Last Updated: August 2026

The legal profession rests not only on legal knowledge and professional experience but also on the principles of independence, honesty, confidentiality, professional diligence and responsibility towards justice. In the professional activities carried out by Attorney Ezgi Çalışkan, the basic ethical framework is formed by Attorneys’ Act No. 1136 (Avukatlık Kanunu), the Professional Rules of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Türkiye Barolar Birliği Meslek Kuralları) and the other regulations governing the legal profession.

This Ethics Statement has been prepared to explain the core professional principles under which legal services are provided, the approach taken in the use of the website and digital communication tools, and the core values on which the attorney–client relationship is based.

1. Professional Independence

Independence is one of the fundamental elements of the practice of law. Legal assessments must be made on the basis of the law in force and the particular facts of the case, free from personal, commercial or political pressure and from the pressure and expectations of third parties.

Relationships, influences or terms of engagement that could compromise professional independence are avoided.

When forming an opinion on a legal matter, the primary criterion is not to produce a result that matches the client’s expectations, but to present the legal position of the matter realistically and objectively.

2. Honesty and Professional Diligence

Accuracy, transparency and professional diligence are core working principles in legal services.

When assessing a dispute or a legal transaction, the following principles apply:

the current legal position is set out clearly,
possible risks are not concealed,
results that are not legally possible are not promised,
uncertainties are stated openly,
alternative legal routes are considered where necessary.

These are the guiding principles.

By the very nature of legal services, no definite result can be guaranteed for any lawsuit, transaction or dispute.

3. Professional Secrecy and Confidentiality

The duty of professional secrecy is one of the most important elements of the relationship of trust in the legal profession.

Information, documents, trade secrets, personal data and legal strategies learned in the course of professional activity are handled under the principle of confidentiality.

This duty matters not only for ongoing files but also for information learned during legal consultations and for legal relationships that have ended.

Information may be shared only to the extent necessary to provide the legal service or where there is a legal obligation to do so.

4. Protection of Personal Data and Digital Privacy

As legal services are increasingly provided in a digital environment, professional confidentiality now has to be considered together with information security.

Care is taken to protect personal data and professional secrets in electronic documents, email correspondence, online meetings, digital case files and information stored in cloud systems.

In this context, the principles applied are data minimisation, prevention of unauthorised access, preference for secure communication methods and processing only the information needed for the legal service.

The detailed principles on the processing of personal data are set out separately in the Privacy Notice under the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (KVKK Aydınlatma Metni) published on the website.

5. Prevention of Conflicts of Interest

Before an attorney–client relationship is established, possible conflicts of interest are assessed to the extent necessary.

A legal matter may be declined if the interests of the parties conflict in the same or a related legal matter, if current or past professional relationships could affect independent judgement, or if there is any other circumstance under the professional rules that prevents the matter from being accepted.

For this reason, an initial enquiry made through the website, by email or by telephone does not mean that the legal matter has automatically been accepted.

6. Keeping the Client Informed

Explaining legal processes in an understandable way is an important part of a sound attorney–client relationship.

To the extent possible and necessary, explanations are given on:

the legal routes that may be pursued,
possible risks,
the main stages of the process,
the documents required,
alternative dispute resolution methods.

This is the guiding principle.

Because legal processes are complex, it is borne in mind that legislative changes, the actions of the opposing party, the state of the evidence and judicial assessments, all of which may affect the outcome, may be beyond anyone’s control.

7. Realistic Legal Assessment

The purpose of legal services is not simply to tell clients the result they want to hear.

If there is a risk in a lawsuit or legal transaction, stating that risk clearly; if the basis of a legal claim is weak, saying so; and if a more suitable solution exists, considering the alternatives are all regarded as part of professional responsibility.

This approach is also important in preventing unnecessary lawsuits and disputes.

8. Proportionality in Resolving Disputes

Not every legal dispute needs to be resolved through litigation. Depending on the particular facts, negotiation, mediation, arbitration or another legal solution may be more appropriate.

When choosing how to resolve a dispute, factors such as time, cost, the continuation of the commercial relationship and enforceability may be considered in addition to the protection of legal rights.

However, choosing an alternative dispute resolution method does not mean that the client gives up their legal rights.

9. Professional Responsibility towards Courts and Legal Institutions

The practice of law involves professional responsibility not only towards the client but also towards the justice system and the functioning of the law.

In dealings before courts, public prosecutors’ offices, enforcement offices (icra daireleri), mediation bodies, arbitral institutions and other official authorities, the principle is to maintain professional courtesy, legal integrity and compliance with the rules of procedure.

Arguing legal positions forcefully and maintaining professional respect towards judicial bodies and colleagues are not seen as conflicting concepts.

10. Conduct towards the Opposing Party and Colleagues

Firmly defending the client’s interests in a dispute does not justify conduct that harms the personal rights of the opposing party or of colleagues.

In professional communication, the principle is to avoid personal attacks, demeaning language or conduct that goes beyond the legal dimension of the dispute.

