Concert at the presentation of the highest legal award

The profession of a lawyer is one of the most respected in Russia. On December 3, 2022, the Association of Lawyers of Russia held the 14th ceremony of awarding the Lawyer of the Year Higher Legal Prize, established by Presidential Decree No. 1129 dated October 8, 2009. The ceremony was held at the Zaryadye Moscow Concert Hall.

Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Lawyers of Russia Dmitry Medvedev delivered a welcoming speech. He noted that the need to protect the rights of citizens is particularly acute at this time.
“We are going through a very difficult period of development for our country, which is associated with the special military operation, when thousands of our loved ones are defending our country. Therefore, the issues that are being addressed by the Association of Lawyers of Russia should be directly related to the interests of our Motherland. And I am confident that this will be the case,” said Dmitry Medvedev.

The culmination of the solemn meeting was the ceremony of awarding lawyers who have made a significant contribution to the formation of a legal state, to strengthening the rule of law and order in society, and to the development of Russian legal science.

In 2022, the winners of the Lawyer of the Year Award were
the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin (nomination "Human Rights Activities"), the State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Justice of the Russian Federation Andrey Loginov (nomination "Development of Legislation"), the Deputy Director of the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a member of the Presidium of the Academy of Russian Literature Alexander Zvyagintsev (nomination "Legal Education"), and other outstanding Russian lawyers and legal scholars. The O.E. Kutafin Medal "For Merit in Jurisprudence" was awarded to the Rector of the O.E. Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL) Viktor Blazheev. 

Alexander Bastrykin, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia, thanked his colleagues for their assistance in investigating the crimes of the Kiev regime. He emphasized, "The Investigative Committee of Russia will always stand guard over the rule of law, humanity, and the triumph of justice!"

The award ceremony was attended by the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Alexander Zhukov, the Chairman of the Russian Lawyers Association Sergey Stepashin, and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation Tatyana Moskalkova.

According to the established tradition, the professional holiday "Lawyer's Day" was not complete without the participation of the renowned Russian military musical group - the Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, led by the artistic director and chief conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Viktor Eliseev.

The Ensemble's artists welcomed the winners of the Lawyer of the Year Higher Legal Award by performing popular musical pieces.

Vocal octet led by Honored Artist of the Republic of Ingushetia Sergey Bazylko performed the song "I'll go out in the field with a horse at night" (music by I. Matvienko, lyrics by A. Shaganov).

The audience really liked the pesnya “Dal Great” by the composer Evgeny Ptichkin on the verses of Robert Rozhdestvensky from the film “Love Earthly”, which was performed with a deep feeling by the People’s Artist of Russia Natalia Eliseeva in accompaniment of the choir of the Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation.

Chairman of the Russian Bar Association Sergey Stepashin congratulated the leading soloist of the ensemble Natalia Eliseeva on being awarded the high title of "People's Artist of the Russian Federation".

The gala evening ended with a choral performance of the patriotic song "Glory!" from the opera "A Life for the Tsar" by Mikhail Glinka.