PRO BONO SUPPORT FOR UKRAINIAN SERVICE MEMBERS: THREE CASES FROM LCF LAW GROUP’S PRACTICE
While service members protect the country, their legal challenges persist, including documents, payments, and court proceedings. LCF Law Group provides pro bono support, especially when formal procedures do not account for the realities of military service, and individuals cannot manage the process independently.
Anastasiia Didenko, Counsel, leads this area at LCF Law Group. She collaborates with a team of lawyers and attorneys who view these cases as both legal work and a matter of professional commitment. The team continues to expand this practice and provide legal assistance in cases where support is essential to protecting the rights of service members and their families.
We are sharing three cases our lawyers have handled: recognition of paternity, payment to the family of a fallen defender, and contesting an unjustified penalty. Each case demonstrates how legal procedures can have direct, practical consequences for individuals. Names and certain details have been withheld to maintain confidentiality.
Fined for Serving
A service member could not attend a military medical examination at the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centre due to active combat duties. Despite this, authorities treated his absence as a failure to appear, imposed a fine, and initiated enforcement proceedings for non-payment.
Our lawyers reviewed the documents, developed a legal position, and filed a claim with the court.
Recognition of Paternity
The wife of a service member sought legal assistance because their two sons were born before the marriage was registered, and their legal relationship with their father had not been formalised.
The LCF team filed a court application to establish paternity. The court found the claims fully substantiated and recognised the service member as the father of both sons. This decision now allows the sons to amend their birth certificates at the civil registration office.
Legally, this is a correction of records. In reality, it is the formal recognition of a bond that has always existed.
Support for the Family of a Fallen Defender
The mother of a service member killed while defending Ukraine sought legal assistance. She could not receive the one-time state financial assistance because her son’s body had not been returned. At the time, legislation did not clearly allow payment without the body of the deceased.
This made it impossible to confirm the connection between his death and the defense of Ukraine. The lawyers identified a legal mechanism to proceed with the application. The documents have now been submitted, and the team continues to support the mother throughout the process.
Each of these cases began with an individual facing the system alone. For LCF Law Group, providing pro bono support to service members and their families is a core professional responsibility.
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