«Even if the ground slips from under your feet, strength lies in not losing yourself. A profession is not just a job. It is the voice of my soul.»
When life changes overnight — you either break, or you begin to build a new self. I was born and raised in Kharkiv, where I obtained a higher legal education at Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University.
My legal career took me from lawyer to head of the legal department and deputy general director for legal affairs. Since 2012, I have been an attorney, and from that moment a new stage in my legal career began. In 2019, I was recognized by the Ukrainian National Bar Association as «Lawyer of Kharkiv Region — 2019». However, more important than any awards has always been the trust of people who came for help in the darkest moments of their lives.
Life led me to mediation. It is a separate philosophy based on the ability to listen, understand, and help the parties find a common solution where it seemed there were no more paths. I am a certified mediator and have a letter of gratitude from the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine for successful mediation practice.
However, in 2022 I had to pack my life into a bag. My son and I found ourselves in Leipzig, Germany. Professionally, it meant clients’ tears, calls, and unfinished cases, because the courts in Kharkiv were not functioning, and cases were not being considered. I felt this new reality, but still I remained the same — a lawyer from Kharkiv. Eventually, I completed the registration procedure with the Bar Association of Germany and opened the possibility to provide legal services as a Ukrainian lawyer in Ukrainian and international law.
I am not perfect. There are days when it seems — I won’t cope. But next to me are people who also found themselves in difficult circumstances, yet continue their journey. I will never leave Ukraine. But now I am here — in Germany. And my duty is to be useful here as well. I believe in the future of Ukraine. And in the fact that Ukrainian professionals are capable not only of integrating but also of enriching new societies. I am part of both worlds. And I do not choose between them. I unite them.
