MELİS BELİBAĞLI BULUZ
Lawyer – Mediator
I graduated from the Eastern Mediterranean University Faculty of Law in 2014, having taken TOLES courses between 2009 and 2014. I decided to enroll in these courses to utilize English effectively in my professional life and to evaluate international career opportunities. The lessons were highly beneficial and engaging, as they focused directly on the legal terminology we use in practice. I successfully completed the process by scoring 78 out of 100 in the TOLES Foundation exam.
Since I began my career as a lawyer, I have realized that proficiency in English is indispensable, especially in regions with intense commercial activity. The city where I practice is a bustling hub for trade and logistics, featuring both a customs zone and a major port. Given the high volume of trade, the frequency of legal and administrative disputes is naturally high. Furthermore, since it is a customs zone, it is crucial for companies to correctly implement the taxes and administrative regulations imposed by customs authorities. When foreign companies face legal or administrative sanctions, they seek clear guidance on the best course of action, including judicial remedies and the potential outcomes.
As a lawyer, I provide legal consultancy in English to foreign companies regarding their customs and administrative procedures in Türkiye, while also managing their customs and tax litigation. This expertise facilitates seamless communication with foreign clients and ensures long-term professional relationships. Similarly, for Turkish clients who trade internationally but may not be proficient in English, our involvement ensures their agreements are built on a solid legal foundation, providing them with economic and commercial security.
Even for a legal fee agreement with a foreign client to be valid, it must either be concluded in the presence of an interpreter or written in a language common to both parties. This is exactly where TOLES puts us a step ahead; it allows me to communicate accurately and swiftly with my clients and counterparts without the need for an intermediary.
Based on these experiences, I highly recommend TOLES courses to all students. The true value of these courses becomes most apparent in professional life, where professional language proficiency will always carry you several steps forward.
Email: arb.mbelibaglibuluz@gmail.com
MÜGE KARABIYIK GEZER
I attended a 10-hour, bespoke Legal English course specifically designed to meet our professional needs. The primary objective of the program was to distinguish between Criminal Law and the Law of Tort, with a particular focus on collocations—a specific area we, as participants, requested.
The course was highly interactive, featuring a wide range of student-centered tasks, including assignments, case studies, and legal writing exercises. I highly recommend this tailored approach to law students and legal professionals seeking to refine their expertise in Legal English.
Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to our tutor, Peril, for her unwavering support, understanding, and the dedicated time she invested in our professional development.
Email: Mugekgezer@gmail.com
TRNC Attorney General’s Office
BUĞRAHAN KOCABAŞ
Lawyer
I am a Turkish-origin lawyer with German nationality and a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Eastern Mediterranean University (2015–2021). I was born in Bonn, Germany, in 1996 and completed my primary education there. After moving to Türkiye during high school, I focused on improving my foreign language skills, especially since I already had a strong background in German and English. For me, learning languages is not just a requirement, but a personal interest and a valuable professional skill. This is what led me to the TOLES (Test of Legal English Skills) program.
I joined the TOLES program to improve my Legal English for professional use. I completed levels 1 to 4 and achieved a “Very Good” result. The training helped me better understand the importance of precise legal language and showed how even small linguistic errors can lead to serious misunderstandings in professional contexts.
While preparing for the TOLES Foundation exam, I also worked at several law firms and gained practical experience. Despite a busy schedule, I successfully passed the exam with a score of 78/100.
One of my main goals was to work with international clients. Through this process, I improved my communication skills and began working more effectively with foreign clients, building stronger mutual trust. Although legal language can be complex, I learned how to express legal matters in a clearer and more practical way.
Currently, I provide legal consultancy to both national and international clients through my own law firm. I also travel regularly to the United Kingdom for meetings and to provide independent legal services. In addition, I have managed legal processes for commercial activities between Turkish clients and U.S. companies. These achievements have been supported by the skills I developed during my legal training.
