Interview with: Seren Kutadgu, Partner

What do you see as the main points that differentiate Kutadgu & Arsın from your competitors?

What differentiates Kutadgu & Arsın from our competitors is our conviction that legal services should be a human-centered and trust-based journey of companionship. For us, it is not just about the services we provide—it is about walking the path with our clients. Unlike traditional law firms that keep a distance, we immerse ourselves in our clients’ realities, becoming a genuine partner and part of the solution.

With 20 years of experience, we go beyond providing legal advice—we bring a strategic perspective to every decision and manage processes with a perfect balance of agility and precision. This balance is critical for today’s business world, where swift decision-making is often as valuable as meticulous analysis.

Our approach is guided by clear principles that define how we work:

• Direct & Fast Access: Clients have immediate access to our partner-level lawyers. We eliminate unnecessary steps and delays, ensuring that when they need us, we are there.
• Precision in Every Detail: No document leaves our firm without meticulous review. We examine every detail of our clients’ needs, and every document is partner-reviewed before it is finalized.
• Beyond Case Tracking—Process Management: We don’t stop at drafting or reviewing. We oversee the entire process—legal and business alike—standing by our clients at every stage.
• Perfect Balance of Agility & Precision: While diligence is instinctive to us as lawyers, we minimize bureaucracy and ensure swift yet secure progress, turning speed into a competitive advantage for our clients.
• Tech-Driven Legal Advisory: We integrate cutting-edge communication tools into our daily practice, providing seamless, transparent, and real-time engagement with clients across jurisdictions.
• Boutique Service, Transparent Pricing: Unlike large firms with heavy overheads, our boutique structure gives us the flexibility to tailor services to each client’s needs and budget. We are committed to transparent, fair pricing with no hidden costs or surprises.

Ultimately, we see legal consultancy not merely as a profession but as a partnership. We simplify and support our clients’ business processes, ensuring they can focus on growth while we provide the trust, precision, and agility they need to succeed.”

 

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

In the next 12 months, we see significant growth in several practice areas, driven by both global and local market dynamics.

• Technology, AI & Data Privacy: The rapid integration of artificial intelligence into business models is creating new legal challenges around intellectual property, liability, and compliance. At the same time, increasing enforcement of data protection frameworks such as GDPR and Turkey’s KVKK is fueling demand for specialized advisory in privacy and cybersecurity.
• Venture Capital & Startup Financing: Turkey’s vibrant tech ecosystem continues to attract both local and cross-border investments. SAFE agreements, early-stage financings, and venture capital transactions are expanding, as investors seek opportunities in fintech, AI, and deep-tech. The main drivers are investor appetite for high-growth companies and the continued maturity of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Cross-Border M&A and Structuring: As companies scale internationally, we expect more complex cross-border M&A transactions and corporate restructurings, particularly involving jurisdictions such as Delaware, the UK, Greece, and Dubai. The drivers here are globalization of Turkish startups, foreign investor interest, and the need for efficient holding structures.
• Telecommunications & Infrastructure: With ongoing investments in 5G and digital infrastructure, regulatory advisory in telecoms and large-scale infrastructure projects will grow. The demand is driven by both state-led initiatives and private sector investments in connectivity.
• Dispute Resolution with a Cross-Border Element: As more businesses operate internationally, disputes increasingly involve multiple jurisdictions. Arbitration and mediation will see growth, driven by the need for efficiency and enforceability in global transactions.

Overall, the drivers behind these growth areas are technological transformation, regulatory tightening, and cross-border capital flows. Clients are looking for law firms that not only understand the legal frameworks but also the strategic and commercial implications of these developments, and we see this as a key space where we can add value.

 

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

The main change we have made in the firm to benefit clients has been reshaping the way we deliver legal services by combining deep sector insight with a more agile, tech-enabled, and partnership-oriented model.

We recognised that clients operating in high-growth, innovation-driven industries—such as software, artificial intelligence, mobility, healthcare, and infrastructure—require not only legal expertise but also strategic guidance across their entire business lifecycle. In response, we have fully integrated cutting-edge communication tools into our daily practice, ensuring seamless, transparent, real-time engagement with our clients. This shift eliminates unnecessary bureaucracy, accelerates decision-making, and guarantees partner-level accessibility at every stage.

