Professor Esra Bicen is our Managing Partner and heads our project teams. She has over 20 years of experience as a litigator and a transaction lawyer in Turkey and in the United States. An originally European trained jurist, her extensive experience as a litigation lawyer in the United States is unique, which sets her apart and makes her well-regarded by her peers. She is a highly sought-after expert by local and international Clients for her seasoned advocacy skills at both trial and appellate levels and qualifications both in law and finance, which enable her to advise on investment strategy as well as to develop creative business solutions in overcoming conflict. Her practice, lectures and publications focus on corporate, commercial (gaming, fintech, healthcare) and financial compliance, ISDA, EPC, procurement contracts and international arbitration. She advises corporations in large scale cross-border acquisitions, venture capital investments, public tenders and international arbitration involving investment, commercial and construction disputes. She started practicing law with a leading Istanbul law firm in 1997, specializing in international investments, cross-border financings, public tenders and dispute resolution. From 2003 until 2008, she practiced complex civil litigation with a leading American trial litigation firm. Upon her return to Turkey the same year, she joined Ernst Young, where she served as one of the four Cluster Heads responsible for Ernst Young Central and Southeast Europe area General Counsel Office and co-headed Ernst Young Danışmanlık Ltd., EY’s investment consulting firm in Turkey. In 2011, she was appointed as a part-time faculty member at John F. Kennedy University, School of Law, which made her move to private law practice with a tier-one Istanbul law firm. Since 2015, she departed to dedicate her time to teach at John F. Kennedy University, School of Law on international contracts and international arbitration and has maintained her law practice, EB LEGAL, in Istanbul and Silicon Valley.

Bar Admissions

Istanbul
New York

Education

Business Economics/MBA, Corporate Finance, Derivative Instruments MILLS Lorey I. Lokey School of Business and Public Policy, CA, USA (Dean’s List all semesters, Barbara Wolfe Fellow)
LLB Istanbul University, Faculty of Law (Vedat Ardahan Scholar all semesters)
LLM, Securities, Banking, Mergers & Acquisitions Tulane University, School of Law, LA, USA (Graduate Assistant to Prof. Ole Lando Research Topic: PECL – Principles of European Contract Law)

MEMBERSHIPS AND AWARDS

National Scholastic Achievement Award, USA
Member, American Bars Association
Member, New York State Bar Association
Member, Union of Turkish Bar Associations
Member, Istanbul Bar Association
Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Member, CTC – Capital Turkish Connections
Member, TKYD – Corporate Governance Association of Turkey
Founding Member, ILI – International Law Institute, Istanbul Chapter

SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS

Author/Speaker: “Fraud & White-Collar Crime Virtual Round Table”, The Corporate Live Wire, 2019.
Author: “The International Comparative Legal Guide to International Arbitration 4th Edition – Turkey Chapter”, Global Legal Insights – Global Legal Group Ltd., 2018
Author: “The International Comparative Legal Guide to Anti Money Laundering 1st Edition – Turkey Chapter”, ICLG – Global Legal Group Ltd., 2018
Author: “The International Comparative Legal Guide to Gambling 4th Edition – Turkey Chapter”, ICLG – Global Legal Group Ltd., 2018
Author: “Insolvency and Directors’ Duties 6th Edition – Turkey Chapter”, Practical Law Global Guides - Thomson Reuters - Sweet & Maxwell International Series, 2018
Author: “Gaming Law 4th Edition - Turkey Chapter”, Practical Law Global Guides - Thomson Reuters - Sweet & Maxwell International Series, 2018
Author: “Insolvency and Directors’ Duties 5th Edition – Turkey Chapter”, Practical Law Global Guides - Thomson Reuters - Sweet & Maxwell International Series, 2017
Author: “Gaming Law 3rd Edition - Turkey Chapter”, Practical Law Global Guides - Thomson Reuters - Sweet & Maxwell International Series, 2016
Author: “Turkey Phase-in of Basel III Capital Reforms Progresses Amid Worries of the Banking Industry”, EB LEGAL Academy Law Review Series, 2015
Author: “Yes, But Not Enough – Despite Tax Exemptions Financial Leasing Companies Are Still Prejudiced”, Hergüner Bilgen Özeke Spring Newsletter 2014
Reviewer for the Union of Turkish Bar Associations: “Draft Attorney’s Code” prepared by the Ministry of Justice Scientific Sub-Committee, 2014
Reviewer for Hergüner Bilgen Özeke: “The Tax Disputes and Litigation Review – Turkey Chapter”, Law Business Research Ltd., 2013
Panelist Speaker: “How to Improve the Turkish Legal Education System”, Istanbul University, Faculty of Law Career Conferences, 2013
Co-author: “The Limitation of Carrier’s Liability Under Turkish Law”, Aybay Publications Ltd., Istanbul, 2000
Co-author: “Recent Developments in Compulsory Insurance”, 3 Turkish Shipping World Journal, Istanbul, 1997

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