women can achieve significant success in the legal field:
"I see how women lead teams, develop new directions, and support businesses even during the extremely challenging times that the Ukrainian market is currently experiencing. We have moved beyond post-Soviet stereotypes that a leader can only be a man. Considering current realities in Ukraine, the role of women in jurisprudence and business will continue to strengthen."
The full article can be read on the "Vikna" website.
