An Insight on my Secondment at Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner

I am an associate at Moroglu Arseven attorney partnership in Istanbul. Thanks to the well-established cooperation between our law firms, I had the chance to complete a three week secondment in the Freiburg offices of Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner (“FGvW”) this summer. During this time, I had the chance to learn about the cultural differences in a business and legal environment, discover the similarities between the Turkish and the German legal systems and to meet my colleagues in Freiburg with whom I had worked together before in person.

During my secondment, I worked on English language contracts and participated in phone conferences and meetings held with the clients. I was involved in many legal areas including pharmaceutical law, distribution law, M&A transactions and anti-trust issues in cross border contracts.

The most immediate benefit of my secondment was getting a hands-on opportunity to deal directly with German clients. I had the chance to closely observe the needs and expectations of a German client and as a result, I have come to a better understanding of the German business culture and environment. Besides, being able to participate in client meetings and discussions has given me a new perspective on how my German colleagues handle cross border mandates.

On the last day of my secondment at FGvW, I had the opportunity to give a 45-minute presentation about M&A transactions in Turkey. In the presentation I spoke about legal issues, such as the usual regulations governing business acquisitions in Turkey, as well as local differences, e.g. the sensitivities with respect to family-run businesses, in the event of being sold in part or whole. Following the presentation, we had a Q&A session in which we discussed the similarities and differences between Turkey and Germany with respect to business acquisitions. My German colleagues’ questions about the Turkish legal system were very interesting and enlightening and helped me understand the most common questions a German client might have, when contemplating an investment in Turkey. In addition to the legal work, I also had the chance to conduct research for my masters’ thesis and thereby benefitted from the legal resources of both FGvW and the University of Freiburg. As most of the lawyers at FGvW have already completed their masters/doctorates degrees, their experience and suggestions in relation to possible topics were helpful for my research, and provided me insight on current legal topics in German law.

My experience in the sunny, welcoming and peaceful environment of Freiburg also enabled me to get acquainted with a different side of the German culture. My colleagues introduced me to the local cuisine, culture and history, which I have come to know and love even in this short period of time. My stay at FGvW was therefore a fantastic experience both personally and professionally.

I was also pleased to note that many clients of FGvW are present in Turkey or interested in investments in Turkey. I am therefore certain, that the close cooperation of our firms will continue to grow and that we will be able to develop even more German-Turkish or Turkish-German business in future. And I am looking forward to being part of it!

Hazal Tunçay