Keeping the tension between the parties to a dispute out of professional communication helps the legal process run smoothly.

11. No Guaranteed Outcomes and No Promises of Success

No outcome can be guaranteed in any legal process.

The outcome of lawsuits and legal transactions depends on many factors, such as the evidence, the legislation, case law, the actions of the opposing party and the assessments of administrative authorities or judicial bodies.

For this reason, expressions such as “certain to win”, “guaranteed result”, “definite solution” or similar are not part of the professional approach.

12. Avoiding Solicitation of Work

Because the legal profession is a public service and must remain professionally independent, legal services are not marketed like a commercial product.

The website and other digital communication channels are used within the limits of information and professional introduction.

In this context, the core principles include:

not making comparisons with other lawyers,
not claiming superiority or privilege,
not guaranteeing any outcome,
not using misleading statements aimed at attracting clients,
not reducing the profession to a commercial activity.

These are among the core principles.

In professional posts on the website, social media and other online platforms, care is taken to preserve the nature of the legal profession.

Legal content is published to provide general information on legal topics, not to steer particular persons, to obtain work or to create an impression of professional superiority.

The principle is that nothing is shared about ongoing files, client information or confidential legal processes that would breach the duty of professional secrecy.

14. Client Reviews, References and Success Stories

Given the nature of the practice of law, case outcomes and client relationships are not used as indicators of commercial success.

A favourable result in one file does not mean that the same result will be achieved in another dispute.

In line with the principles of professional confidentiality, the advertising ban and protecting the reputation of the legal profession, client files and legal processes are not used for promotional purposes.

15. Transparency in Fees

The scope of the attorney’s fee is determined by taking into account the nature of the legal work and the professional regulations.

When the service relationship is established, the aim is, as far as possible, to distinguish between the scope of the service, the basis of the fees and any court costs or third-party expenses that may arise separately.

The principle is that the attorney’s fee is not used as a tool for competition or for obtaining work in breach of the law and the professional rules.

16. Refusal of Unlawful Requests

The fact that a person requests legal advice does not mean that every action requested will be carried out.

Where a person requests an action that clearly breaches the law, the professional rules or the ethical principles of the legal profession, the matter may be declined or, in an existing relationship, the legal options permitted by the legislation may be considered.

The lawyer’s role is not to circumvent the legal system or render the rules ineffective, but to protect people’s rights within the legal order.

17. Non-Discrimination and Respect for Human Dignity

Legal services are provided with respect for human dignity and fundamental rights and freedoms.

No demeaning or discriminatory approach is taken on the basis of a person’s origin, gender, language, opinions, financial situation or other characteristics that deserve legal protection.

Legal assessment is based on the legal nature of the particular case rather than on the identity of the person.

18. Professional Responsibility in the Use of Technology

Although digital research tools, automation systems and artificial intelligence technologies may be used in legal services, the use of these tools does not remove the lawyer’s responsibility for professional judgement.

It is important to check, where necessary, the accuracy of results obtained through technological tools, to protect confidential information and to process personal data lawfully.

In particular, not transferring client secrets or sensitive information to third-party digital systems in an uncontrolled way is part of the data security approach.

19. Use of Artificial Intelligence in Legal Services

Artificial intelligence systems may be used for legal research, document analysis, classification and similar supporting tasks. However, an output generated by artificial intelligence should not be accepted as a final legal opinion without an independent legal assessment.

In determining the legal outcome, the principle is that the legislation, current court decisions, the case documents and the particular facts of the case are assessed by the lawyer.

The speed and efficiency that technology offers do not replace the personal responsibility and the duty of professional diligence that the legal profession requires.

20. Responsibility in Preparing Legal Content

The legal content published on the website is intended to be as accurate, clear and informative as possible.

However, it should be borne in mind that legal rules may change over time, new court decisions may be issued and the same provision may be applied differently in different cases.

For this reason, the content on the website is for general information only and does not replace legal advice tailored to an individual.

21. Continuous Professional Development

Law is a field that evolves constantly through changes in legislation and case law. Developments in technology, data security, artificial intelligence, digital commerce and international transactions are reshaping many traditional areas of law.

Following current regulations, new court decisions and legal developments in professional work, and drawing on academic and technical sources where needed, are part of professional diligence.

22. Purpose of this Ethics Statement

This Ethics Statement is not a contractual undertaking that guarantees any particular legal outcome or standard of service. Its purpose is to set out, publicly and clearly, the core ethical approach on which the professional activities of Attorney Ezgi Çalışkan are based.

As Attorney Ezgi Çalışkan, I work with the understanding that practising law is not merely about resolving disputes or preparing legal documents, but is a public service that requires independence, trust, confidentiality, honesty and commitment to the rule of law. As my core ethical approach, I place at the centre of my professional decisions compliance with the law, openness towards the client and the responsibility to protect the trustworthiness of the legal profession.

This English text is provided for information. In case of any discrepancy, the Turkish version prevails.

The ethical principles underlying professional work