Latvian law alum seeking poetic justice

University of Wolverhampton alum Tatiana Svetlova is a high achiever in both her professional and her creative life. As the founder of an award-winning law firm, as well as a respected composer and poet, Tatiana has already accomplished a great deal in both worlds.

The alumni team caught up with her recently, to hear her journey of success.

Born in Riga, Latvia, Tatiana now divides her time between living in London and the South of France. Her success story began by studying music at degree level, but soon after she started dating a trainee solicitor, she switched her focus to taking Law at Holborn College under the guidance of the University of Wolverhampton.

Her first role as a qualified lawyer saw her working for what she calls an “old fashioned” and very welcoming law firm in London, with an office overlooking Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. She remembers the company’s warm family atmosphere and helpful working colleagues who were passionate about their craft and generous with their time. Tatiana says that the company’s friendly ambience, the reverence the team had for both respect and close relationships, and their methodical care for the rule of law, fueled her passion for real estate law – and it has stayed with her ever since.

Tatiana later founded the company Svetlova LLP in 2009, which has been selected by The Times as the Top-Rated UK Solicitors for the past six years, as judged by their clients’ reviews and comments. Svetlova LLP has since gained a reputation as a force of trusted legal advisors, whose lawyers speak English, Russian, and Chinese, and who are often asked to provide expert opinions and commentary on TV and radio. While Tatiana’s passion began with real estate, Svetlova LLP’s expertise extends beyond that to immigration, corporate and commercial, wills and lifetime planning, dispute resolution, and entrepreneurship and start-ups.

Despite shifting her study focus away from music and the arts, Tatiana did not leave her creative passions behind. In 2024 she released her album Poetic Dialogues, which features a series of 12 piano pieces, each of which was written as a reflection on a different composer who means something important to Tatiana. There are also two different versions of the same beautiful piece of work; one with just the piano compositions, and another where she reads out one of her poems and builds a narrative while the music plays.

Not content with simply composing and recording her music and poetry, Tatiana runs a classical music festival in the South of France named Mosaic Seasons. Running throughout the year, the festival sees contemporary composers performing their own works as well as acknowledging the greats of the past. During the 2023 Mosaic Seasons festival, in Villa Ephrussi in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Tatiana’s album was performed in part live.

Tatiana has also created a show for children called The Carnival Party!, alongside pianist Edna Stern (who also performed piano on Tatiana’s album). This multimedia classical music show aligns with Tatiana’s passion for introducing children to classical music – something which she believes should be considered a critical part of their early education. The show blends poetry and live performance and is based on Schumann’s Carnaval Op 9. It features a projected animation throughout the performance, and the story is narrated between musical pieces to create “a magical context for enjoying the music.”

Tatiana’s story is an inspiring tale of creative passion and disciplined professionalism, and the University of Wolverhampton is proud to have her as a member of our esteemed alumni.

Anyone interested in studying for courses at the University of Wolverhampton School of Law should register for one of our forthcoming Open Days.