Success Story: My Journey from BISU to Becoming a Lawyer

30.12.2025

My Professional Journey: From Aspiring Lawyer to Qualified Solicitor

Dmytro Marynovych was a role model for his peers. In 2018, he graduated from BISU with outstanding academic results and was awarded the prestigious title of Dux Litterarum — an honour traditionally given to the student with the highest overall grades.

Currently, I am working as a solicitor in the legal department of the IFRS Foundation, a global standard-setter company which sets standards used globally for financial reporting purposes that improve the communication between companies and investors. I recently achieved a significant milestone in my career by qualifying as a solicitor in the UK – a term for lawyers authorised to provide legal services and advice.

My journey to becoming a qualified solicitor started at the university whilst I was completing my degree. I pursued a law degree at the University of Warwick in the UK, studying from 2018 to 2021. While my university experience was largely enjoyable, a portion of it, from early 2020 to mid-2021, was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to all studies and exams being held virtually. Despite the challenges, the degree itself was overall enjoyable; however, the most enjoyable subjects for me were the ones that related to business, history and politics. I was fascinated by company law and international law the most.

This academic journey solidified my decision to pursue a career in law and qualify as a solicitor. Through extensive research and attending various career events, both at and outside the university, I discovered that a career in law, particularly as a corporate lawyer in the UK, was challenging but attainable, with several opportunities. This research and insight led me to focus on the field of the corporate legal world.

After graduating from the University of Warwick, my professional journey continued. In 2022, I completed a postgraduate vocational degree at the University of Law, and in 2024, I successfully passed the Qualifying Solicitors’ Examination. Both stages were mandatory to become a solicitor and rigorously challenging, demanding a deep understanding of theoretical knowledge and the ability to perform at the standard of a qualified solicitor.

During this period, I gained invaluable practical experience at the IFRS Foundation, starting as a paralegal. In this role, I assisted lawyers with administrative tasks and auxiliary legal work. My dedication and learning quickly led to a promotion to trainee solicitor, a position focused on legal training to become a solicitor. As a trainee solicitor, I delved into more complex legal work, including drafting contracts, conducting research, and providing legal advice within the company. In April 2025, I officially qualified as a solicitor and have been working as a solicitor at the IFRS Foundation ever since.

Now that I have achieved the significant milestone of becoming a solicitor, my focus is firmly on continuing to develop my career, embracing new opportunities, and further honing my experience and skills.

In April 2025, I officially qualified as a solicitor and have been working as a solicitor at the IFRS Foundation ever...

My Academic Journey

My journey to the university began with a thorough research of different sources and online UK university guides, such as the Complete University Guide and The Guardian, which offered comprehensive insights into various universities. I attended various university open days during the 2017/2018 academic year, which allowed me to experience university campuses, interact with current students, and gain a clear overview of the law degrees offered.

BISU’s support during the initial stages of my university application was important. The teachers at BISU reviewed my personal statement by providing valuable feedback, and both then-current and former teachers acted as my academic referees. After submitting my applications to my chosen universities, I was happy to receive several conditional offers from my chosen universities, including the University of Warwick. My next challenge was to meet the academic conditions of these conditional offers.

With the support of teachers from BISU, I dedicated myself entirely to my studies, preparing for my final International Baccalaureate exams in May 2018. Fortunately, I successfully met the conditions set by universities and ultimately chose to pursue law at the University of Warwick.

My Most Important Achievement (So Far!)

While it might seem early in my career to identify my “most important” achievement, if I had to choose, it would be qualifying as a solicitor in the UK. As I mentioned, the journey to becoming a solicitor is challenging, lengthy and a result of the culmination of years of work towards that goal. The reward is a gateway to a whole new world of opportunities and professional growth.