LORETA FILIPOVA: THE ART OF LAW AND THE LAWS OF ART

You do not always have to be narrowly focused to become an outstanding professional – often it is the ability and willingness to look beyond the boundaries of a single field that allows you to help people more effectively. The personal and professional story of Loreta Filipova is a case in point.

An overachiever from the start, she attended a foreign language high school in Sofia while also taking acting classes. After graduating, she continued to pursue both passions, enrolling in university to study law and acting simultaneously.

After gaining some valuable work experience, she set up her own law firm. Many of her cases are in a challenging area – helping victims of domestic violence and migrants seeking refuge in Bulgaria. Moved by the stories and struggles of her clients, Loreta Filipova founded the Association for Counselling and Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence.

The high-pressure nature of her day job never distracted her from her love of the stage. Instead, Loreta Filipova decided it was the perfect time to help the next generation discover their passion for acting and develop their skills. In 2014, she founded Lori, a drama school where she personally taught children between the ages of 4 and 14. Today, 11 years later, the number of schools has grown to five and her students have successfully staged over 30 productions.

Do you remember the moment in your life when you realised that the law was your vocation?

I do not remember the exact moment, but I am sure I knew I was going to be a lawyer in primary school – somewhere between 2nd and 5th grade – without even understanding what that really meant. My true love of the law developed through practice, when I began to apply what I had learned. That was when studying really started to make sense.

From the first time I stepped into a courtroom (I was about 20-22 years old at the time), I knew I was on the right track and that I would be happy in this profession!

And the moment you decided to set up your own practice?

My love for the law was also rooted in the fact that law is freedom. You are free to apply the law, but you are also free to be creative. The risk of being a young, self-employed lawyer is very high, but I have never been afraid of challenges. Even taking the bar exam immediately after graduating was a risky move – but fortunately a successful one! By the time I started my own practice, I already had some experience in the field – as a student I worked in a law firm, and later as a legal advisor at an arbitration court.

I started my own career about eight years ago, and I have no regrets.

In our profession, it is very difficult to prove yourself as a good lawyer – it requires patience and persistence. I do not think I am at the level I want to be – I still feel like I am at the beginning. But I have no lack of energy and motivation to keep building and improving.

Why did you decide to dedicate yourself to protecting victims of domestic violence?

I am a civil lawyer and family law cases fall under that category. Many of my cases involving custody and divorce also involve incidents of domestic violence. In fact, my very first case as an independent lawyer was related to domestic violence. In such cases, a lawyer cannot afford to be indifferent – you have to really understand the person in front of you and be able to support them effectively.

I decided to set up an organisation for the protection of victims of domestic violence so that more people would know about the protection mechanisms available and that there was someone who could support them.

In your opinion, what does Bulgarian society and legislation need to do to reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the country?

Certainly, we need stricter legislation and longer duration of protection orders. Currently, the maximum duration of an enforceable protection order is 18 months. Practice shows that this is not enough time for the victim to recover or for the abuser to change their behaviour. The lack of greater legal severity leads to a higher risk of repeat violence. Sometimes perpetrators of domestic violence are very vindictive and remain aggressive even after the order has expired. I believe that the restraining order, which prohibits the perpetrator from committing further acts of domestic violence, should be indefinite. Domestic violence is difficult to prove and each subsequent attempt to seek protection becomes more difficult.

In my opinion, the number of cases of domestic violence would decrease significantly if every confirmed perpetrator was subject to a pre-trial investigation – especially if the act is criminalised and there is a possibility of imprisonment.

You also work with migrants. What we do not know about people seeking protection in Bulgaria and how do you help them?

Foreigners, especially families with children seeking international protection, are often forced to leave their homes, their community, their daily lives. Our society rarely realises that many of them never wanted to flee in the first place. They just had no choice – it was their only chance of survival. These cases are emotionally draining, as they often involve fleeing war and the threat of death.

I represent families with children who are seeking asylum, providing them with legal advice on how to apply for protection and representing them in court if necessary.

What inspired you to start your own children's theatre school? Is there a connection between theatre and law – and if so, what is it?

After studying acting and performing in theatre productions for almost 15 years, I realised that I wanted to share my love of theatre with young children. I have been taking drama classes since I was a student, and even then I dreamed of being on the other side – as a teacher. I have always admired the energy of my teachers and the inspiration they passed on to their students.

Both theatre and law demand enormous responsibility. There is no room for compromise in either. The audience can always detect inauthenticity and will sense when a performance lacks genuine feeling. In the law, people's lives are at stake – you have to be totally focused, it is unthinkable to overlook even the smallest detail. That is what law and theatre have in common – responsibility, concentration and attention.

The case you will never forget?

Every case stays with me in some way, and many have left a lasting impression on my heart. But there is one case will stay with me forever – I still get emotional every time I think about it. About a year ago, I was contacted by the parents of a child with a serious medical condition. They needed to travel to Turkey for life-saving treatment, but the state had refused to pay for it. Fortunately, the case did not have to go to court – we managed it through out-of-court appeals and communication. The child's documents for treatment funding were approved and today their condition is improving. I cannot tell you how happy I was when I received the email with the positive response.