Welcome to ILN-terviews, a series of profiles of ILN member firm attorneys, designed to give a unique insight into the lawyers who make up our Network. For our latest interview, we chose ILN member, Emre Özcan of our member firm Özcan & Natan in Istanbul, Turkey.

In one sentence, how would you describe your practice?
Our practice is working to expand in the corporate-commercial, finance and real estate fields of law without losing its boutique nature.

Who would be your typical client? 
Foreign or local entities who have business with an international nature.

What would you like clients and potential clients to know about you? 
I would like them to know me as a solution-provider and problem/dispute preventative.

What has been your most challenging case? Why? 
A case to strike a decision issued by the Turkish Treasury, for the cancellation of the Free Zone license of a factory.  We had to file an action for the cancellation of the complete communiqué issued by the Prime Ministry, but in the end succeeded and forced the administration to amend the communiqué and re-issue the license.

What has been your proudest moment as a lawyer? 
The day I took the attorneys’ oath at the Istanbul Bar Association.

What do you do when you’re not practicing law? 
I like to follow local and foreign politics as well as football. Politics is sometimes more fun!

What would surprise people most about you? 
I was almost entering auditions of state acting school instead of the university exams.

What has been your most memorable ILN experience?
The fun we had when we hosted the European Meeting in Istanbul in 2007, especially when I saw how good lawyers could party at the club we went to after the gala dinner!!!

What career would you have chosen if you weren’t a lawyer? 
I would either choose to be an actor or a diplomat.

If a movie were made of your life, who would you want to play you? 
Bruce Willis

How would you like to be remembered? 
Knew how to enjoy life to the fullest!

 

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Photo of Lindsay Griffiths Lindsay Griffiths

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the…

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the goals of a global professional services network. She manages all major aspects of the Network, including recruitment, member retention, and providing exceptional client service to an international membership base.

In her role as Executive Director, Griffiths manages a mix of international programs, engages a diverse global community, and develops an international membership base. She leads the development and successful implementation of major organizational initiatives, manages interpersonal relationships, and possesses executive presence with audiences of internal and external stakeholders. Griffiths excels at project management, organization, and planning, writes and speaks with influence and authority, and works independently while demonstrating flexibility in thinking, especially in challenging situations. She also adapts to diverse and dynamic environments with constant assessment and recalibration.

JD Supra Readers Choice Top Author 2019

In 2021, the ILN was honored as Global Law Firm Network of the Year by The Lawyer European Awards, and in 2016, 2017, and 2022, they were shortlisted as Global Law Firm Network of the Year. Since 2011, the Network has been listed as a Chambers & Partners Leading Law Firm Network, recently increasing this ranking to be included in the top two percent of law firm networks globally, as well as adding two regional rankings. She was awarded “Thought Leader of the Year” by the Legal Marketing Association’s New York chapter in 2014 for her substantive contributions to the industry and was included in Clio’s list of “34 People in Legal You Should Follow on Twitter.” She was also chosen for the American Bar Association Journal’s inaugural Web 100‘s Best Law Blogs, where judge Ivy Grey said “This blog is outstanding, thoughtful, and useful.” Ms. Griffiths was chosen as a Top Author by JD Supra in their 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, for the level of engagement and visibility she attained with readers on the topic of marketing & business development. She has been the author of Zen & the Art of Legal Networking since February 2009.