The Year of the “Dark Horse”: What Legal and Technological Developments Ahead for Ukraine in 2026 – Interview with Oleksiy Shevchuk

2026 will be a year of profound legal and technological transformations for Ukraine.
Read about key changes, the new role of artificial intelligence, the future of the bar, information security challenges, and the place of lobbying in the state’s economic policy in an interview with Oleksiy Shevchuk, Chairman of the Ukrainian National Lobbyists Association, spokesperson for the Ukrainian National Bar Association, in Interfax-Ukraine.

– You start the year with the metaphor of a “dark horse”. Why this image?

– Because today it is perhaps the most accurate allegory of our reality. The main task for the new year is to stay in the saddle and not get off track. It sounds harsh, but that’s exactly how the situation is now: the economy is on the brink, resources are limited, and there is no time for mistakes.

Big business, the government and the legal community are one herd. If there is an element in it that begins to “rot,” it cannot be dragged along out of inertia or pity. Otherwise, it begins to poison everyone. And we can no longer afford dead weight.

Ukraine enters 2026 in a state of deep transformation after the fourth year of full-scale war. There are many unknowns ahead. Only those who are able to make quick decisions, take responsibility and move forward, even when the route is not yet fully defined, will survive. That is why this is the year of the “dark horse”.

– How are these processes already affecting the legal and business markets?

– The market is undergoing rigorous structuring. Both business and lawyers react as quickly as possible. There is no time for hypothesis testing and “let’s see what happens”. The legal market is traditionally the first to react, because all critical points of the economy pass through law.

The bar has developed a powerful new practice – comprehensive legal support for military personnel. This is not a social niche, it is a systemic legal reality: compensation, rehabilitation, combatant status, disputes with government agencies, international lawsuits against the aggressor state. The first international cases are already appearing, and this is only the beginning of a great new legal history of Ukraine.

At the same time, the segment of honor, dignity and business reputation protection is growing. In an information war, reputation is an asset. If it is not protected, it is destroyed quickly and publicly. Therefore, these practices will only intensify.

– How do strong legal teams benefit today?

– Not with papers and volumes of cases. Today, technology is the solution.
Modern law is about digital evidence, large data sets, deanonymization, blocking toxic information resources, and a combination of judicial and information strategies.

The law has long worked simultaneously in courts, media and digital space.
2026 will finally make this a standard: video evidence, digital platforms, AI analytics, and procedural mathematics will become a common part of the process.

The winners will be those who are not afraid to work with the future today.

– Why is artificial intelligence becoming a critical issue for law?

– Because it’s not about the future anymore – it’s about responsibility now. The EU has long built up regulation: AI Act, digital evidence, prohibition of dangerous automated solutions. In Ukraine, however, the use of AI in legal practice has not yet been regulated.

We are already seeing comical and dangerous consequences: lawyers refer to non-existent precedents that artificial intelligence has “invented”. This is not innovation, it is professional negligence.

AI is a powerful tool, but without human thinking, it creates chaos.
2026 will be a turning point: Ukraine will synchronize its legislation with EU law, and the legal market will change radically. Those who learn to work with AI will win, not those who are afraid of it.

– What will be the role of social media and the digital space?

– Social networks and messengers will no longer be a gray area.
In 2026, it will become a full-fledged legal industry: digital identity, intellectual property, content liability, and child protection.

Our children already live in digital environments. This is not a matter of morality – it is a matter of national security. The law must set boundaries and turn information chaos into a manageable system.

– Where do you think the heart of the future Ukrainian economy lies?

– In defense technologies and intellectual property.
Ukraine has thousands of dual-use developments. Without legal packaging, these are just blueprints. With it, these are billion-dollar contracts and global markets.

In 2026, a triangle will be formed: science – lobbyists – lawyers. It will turn ideas into the economic power of the state.

– How do you assess the current anti-corruption wave?

– The fight against corruption is important. But if we stay stuck in it, we will lose the future. The world is moving towards intelligence, technology, standards, and ownership. This is where Ukraine’s breakthrough point is.

The media effect often replaces real legal work. The court should not be an element of an information special operation. Returning to the principles of law is the only way.

– How do you see the Bar in 2026?

– Strong, united, professional.
The Bar is an ecosystem of defense. Investing in young people is a guarantee of the future legal sovereignty of the state.

– In one sentence: what will 2026 look like?

– 2026 will be like a Frisian horse: strong, dark and unpredictable.
This is the year when not only professional success but also the future of Ukraine will depend on courage, endurance and strategic thinking.

Interview: Anna Levchenko
“Interfax-Ukraine