From Licensing Powerhouses to Legal Simplicity: The Story Behind Ation Law

From negotiating deals with Netflix to building her own legal agency, Polina Varfolomeeva, the founder of Ation Law is redefining how legal support should work for fast-moving companies. This is a story of insight, initiative, and starting with usefulness over perfection.

Can you share a brief note about yourself?

I’m not one of those lawyers who dreamt of being one since childhood. I chose international law thinking it would help if I ever built a business of my own. Turned out I was right. I ended up launching my own legal agency.

One of the turning points was working at Animaccord, the animation studio behind Masha and the Bear, one of the most well-known animated series in the world. I led international licensing deals, worked with brands like Ferrero, Netflix, and ByteDance, and helped protect IP in dozens of countries. Later, at Gaijin Entertainment, one of Europe’s leading game developers, I deepened my expertise in game publishing and global operations. That’s when it became even clearer how important it is for legal solutions to grow and adapt with the product and the market.

That’s why I started my own legal agency, Ation Law. I wanted legal support to feel like part of the business, not something separate or overly complicated. We help with all kinds of tasks. Sometimes it’s a one-off request, like reviewing a contract or structuring a deal. Sometimes it’s full project packaging, launching a social app, setting up an outstaffing service, or doing a legal check-up of an existing product or business. And sometimes we step in as the legal back office so the team can focus on building while we handle the rest.

In 2025, I personally won Gold at the Global E-Commerce & Digital Marketing Awards (ECDMA) for Outstanding PR Achievement. It showed how legal, especially when it sits at the intersection of strategy, communication, and business growth, can do more than just protect a company. It can help it grow, stand out, and lead.

Why did you choose to start a business?

I started the business because I saw a clear gap. Fast-growing companies, especially in tech and creative industries, struggle to find legal partners who understand their pace, markets, and mindset. A lot of legal services are still slow, overly cautious, or disconnected from how founders actually work.

We saw strong demand on the international market, especially in key jurisdictions like the EU, UK, US, and now the UAE, where we're actively expanding. Founders want legal teams who speak their language, move quickly, and help them make smart, strategic decisions. That’s exactly what we set out to build.

How did you start your business?

I started gradually. During COVID, I moved to remote work, and over time, I began picking up more and more outsourced projects. There was no big launch moment, just steady demand and a growing list of clients who needed fast, practical legal help.

At some point, I realized this wasn’t just a sidetrack. It was a real opportunity. So, I made the decision to scale it up, build a team, and turn it into a business. Step by step, project by project — that’s how the agency grew.

I didn’t wait for everything to be perfect. No fancy website, no formal structure. Just clients, real work, and clear value. Perfection came later. Usefulness came first.

What do you wish you’d known before you started your business?

I wish I’d known from day one that being good at what you do is only 30% of the job. The rest is everything no one teaches you - sales, cash flow, delegation, team dynamics, pricing, boundaries.

Also, I used to think that saying “yes” to every client was a sign of strength. Now I know it’s the fastest way to burn out. Saying “no”, kindly, clearly, early, is one of the most valuable business tools I’ve learned. It protects your time, your energy, and your best work.

And maybe one more thing: no one really knows what they’re doing in the beginning. You figure it out as you go. You test, adjust, test again - and that’s how it works. That’s normal. That’s how you grow.

Did you have any support in your journey?

Yes, absolutely. Though not always in the formal “mentor” sense. Some of them even said, “You should start your own agency. You would be great at it.” That kind of support really stayed with me. Friends and colleagues who didn’t ask why I was doing this, they just asked how they could help. Also, I learned a lot from the founders I worked with. Watching how they made decisions, dealt with chaos, and kept going really shaped how I show up in my own business too. And one more thing: I don’t think we talk enough about how being a founder or a CEO is a real skill, not just a title. It’s not something you just figure out on instinct. I truly believe it’s worth investing time into learning through courses, mentorship, or any kind of structured support. It makes a huge difference.

What is your greatest challenge as a business owner?

One of the hardest things is staying in both roles at once: the expert and the owner. On one hand, I truly enjoy the legal work itself. And in this field, especially, everything is tied to people. Clients want my mindset, my involvement, my ability to read the room in high-stakes conversations. They want me in the room when it matters, not just behind the scenes. On the other hand, I have to step back and lead the business - think about growth, team, systems, and structure. I think a lot of founders in service businesses deal with this. When people come for you, not just the service, it’s hard to grow without being involved in everything. You have to find a way to stay useful without doing it all yourself.

What advice would you give to your past self before opening your own business?

Test the idea first. Don’t waste weeks on a logo, a website, or picking a font if you don’t have a single client yet.

A lot of people think, “Once I look like a real business, clients will come.” But it’s the other way around, clients come when you solve real problems. Focus on that first. You can build the brand later. First, prove there’s demand.

Also, be ready to explain what you do in one sentence, and not take it personally when people don’t get it.

Reflecting on your path to entrepreneurship, what key piece of advice would you offer to aspiring founders?

Take responsibility. For yourself and for your team. Mistakes will happen, that’s normal. What matters is how you respond. We often see even big companies hiding behind vague statements or shifting blame. It doesn’t look smart. It looks weak.