Legal Practice Director Nikolina Tully is tickled pink by the reaction to her all-pink firm, Tully Law, at suburban Banyo.
In fact, her recent firm rebranding has “gone viral” on media platforms, so move over Elle Wood, there is another female lawyer wearing pink who is challenging stereotypes.
Although not legally blonde, Nikolina was apprehensive about changing her firm branding, which had been her favourite green along with gold and cream, after about a year of opening.
The eye-catching shopfront in Banyo.
“It was a bit daunting to be authentic, as you fear what people will think,” she said. “Funny enough, green has actually always been my favourite colour.
“I’ve always been a lover of bright colours such as pink and often found myself favouring bright-coloured suits over a black suit. Pink, however, was always the colour that I wanted to create my law firm branding colours with.
“Some people said ‘don’t do it, you won’t be taken seriously’. But I think you should able to express yourself and be unique. It is something different. Pink might not be for everyone but it is just a colour – it doesn’t affect delivery of services.
“Pink might not suit everyone’s vibe but I have clients who wear pink. You should be able to be unapologetically you, stand out and not be afraid.”
So with family and her husband’s support, Nikolina took the leap and her firm has become the first Queensland, if not Australian, all-pink firm.
“I realised I was not being authentic to myself and knew in my heart that I had to pursue what I intuitively felt was authentic and right for me, and made the drastic decision overnight and changed my branding colours to pink,” she said.
“From this point, my business immediately skyrocketed and became recognised nationally as ‘Australia’s first all pink law firm’.”
There is one all-pink firm in America which was started by Legally Blonde fan Attorney Kathleen Martinez, who started her own immigration law firm in 2020.
And similarly Nikolina was inspired to make the change by the 2001 comedy, she believes it is “an iconic movie”.
“The idea of creating an all-pink law firm came to me some, 20 years ago when I was studying law and perhaps fuelled by the iconic Hollywood blockbuster movie Legally Blonde,” she said.
“As soon as I saw the movie, I immediately resonated with the storyline, which to me, represented that you can be true and authentic to yourself with fearlessness, be empowered to have an influential voice in delivering justice, and have a successful career in law, all while donning a pink suit.”
Nikolina has received positive community feedback.
Both Kathleen and Nikolina have become multimedia stars going viral on different platforms – Kathleen on TikTok and Nikolina on LinkedIn.
“It was just one video. I said to my husband ‘I don’t think it’s going to happen’ then it was like ‘it’s happening’,” she said of the constant stream of media interviews including on Sunrise.
“Within seconds the phone started ringing. I got some beautiful responses especially from law students who said they felt inspired. People have been dropping off resumes. I have been taken back a bit and bit overwhelmed with all the positive comments.”
Nikolina said she was focused on personal service, not having a traditional corporate image.
“I am dealing with people’s personal stories and some are in pain and injured,” she said. “I realised that when you are true and authentic to yourself, you are more inclined to build deeper connections, trust and rapport with clients, which adds the human element to the professional element of the legal work I do.
“By embodying this belief of self-authenticity, success will come naturally in anything you do. This is because people will instinctively be drawn and attracted to your energy.
“I’m not saying all lawyers should wear pink, although it would be nice to see colleagues being bold enough to sport brighter colours in their workwear. You still need to be respectful to the profession, in the delivery of your legal service, which I do not deny.
“It’s about remembering we are all humans before we became lawyers. The delivery of justice need not be one that is free from expression or willingness to be different to which we detach our personal identities from. We can all still deliver justice in a professional manner, without losing our personalities.
“You have to be who you are and success will come.”
There is a pink cafe attached to the law firm.
And that success has taken many forms for Nikolina. The pink law firm also has a twist with the Legally Pink Cafe attached next door.
“It provides another welcoming space for locals to come together and connect with their community members,” she said. “We all know as lawyers, or at least in the area of personal injury, most clients are nervous and fearful to meet with a lawyer. So, creating a casual and inviting environment for clients was critical when creating the space.
“The name, Legally Pink Cafe, was clearly a play on words, to connect the two businesses together with the pink theme which has been well received in the community.
“I absolutely love having both businesses, as they have added a new dimension to the practice of law for me. It has given me the opportunity to connect with locals both personally and professionally which is unique and people are blown away by the creativity behind the concept of linking the two businesses together.”
Last month, she won two awards for the cafe and firm, including Best New Business Award in the 2024 Nudgee Small Business Awards.
“I am genuinely honoured and delighted by this achievement in such a short period.”
Last year Nikolina was a finalist in the Queensland Law Society Excellence in Law Awards for Solicitor of the Year (Sole Practitioner).
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