On 13 May, the III White-Collar Crime Forum took place in Kyiv, organised by Yurydychna Praktyka publishing house. Benchers Law Firm served as the forum’s general partner.
The event was opened by Pavlo Otvinovskyi, Partner at Benchers Law Firm, who also moderated the panel discussion on WCC trends for 2025. In his opening remarks, he emphasised the forum’s significance for the wider legal community. According to him, the White-Collar Crime Forum is a landmark event not only for lawyers and legal professionals, but also for the country as a whole — as the issue of white-collar crime remains critically important.
“We must respond promptly to every change and challenge emerging in this field,” he stressed.
Mr Otvinovskyi also expressed gratitude to Ukraine’s Defence Forces for making such professional gatherings possible:
“Thanks to the courage and heroism of our defenders, we are able to come together and discuss pressing legal matters.”
He noted that the landscape of white-collar crime is constantly shifting and evolving, which demands an appropriate and timely response from the legal profession:
“Today we are analysing how approaches, forms and risks in the white-collar crime sphere are transforming — and we must be ready for the challenges the future may bring.”
The panel featured contributions from:
—Denys Hulmagomedov, First Deputy Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU)
—Pavlo Velykorechanin, Deputy Head of the National Agency of Ukraine for Asset Recovery and Management (ARMA)
—Oleksandr Plakhotniuk, Head of the 4th Department (Combating Offences Related to Virtual Assets), Cybercrime Directorate, National Police of Ukraine
—Oleksandr Lysak, Partner at EQUITY Law Firm
—Mykola Holodniak, Senior Partner at ETORUM
—Serhii Lysenko, Managing Partner at GRACERS
—Oleksandr Teleshetskyi, Partner at Grain Law Firm
The Forum continued with a keynote interview featuring Victor Horodovenko, Judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, and Olha Shapovalova, Partner at Benchers Law Firm. The discussion focused on the legal dimensions of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools in WCC-related criminal proceedings.
“Does a legal definition of artificial intelligence — and its application — exist at all? And do we need regulatory frameworks for its use in the legal sphere?” Ms Shapovalova opened the interview with these questions.
In response, Mr Horodovenko referred to a 2024 study titled “Prospects and Limits of Using Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Proceedings”, conducted by the Dnistryanskyi Centre and Fama Agency with support from the European Union and the International Renaissance Foundation.
He quoted the study’s proposed definition:
“Artificial intelligence is a set of scientific methods, theories and techniques aimed at the machine-based replication of human cognitive abilities.”
He highlighted that Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, together with Parliament, is currently focused not so much on defining AI, but on establishing appropriate rules for its use. The emphasis, he noted, is on ensuring AI is applied responsibly.
Mr Horodovenko also commented on recent work by the Consultative Council of European Judges (CCJE) regarding the regulation of technology use — particularly AI — within the judiciary. He recalled the context that prompted the CCJE to address this topic: the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s current challenges have helped European colleagues recognise that, where assistive technologies are introduced in courts, it’s essential to understand the associated risks. For instance, when we talk about electronic technologies, it is crucial to ensure that data is stored securely — for example, in cloud infrastructure.”
Responding to a question on whether judges may use AI in criminal proceedings, Mr Horodovenko noted that the CCJE’s opinion highlights the potential for using technology — especially in white-collar crime cases — to facilitate the review and analysis of electronic evidence.
