It's a huge blessing to have the right person in the right place.
Dmytro Skumbrij, International Lawyer at the Fund, has found his ideal job and is inspired by the results. We talked to Dmytro to find out about his job duties, personal tricks, hobbies and ambitious plans.
Why did you choose this profession?
Versatile knowledge and skills are the keys to success in today's fast-paced world. And to be a lawyer means to have versatile knowledge and skills and to constantly evolve along the way.
I almost never met a business analyst, financier or developer who decided to retrain as a lawyer. On the other hand, I have seen an unprecedented number of lawyers who have re-qualified.
It means that the person who was able to become a lawyer can master a lot of other specialties very likely. In other words, the knowledge and skills that the profession of a lawyer gives, it seems to me, are versatile. Moreover, the profession of a lawyer requires you to constantly analyze, learn new things, and look for unresolved problems to address them.
Of course, when I was a 10th grader and was preparing to enter law school, I did not know all this. Just things such as business style, solidity in communication, and correctly and competently made speech seemed to me attractive. I also really liked to argue... Even when I realized I was wrong.
So, the image and dreams of adolescence were the main reason for my choice of career. However, I still have arguments for staying a lawyer: the versatility of knowledge and skills that this profession brings, the broad outlook it offers, and the limitless scope for development.
What are your work responsibilities?
In simple terms, I find the best solutions for implementing business ideas for companies/projects.
More specifically, this includes analyzing the legislation of foreign countries, selecting a jurisdiction and then registering the company there, optimizing taxation, obtaining licenses and opening bank accounts.
What do you like most about your work and what inspires you?
I like having so much to do that time flies by almost imperceptibly and things still remain to be done.
I love that my work adds value to the company when I see with my own eyes how my expertise or legal advice contributes to the growth of the Fund, and to the expansion of the business in a huge number of markets. Then I realize that I am useful as a professional and do really important things for my team.
Why do you love the Fund?
I love the ambition, determination, and desire to cover as much as possible and as quickly as possible without compromising on quality, and to act with precision and competence.
Do you think your profession is changing the world?
The legal profession does not change the world, but only reacts to all the changes that are taking place in it. For example, blockchain technology came into being first, and only later the legal framework that regulates it appeared. First came gambling, and then the relevant legal rules, and so on.
So, my area of work - and I am talking about the law in general here - is somewhere in the middle between stagnation and the development of the world. At the same time, lawyers at least do not interfere with the development of various spheres important to people, but only record the changes in the laws. Probably, this is the indirect contribution of lawyers to change the world.
Can you tell us a fun fact about your career?
I started working as a lawyer as soon as I finished my last exams in the second year of law school. It was like "that coveted job as a lawyer" for me, the beginning of adulthood when you are consulting clients, preparing documentation, and visiting various government agencies. And I really got into all those things.
One day, it seems to have been a Tuesday, I was advising a client and I caught fire for his business idea. With professional passion, I promised him I would do everything to the highest standard and prepare the copyright registration package as quickly as possible. That is, I had to fill in the application form, print it out and hand it over to the manager to sign the next day, i.e., Wednesday.
I remember it like it was yesterday: on Tuesday night, at about 4:00 am, I had a dream that I had failed the deadline. I flew out of bed, grabbed my heart which was beating frantically, sat down at my laptop, and printed out a document. Then I put it in a folder and put it in my bag.
When I woke up in the morning, I realized that the unbroken deadlines that I had already begun to dream about and a lot of premature grey hairs were ahead of me. And since then, I have taken a more pragmatic and balanced approach to my work, i.e., professionally and without the emotional component.
What are your personal skills as a lawyer?
If the information I'm looking for is technically available online, I'm bound to find it, even if I have to go through every 63rd page of Google SERPs to find it.
And if someone asks me to prepare an answer to a question, I can predict 90% of the time what side and supplemental questions on the subject might arise. That's why I always try to formulate as long and comprehensive an answer as possible in order to cover all the possible and impossible related questions that might come to mind.
The remaining 10% are questions that require a simple yes or no answer.
What do you do to focus on your work processes?
I just do my job. If I notice I'm losing focus on a task, I put it off and do something else. It helps to shift my attention and give my brain a boost.
Do you believe in Ukrainian start-ups?
Of course, I do, because Ukrainians rank 8th in the world in terms of the quality of human potential. If we removed the artificially developed low-grade, political indifference and lack of leadership from our minds, Ukraine would have long had its own version of Silicon Valley and its own Elon Musk, or maybe even several Silicon Valleys with similarly prominent entrepreneurs.
Ukrainians, who have initiative, entrepreneurial spirit and courage, will always look for opportunities instead of reasons. It is not just a motto, but a reality.
Earlier Ukrainian software developers often came to me for advice about corporate structuring and legal protection of their start-ups, with many of them succeeding. So, my faith in Ukrainian start-ups - or should I say confidence - is backed up by my own observations.
What is your dream?
My dream is to become a recognized IT lawyer both in Ukraine and abroad, and to participate in professional exhibitions and conferences as an expert.
Also, as an independent expert, initiator or author, I want to participate in the development of legal acts, which really qualitatively improve public life. And these are not all my dreams. So, in general, I would like to reach the Olympus of the legal profession in Ukraine.
What are your key plans for the next 5 years?
To get a certificate for the right to work as an advocate.
To get an opportunity to obtain an LMM in law in France or Germany.
Get listed as Lawyer of the Year in a national legal publication.
Get 450,000 followers on my TikTok account.
What three apps on your phone are your favourite and most useful?
Telegram is a handy tool for sharing information quickly.
Twitter is a constant source of new information.
TikTok, as I am sure that this social platform is the future. And that is why we need to master this platform now in order to reap juicy rewards in the future.
Do you have your own personal recipe for joy?
It's actually very difficult to catch me in a bad mood because I never get upset.
If there is a problem, there is always a solution, you just have to pull yourself together and find it. And if the problem turns out to be unsolvable, there is no point in getting upset about it.
So, what is your credo in life?
I see a goal - I don't see any obstacles.
Do you love music?
Depeche Mode is always high on my list of priorities. I also like to listen to tracks by Hurts, Rammstein, Muse, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and A-HA.
What items are always in your fridge?
There's chicken fillet in there any time of year.
What is your favourite feature or animated film?
Back to the Future and The Lion King.
Do you see yourself as any kind of movie character?
I think I look like Mark Watney from The Martian. I'll never lose heart, even if I find myself alone on another planet. I will fight to the last moment without losing optimism and will be confident in the end result, even if it doesn't work out at first.
