That’s how Katarina Bigovic Apitzsch describes her career journey: part intention, part serendipity. Driven by a deep curiosity and a passion for exploring new legal frontiers, Katarina has built a truly multidimensional legal career that spans everything from public prosecution and EU law to fintech, customs intelligence, and gaming.
“I’ve always found the law incredibly rich - there’s always more to discover,” she says. While she never set out with a rigid plan, mentors, unexpected detours, and a willingness to learn have all shaped her path. Looking back, even the moments that felt off-track at the time now feel like integral parts of the whole.
If she had to distill her mission into one sentence? “To offer clear and practical advice in an environment that is often anything but clear.” That focus on clarity and confidence in the face of complexity has been a guiding principle throughout her work.
Katarina credits much of her professional outlook to the mentors who led with empathy and generosity. One early influence still stands out: Ewa Lindbäck, a judge Katarina worked under as a young court clerk. “She had immense knowledge but was always willing to share it. She showed me that leadership doesn’t have to be loud - it can be grounded, supportive, and deeply impactful.”
Being part of the Openli community has also played a significant role in Katarina’s recent work. “It’s such a valuable network,” she says. “It’s helped me find new ways of thinking, fresh perspectives, and keep up with complex regulatory changes. It’s been a real asset - like having a radar for enforcement trends and case law.”
One thing that often surprises people? Just how many different areas of the law Katarina has worked in. From prosecutorial work to Swedish Customs’ intelligence leadership, to EU regulatory law, to now operating in banking and finance - Katarina’s toolkit has been sharpened across sectors. “People assume lawyers specialize quickly and stick to one field,” she notes. “But I’ve always been drawn to breadth, to seeing things from different perspectives.”
And it turns out that kind of experience translates across industries more than you might expect. “At first glance, customs intelligence and gaming may seem worlds apart,” she laughs. “But the cross-pollination of ideas between them has been one of my greatest assets.”
Katarina’s story is a reminder that legal careers, like people, don’t have to follow a single path. Sometimes, the detours build the strongest foundation.