Beyond technology integration, we have also strengthened our client offering by drawing on our unique ecosystem involvement. Our collaboration with leading technoparks such as İTÜ Çekirdek, Gazi Technopark, and Innopark enables us to mentor hundreds of entrepreneurs and remain close to the pulse of innovation. This experience directly enriches the solutions we provide to startups and growth-stage companies, particularly in corporate structuring, investment rounds, and cross-border M&A.

We have also expanded our commitment to sustainability and social responsibility. By offering pro bono legal support and training programmes for SMEs and innovation-driven enterprises, we help clients implement sustainable practices and navigate increasingly complex regulatory frameworks.

Finally, through our strategically positioned international network across the U.S., EU, Middle East, and Far East, we now respond even more effectively to cross-border legal needs. This evolution means our clients not only benefit from precise, partner-led advice, but also from a broader strategic perspective that integrates business, regulation, and international growth.”

 

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

“Absolutely—technology has fundamentally reshaped the way we interact with clients and the services we provide. For us, technology is not an add-on; it is fully embedded in the way we deliver legal advice.

On the interaction side, we have integrated cutting-edge communication and project management tools that allow clients to reach us directly and receive real-time updates on their matters. This eliminates unnecessary steps and ensures transparency, speed, and efficiency in every engagement. Our clients—many of whom are themselves technology-driven businesses—expect immediacy and seamless communication, and our systems allow us to match their pace.

On the services side, technology enables us to provide more than traditional legal advice. By adopting secure digital platforms, data-driven tools, and document automation systems, we can offer precise, agile, and scalable solutions. This has proven particularly valuable in areas such as venture financing, cross-border structuring, regulatory compliance, and dispute prevention, where timing and accuracy are critical.

In short, technology allows us to be closer to our clients, more responsive to their needs, and more innovative in the solutions we design. It is not just changing the way we work—it is redefining what legal services mean in the digital age.”

 

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

One practical example is our work with a fast-growing technology startup that was preparing to secure international venture capital investment. The company faced complex challenges: structuring its corporate governance in line with international standards, protecting its intellectual property portfolio, and negotiating a cross-border SAFE financing round with foreign investors.

Rather than limiting our role to drafting documents, we worked as strategic partners. We designed a cross-border corporate structure that aligned with both Turkish and U.S. regulations, ensured the company’s software and AI-related IP was properly consolidated, and negotiated investment documents that balanced investor requirements with the founders’ long-term interests.

The result was that the startup successfully closed its funding round at a USD 30M pre-money valuation and expanded into international markets with a robust, scalable legal foundation. Beyond the legal transaction itself, our guidance allowed the founders to retain control, safeguard their innovation, and accelerate growth.

In addition, we provide many of our clients with pro bono guidance on environmental awareness and sustainability. We support businesses—whether at the workplace, in households, or even in public spaces—in adopting eco-friendly practices and building greener operational models. For us, adding value means not only driving commercial growth but also contributing to a more sustainable and responsible business ecosystem.”

 

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

 “Clients today are indeed looking for both stability and strategic direction from their law firms. Especially in an environment marked by rapid technological change, regulatory complexity, and cross-border investment flows, clients want trusted advisors who can provide not only legal precision but also long-term strategic guidance. They value partner-level accessibility, agility, and a business-oriented mindset that helps them make confident decisions in uncertain times. In fact, the feedback we consistently receive from our clients—both in writing and in direct conversations—is that they see us as a truly strategic and reliable partner.

Looking ahead three years, we see Kutadgu & Arsın further strengthening its role as a leading boutique firm in technology, venture capital, and cross-border corporate transactions. We aim to deepen our international network across the U.S., EU, Middle East, and Far East, enabling us to seamlessly support clients as they expand into new markets.

At the same time, we will continue to invest in tech-driven legal services and sustainability initiatives, maintaining our position at the intersection of law, innovation, and social responsibility. Our vision is to be the first point of call for entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations seeking precise, agile, and forward-looking legal counsel that combines deep sector insight with a genuine partnership approach.”