First, can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently (cases, transactions, projects)?

In Türkiye’s volatile market, we deal each day with expected and unexpected legal matters. It can get tough at times to adapt to regulations which are amended almost on a daily basis. Most of the laws and regulations that I have studied in law school have been changed or amended. I always to my best to be up to date in order to support the company in the best way. It is essential to show a proactive approach to work and be there when colleagues and executives need help. Recently, one the main challenges we faced, was adapting to remote work — we have immediately amended our polices and legal documents and familiarised with the new way of work.

What do you think are the biggest risks facing your industry at the moment and how are you preparing your company and team to face these risks?

The biggest risks facing my industry can be flagged as VUCA, and they all derive from the volatile Turkish market. Although VUCA might seem inescapable in certain industries, it is always possible to develop a robust risk management framework and mitigate its effects. In order to strengthen the legal team’s skills, I always stay up to date with tech and industrial news and listen carefully to my business partners — I always promote collaboration to overcome challenges.

How do you suggest in-house lawyers build strong relationships with business partners?

In-house counsel should follow two key kaizen elements— know your client, in order to provide the business partners with a better legal service and experience. Clear communication with business partners can smooth the relationship with them and help build a stronger partnership.