Can you please give us an idea of the sort of work your team has done recently?

Çalık Holding operates in energy, construction, mining, textile, finance, telecommunications, and digital sectors. With operations in 31 countries across Central Asia, Balkans and MENA, the Group employs more than 15,000 people. Çalık Holding stands out as is a major player in Turkey and in the world with its subsidiaries: Çalık Enerji in the energy sector; Çalık Petrol in oil exploration; YEDAŞ, YEPAŞ, Limak joint venture KEDS and Kiler joint ventures ARAS EDAŞ and ARAS EPAŞ in electricity distribution; Lidya Madencilik in mining; Gap İnşaat in construction; Aktif Bank, BKT (Banka Kombetare Tregtare) Albania and BKT Kosovo in finance; Çalık Denim and Gap Pazarlama in textile; Albtelecom Albania in telecom; and Çalık Dijital in digital.

We are currently providing legal services to Calik Holding as well as its subsidiaries in their daily work and operations including without limitation M&A and investment projects, project finance and financing transactions, public offerings, bond offerings, major litigations.

How do you feel the pandemic has changed the world of work for in-house counsel and the function of the general counsel?  

COVID-19 affected every aspect of our business and business operating models like the rest of the world. The most important example is the significance of technology and the rapid digital transformation that the companies underwent during the past couple of months. I believe Covid-19 accelerated such digital transformation in our businesses. I believe the digital transformation will also involve the lawyers and the nature and scope of work performed by the lawyers. As such transformation shall seem to threaten the existence of certain jobs, I believe that lawyers will still exist but with new rules and regulations, new practice areas, usage of new digital technologies and artificial intelligence. But it goes without saying that the key success factor to survive in this transforming world for us as lawyers shall be the ability to adapt to the changing standards and requirements.

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

I believe this may be achieved by establishing cross-functional relationships between legal departments and business teams. Due to the evolving nature of legal counsel’s role, the lawyers should understand the work performed at the same level as the business team members. The lawyers in the legal department should work collaboratively with the business teams as they work towards common goals. All levels of lawyers should attend and participate in multidisciplinary meetings and join key internal committees. Although, this sometimes entails lawyers to come out of their comfort zone, to provide the level of service a corporation or business unit requires.

In-house counsel is a member of business units like any other, they actively take part in strategic decision-making processes and are expected to establish strategic plans, ensure that they align with the broader corporate strategy, and adjust course as the business continues to evolve and grow. These are the most factors I like in acting as in-house counsel compared to law firm.