Irem.Cengiz

§  Friday, 10 July 2026  ·  Berlin, Germany

IremCengiz.

Legal Counsel · Berlin

Counsel for technology, founders & boards.

Technology lawyer with 5+ years of law-firm and in-house experience across corporate, commercial, IP, and regulatory matters — advising 50+ clients in Web3, fintech, blockchain, and health-tech on transactions, compliance, and data protection. Member of the Istanbul Bar Association since 2020.

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Portrait of Irem Cengiz
Plate I.The counsel, photographed.2026
II.

Track Record

Selected positions

Jun 2024 — Present

In-House

define creative GmbH

Legal Counsel·Berlin, Germany

  • Prepare and negotiate commercial agreements across technology and creative industries, including software development, NFT licensing, artist collaboration, exhibition, and media license agreements.
  • Advise on corporate and governance matters, including company formation, shareholder resolutions, convertible loan agreements, and joint venture structuring.
  • Coordinate external international counsel and notaries to execute cross-border corporate restructuring and entity management.
  • Manage GDPR/BDSG compliance workflows while advising project management teams on data protection risks throughout the project lifecycle.

Jun 2022 — Jan 2024

Law Firm

Vircon Legal

Legal & Compliance Counsel·Istanbul · remote, venture-focused

  • Reviewed and advised on day-to-day commercial contracts, including SaaS, MSA, employment, NDA, vendor, and distribution agreements.
  • Supported pre-seed and Series A investment transactions, including SAFEs, convertible notes, and shareholder agreements.
  • Drafted and negotiated SAFTs, token sale agreements, token warrants, and other Web3 fundraising documents.
  • Developed intellectual property assignment and contractor documentation frameworks for venture-backed companies.
  • Prepared legal opinions on token classification under Delaware law.
  • Drafted and implemented privacy policies and DPAs to ensure compliance with global data protection regulations, particularly GDPR, UK GDPR, and CCPA/CPRA.
  • Independently managed Turkish-to-Delaware flip-up transactions for startup clients.

Mar 2021 — Jun 2022

Hybrid

Tevetoglu Legal & Bitci Technology

IT Lawyer·Istanbul · seconded in-house

Technology Advisory & In-House Secondment

  • Seconded as in-house counsel to Bitci Technology, a global crypto exchange, aligning product development with regulatory strategy.
  • Managed technology contracts throughout their lifecycle, covering cloud services, SLAs, and software licenses.
  • Drafted equity compensation plans, employment agreements, and contractor agreements for startup clients.
  • Ensured AML/CFT compliance by auditing operational policies against FATF global standards.
  • Advised fintech clients on legal due diligence for M&A transactions and corporate restructurings.
  • Drafted and negotiated crypto exchange listing agreements and prepared legal opinions on token classifications.

Litigation & Regulatory Liaison

  • Acted as primary legal contact with regulatory and enforcement authorities, including the Financial Crimes Investigation Board and prosecution offices.
  • Represented clients in litigation involving intellectual property, commercial disputes, and contractual claims.

Jan 2020 — Jun 2020

Law Firm

Batu Law & Consultancy

Attorney at Law·Istanbul, Turkey

  • Drafted, reviewed, and revised petitions and extrajudicial correspondence.
  • Supported litigation processes from case preparation through courtroom proceedings.
  • Assisted with real estate, commercial, and contract law matters.

Dec 2018 — Nov 2019

Law Firm

Aydın & Aydın Attorney Partnership

Legal Intern·Istanbul, Turkey

  • Assisted senior attorneys with litigation by drafting petitions and procedural correspondence.
  • Liaised with court registry clerks and enforcement offices on behalf of ongoing legal cases.

Jul 2018 — Aug 2018

Law Firm

Çınar & Çınar Law Firm

Summer Intern·Istanbul, Turkey

  • Conducted legal research on international trade, contracts, and commercial law matters.
III.

Practice

Areas of work

i.

Technology & Regulation

Cross-border tech regulation, commercial contracts, and digital-asset frameworks for product and platform teams.

  • Technology transactions—
  • Data privacy — GDPR / BDSG—
  • IP licensing—
  • Blockchain & Web3—
  • Fintech & crypto regulation—
  • Startup advisory—
  • AML / CFT — FATF—

ii.

Corporate & Finance

Advising management and venture-backed startups across financing rounds, governance, and corporate structuring.

  • Equity financing — pre-seed / Series A—
  • SAFEs & convertible notes—
  • Shareholder agreements—
  • Venture capital—
  • Corporate governance—
  • Company formation—
  • M&A transactions—
  • Corporate restructuring—
  • Contract negotiation—
IV.

Schooling

Education & languages

2024 — 2026

Dresden, Germany

International Studies in Intellectual Property Law & Data Law, LL.M. — Dissertation: “Adapting Cross-Border Data Transfers to the Post-Schrems II Environment”

Technische Universität Dresden

2014 — 2018

Istanbul, Turkey

Bachelor of Laws, LL.B.

Marmara University

Languages

Turkish
Native
English
Fluent
German
Elementary

Qualified to advise on cross-border transactions in English and Turkish environments, with working German for local matters.

V.

Correspondence

Get in touch

Inquiry slip

Replies typically within two business days.