Beautiful, successful and talented, Ms Loreta Filipova is a graduate of law and acting, successfully practicing both professions

  • She has been a practicing lawyer for 7 years, active in the field of protection of victims of domestic violence and migration law,
  • Chairperson of the „Association for Counseling Victims of Domestic Violence“
  • Chairperson of the „International Academy for Contemporary Art and Culture“
  • Chairperson of the „By the Alumni of the New Bulgarian University“
  • Actress and director
  • 10 years ago she founded her first drama schools in Sofia and in Dupnitsa – at the Community Cultural Centre „Zora 1858“, at the moment there are 5 schools: 3 in different districts of Sofia, in the town of Dupnitsa and. the newest one is in Vladaya.
  • Thanks to its successful partnership with the management of the Community Cultural Centre „Zora 1858“, Drama School „Lorrie“ has not interrupted its activities for 10 years!

The young actors from drama school „Lorrie“ have nearly 30 successful performances behind them, all on professional stages. The talents of Lorrie Drama School „Lorrie“ have performed on the stages of the Tear and Laughter Theatre, the Bulgarian Army Theatre, the Aleko Konstantinov Satirical Theatre and the Sirius Theatre, Nevena Kokanova Drama Theatre, Iskar House of Culture, Osvobozhdenie Cinema Theatre, New Theatre in the National Palace of Culture, DNK Hall in the National Palace of Culture, and the most prestigious and emblematic theatre – Ivan Vazov National Theatre! We are sure that they will conquer even bigger stages!

 Photography by Dilian Markov   MakeUp: Lora Slavova

 

Advocate Filipova, how did you come up with the idea of founding the Association for Counseling and Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence?

In recent years, there have been bad statistics of increased incidents of domestic violence, but also a lack of awareness about how to protect victims of domestic violence. After several cases I faced as a junior lawyer – I realized that such an organization would help many victims /women, children, and even men/ to feel a light touch of support and to have a real opportunity of someone to assist them.

The association was created in the narrowly limited field of just counseling and advocacy for victims of domestic violence, which helps and is easy to find for those in need.

To what do you attribute the success of your law firm?

Certainly, first and foremost is the close relationship with the clients. Every single client, every single case and problem is accepted by us not only as lawyers but also as people. Many of them are those who are looking for different legal help, but they also honestly have a need to share about their life’s travails in the hope of receiving advice.

What exactly does a „good lawyer“ mean?

There is no exact definition, but in my opinion a good lawyer must also be a good person, a professional and take every single case he/she faces in a responsible manner.

It is hard to say I’m a good lawyer, but I can boldly say that for every problem I put in the effort and diligence to achieve a successful outcome for my clients.

How do you treat the competition? Are there any unethical practices?

Respectfully, many of my current competitors are my teachers, friends or colleagues with whom we have studied. Fortunately, I have not encountered any unethical practices. Early in my career, I have encountered colleagues who had slightly dismissive and initially underestimating attitude to inexperience, but I have often responded that youth is not a vice.

What are the challenges for women leaders in Bulgaria?

I have noticed the trend that women leaders in Bulgaria are standing out in leaps and bounds, the challenges are fewer and fewer, precisely because true leaders /men or women/ respect and admire success based on rating, not gender. I think the only thing that makes women leaders stand out from men is that most of the fairer sex are considerably more sensitive and put a dose of personal regard into the process.

You are a graduate of law and acting, you are the chairperson of the „International Academy of Contemporary Art and Culture“, how do you manage to combine the rigor of the legal profession with artistry and art?

Even as a schoolgirl I loved art and knew that one day I would be a lawyer. I skillfully combined parallel studies and, at the moment, work in these two different fields. I’ve managed to find the balance between them and frankly I can’t imagine everyday life without one of the two. The legal profession is very similar to acting, both professions require concentration and organization. Acting is delicate and many people who are not familiar with this art probably consider it similar to entertainment, but here the discipline is at an extremely high level. Acting training, performance preparation and rehearsals have taught me to control my inner hesitations, worries and anxieties, taught me strong concentration when needed, organicity in my actions and, last but not least, imagination and inspiration. My mentor – Professor Eva Volitzer has taught me something over the years of study, namely that a talented person is talented in whatever they take on. This is where the knowledge from art courses comes into play in any case or courtroom visit. Theater school and working with children help me more easily overcome the difficulties and negative emotions of difficult legal cases.

You are the founder of drama and cultural schools for children. What do you want to educate and teach young people?

The main thing I strive for when working with children is to guide them and encourage them to love art in all its forms.  Art in itself educates, through it children become more responsible, happier and wanting more.

I educate them to be curious about what surrounds them and that even rainy weather holds beauty, as long as you can see it. I educate the children to help each other, to work as a team and not to „scatter“ themselves in their tasks.

What is the most memorable thing from your work with the children at the drama school?

At the very beginning when my drama school was being founded /more than 10 years ago/ a child came to me who the mother told me was adopted, the girl knew she was „born“ from the heart and accepted that. And yet, that is not the most touching thing, a few years later, maybe 4 or 5 in the same room a mother came with a child who really wanted to be in theatre productions. I’ll never forget how “stricken” I was by that child, as if I saw a doppelganger of the adopted girl. After I mentioned it to the mother of the first one, she was definitive that it was the little biological sister they had wanted to adopt but hadn’t been able to. Such a story will be remembered by me forever, so magical and amazing. The children are now quite close and spend time together.

 What is your formula for an effective job and a happy life?

To work a dream job, to have fun, to wake up at 6:00 in the morning and to be eager to face the new challenges of the coming day.

 At what point were you most proud of your career?

After every case I  have won, I am proud that the clients are happy and we have been able to give them a little hope.

I think of one case where an Iraqi mother with 5 children fought and litigated for 6 years, their goal was to obtain protection in Bulgaria. After great efforts and three years of hard work, we managed to win the case at all instances and the mother, and the children received protection. I count it as one of the most complicated cases and seemingly almost impossible.

How do you define success?

Although it may sound as a cliché, I will say – hard work and perseverance. Success is in everything, but there is a long road to achieve it, which is often strewn with: difficulties, obstacles, impossibility and a lot of very patience.

Where do you like to have a rest, and do you have any favorite places?

Since I rarely manage to truly rest when I travel, I will say that my most fulfilling vacation is when I am with my parents, they make it possible. My favorite places that my husband and I visit most often are the cities along the Mediterranean. Southern and seaside towns that combine the beauty of nature and at the same time you feel the rush of life and energy from the year-round crowds of tourists. Barcelona and Nice are among my most favorite cities.