Attornyes at Law in GR-SW-BY

Attorney Mr. Alexander Danilevich

The difficult part – Finding a lawyer in Belarus

One of the most challenging aspects of our case was finding a lawyer in Belarus with genuine expertise in the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. After a series of disappointing encounters, we ultimately chose to work with Mr. Alexander Danilevich, a Ph.D. in Law and a university lecturer in Minsk.

His firm’s website featured a child abduction case from Cyprus, which initially gave the impression of relevant experience. However, I later discovered that this case had been resolved privately by the parents, without any litigation in Belarusian courts, raising questions about how that case was being represented as part of his firm’s expertise.

There is an old Greek saying: “It is not the robes that make the priest, but what and how he preaches”. The same applies to legal professionals. Academic titles do not automatically translate to effective advocacy, especially in a state where the legal system operates under authoritarian constraints.

While Mr. Danilevich’s dual role as a university lecturer and practicing attorney may serve his professional standing, it did not ultimately serve the best interests of clients navigating a deeply compromised legal system such as Belarus’s. In a state where judicial independence is virtually nonexistent, I needed a lawyer willing to show resolve in the courtroom–someone not intimidated by a hostile judge or discouraged by political pressure. In retrospect, this was not the kind of legal representation I received.

I acknowledge that, under current conditions in Belarus, particularly in the aftermath of the 2020 elections, caution and fear among legal professionals are understandable. However, I made the mistake of hiring a lawyer with divided priorities, unaware of the potential consequences.

To make matters worse, Mr. Danilevich later initiated legal action against me in Sweden over alleged unpaid legal fees. In reality, the confusion stemmed from his former partner’s failure to communicate that the Swedish Legal Aid Authority had already processed the payments, long before any dispute arose.

Any attorney offering international services must familiarize themselves with the legal and administrative procedures of their clients’ home jurisdictions. In Sweden, for example, legal aid payments are handled by a state body (Legal Aid), not the individual client. Accusing a client without first clarifying such fundamental details is not only unprofessional but also risks damaging the trust necessary for cross-border legal cooperation.

I strongly urge Mr. Danilevich to conduct a self-audit of his billing practices. A doctoral title does not entitle one to charge €250 per hour without clear justification or transparency, particularly in cases funded by public legal aid.

Unfortunately, Mr. Danilevich was arrested by the very system he had served, a few years after the 2020 elections. The official reason given was his civic stance on the war in Ukraine. However, I do not believe this was the true cause of his incarceration. It is more likely that the move was orchestrated by some of his colleagues seeking to curry favor with Lukashenko and gain personal advantages. Ass licking of Lukashenko is a profitable occupation in Belarus and there is a lot of it.

Sources:
# BY 2020.10.17 Lawyers In Belarus Face Disbarment
# EU 2020.09.24 EUROPEAN LAWYERS PROTEST 
# Attorney Alexander Danilevich Is Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment 10.04.2023
# CCBE Sentencing of lawyer Aliaksandr Danilevich Brussels, 5 June 2023

Nicolaos AA Cheropoulos
Father of Anthoula and Alexandra
Stockholm, June 2017
Revisione ottobre 2023