Founder of BK Law & Consultancy
Contact Details:
Email: info@bk.av.tr / bugrahan.kocabas@outlook.com
Phone: +90 312 504 20 33
As a graduate of Eastern Mediterranean University, I must state that the TOLES program has played a significant role in my career. I am currently working as an attorney at the prestigious Ledra Law Firm. The TOLES course significantly enhanced my legal terminology, which has had a clear impact on my communication and correspondence with foreign clients. To supplement my Legal English capabilities, I have completed several online courses in various fields of law. While taking TOLES courses, I had no difficulty studying the content. The course materials helped improve my proficiency. As a result, I successfully obtained my certificates.
The TOLES exam offers a unique opportunity to advance your language skills, ranging from mastering basic terminology to drafting and analysing specialized legal documents. It provides a comprehensive platform for gaining a deeper understanding across a wide range of legal areas, including contract law, employment law, banking law, tort law, commercial law, and company law. For the TOLES Foundation exam, I achieved a successful score of 76 out of 100.
As I prepare for my master's degree in London, I included my TOLES certificate in my university applications and highly recommend it to anyone looking to strengthen their profile for international academic opportunities.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my instructors for introducing me to the TOLES program and for their contributions to my success.
Asude Arifoğlu
Attorney at Law
Ledra Law Firm
Email: arifoglua@gmail.com
I am Varol İlker Ersalan, a 2024 graduate of the Faculty of Law at Eastern Mediterranean University. Following my graduation, I commenced my legal internship in Northern Cyprus, and I am currently completing my training at Sağlamer Law Office in Famagusta. I am scheduled to complete my internship within the next four months.
The legal framework of Northern Cyprus is based on the Common Law system. A significant portion of the statutes and chapters enacted during the British colonial period remains in force within our jurisdiction. Furthermore, English court decisions continue to serve as highly influential legal precedents and hold a pivotal place in our judicial system.
Given that our legal infrastructure is rooted in the English system and relies heavily on its jurisprudence, proficiency in Legal English is an indispensable asset for any practitioner in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Having completed my TOLES (Test of Legal English Skills) training during my university education, I successfully passed the examination, which has proven to be a cornerstone of my professional development. Law is inherently a field that demands constant interaction with individuals from diverse backgrounds; thus, the specialized linguistic skills I acquired through TOLES have provided me with a distinct professional advantage.
In my current practice, we engage with an international clientele across both civil and criminal law matters. In such a globalized environment, a strong command of Legal English is essential for effective representation. I strongly recommend the TOLES program to any legal professional aspiring to practice in the TRNC, as it is a vital tool for mastering the nuances of our legal system.
Varol İlker Ersalan
Legal Intern / Candidate Attorney at Law
Sağlamer Law Office
email: varolilker1903@gmail.com
Lawyer, Batuhan Altıntaş
My name is Batuhan Altıntaş. I graduated from the Faculty of Law in the spring of 2019. After graduation, I returned to Çorlu, Tekirdağ, to begin my legal internship, and I have been living here ever since.
After completing my internship, I started working at Gündüz Law Office, where I currently work as one of the partner lawyers.
Çorlu is an industrial city where international trade is quite common. For this reason, I believed that improving my legal English would be beneficial to my professional career. I have always had an interest in foreign languages, so developing my legal English seemed like a valuable step in my professional growth.
Compared to the traditional legal education we received at university, the TOLES classes were quite enjoyable and even more motivating than I had expected. At the same time, legal English is very different from everyday English, so there were moments when the learning process felt somewhat challenging.
After completing my TOLES training at university, I took the exam and passed it successfully. However, I also realized that this certification alone might not be enough. For that reason, I decided to take other English proficiency exams as well and add them to my CV. Even though I may not need this level of English every day in my work, I wanted to be prepared because opportunities can arise at any time.
Today, we provide legal consultancy to several client companies involved in export activities, especially in matters related to contract law. In such situations, having a good command of legal English can be very helpful.
For lawyers who would like to work in a more corporate environment and become part of an international legal practice, I would definitely recommend devoting time to TOLES and Legal English.
Gündüz Law Firm
E-posta: avaltintasbatuhan@gmail.com
