Turunc Managing Partner Kerem Turunc discusses the upcoming 2025 CEE Legal Matters Turkiye General Counsel Summit due to take place in Istanbul on November 4, 2025.
CEELM: Why did Turunc decide to participate in the CEELM GC Summit in Istanbul?
Turunc: We value events that bring private practitioners and in-house lawyers together in a lawyers-only setting – this format allows participants to focus on the issues that matter to us without distractions from other business functions. The agenda here is tightly tailored as a result, unlike broader-scope conferences.
At the same time, in-house teams tend to be rather insular – conferences dedicated specifically to them are relatively rare. Turkiye (and even Istanbul alone) is large and spread out, so this summit offers, on top of substantive insights, a vital networking opportunity and a chance to reconnect with old colleagues.
Lastly, we sponsored this particular event before and found it quite productive for everyone involved. Naturally, it is a business development opportunity for us as well.
CEELM: What are you most looking forward to at the GC Summit?
Turunc: Our market faces economic, social, and political volatility that directly impacts businesses, and therefore, in-house counsel. We’re under growing pressure with heavier workloads, tighter deadlines, and constant pivots as companies adapt. I’m keen to hear how GCs are balancing that dual role – acting as both a strategic adviser and safety net – and to hear about their strategies for managing stress, technology, and seemingly constantly shifting priorities.
CEELM: What insights or discussions do you expect to hear from General Counsels at this year’s summit?
Turunc: I’m looking forward to a rich dialogue on how the role of in-house counsel is evolving in response to the economic and political turbulence we’re all navigating. I anticipate hearing stories of how GCs are storm-proofing their legal functions, balancing workload spikes and rapid pivots, while still serving as a strategic adviser and a safety net for their businesses.
There will undoubtedly be spirited debate about legal-tech adoption – not just which tools teams are bringing in, but how they’re reshaping procurement processes for external services and integrating HR-tech and digital workflows into everyday practice.
I’m also keen to explore the competitive dynamics created by the sheer proliferation of lawyers and firms in Turkiye, and how that affects fee models and service quality.
Beyond these operational concerns, I expect wide-ranging conversations about the growing interaction between legal departments and senior management, how to align legal strategy with corporate goals, and the pragmatics of corporate venture-building, from designing fair, flexible start-up agreements to crafting in-house VC programs.
Sustainability and dealmaking won’t be far behind; ESG frameworks and safe-harbor rules for cross-border M&A will, I believe, spark important discussions on marrying compliance with deal velocity.
And, of course, professional ethics will run as a constant thread through it all, as we seek to maintain integrity amid commercial and technological pressures.
Finally, I’m eager to learn how GCs are leveraging Turkiye’s vibrant start-up ecosystem, building partnerships that drive innovation without getting bogged down in overly complex agreements. All these threads together will paint a comprehensive picture of where our profession is headed in the immediate future.
CEELM: Why should General Counsels make sure to attend this summit?
Turunc: This is the only Turkiye-based event that convenes a critical mass of private practice and in-house counsel in a friendly, safe environment where you can dive deep into the issues shaping our profession. If you’re not there, you’ll miss the conversations – and the peer support and networking – that will carry you, your legal team, and, ultimately, your company ahead.
This article was originally published in Issue 12.5 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
