Meet the LL.M. Class: Anıl Can Çetinkaya of Turkey

Meet LL.M. student Anıl Can Çetinkaya of Istanbul, Turkey, who helped finance his legal education by performing translation/ subtitle work for a vendor that services large streaming companies, such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime. For this reason, Çetinkaya says he says watching a movie or TV seems like work to him, and he prefers to be active in his free time. Perhaps not surprisingly given his background with streaming content, his primary legal area of interest is intellectual property. 

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Can you discuss a little bit about your background?

I was struggling to pay my tuition in law school, my family could not support me. I started working for small companies as a translator, then moved up the ladder. I worked on the contents of companies such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and many more via some known vendors in the industry. That’s how I managed to pay my tuition and helped my family.

What are a few opportunities and challenges of being a lawyer in Turkey?

The city of Istanbul has a population of 18 million, more people than some countries in Europe. More people means more legal work. Turkish parliament amends some laws and passes new ones almost every week, following everything in order to not get behind is a huge challenge.

What is your professional goal in enrolling in an LL.M. Program?

I want to learn more about common law systems. I already know a civil law system. To be a successful international lawyer, you must be versatile and not limited to a single region, let alone a single country. Also it will help me take the New York Bar exam.

Why did you select Minnesota Law as the place to get you LL.M.?

Turkish alumni of Minnesota Law said great things about the place. And Minnesota Law is consistently climbing up the ladder in the list of best law schools in the U.S. I had eight offers from top 30 law schools, but I decided to go with Minnesota Law.

Minnesota Law is a place known for putting an emphasis on leadership. What does leadership mean to you?

I worked as quality assurance (QA) lead and project management  (PM) in some localization companies, so I have some leadership experience. People must believe in you, your capabilities and good intentions. They will show their true potential only if they respect you for those reasons. The most important thing is empathy. If you can understand the feelings and thoughts of people, you will know what you need to do to keep them going.

What are your hobbies/interests?

I would say watching movies and TV shows, but unfortunately doing that makes me feel like I am working. I love weightlifting, kickboxing, and writing. I would like to write a novel in the future.

How do you plan to spend your free time in Minnesota/ the United States?

I am planning to volunteer for some charity work in some clinics to help unfortunate people, if I can find any opportunities. But other than that, it’s my first time coming to the U.S. and I want to experience the culture, blend in with the locals, and do what they do.

What three words best describe you?

Audaces fortuna iuvat (“Fortune favors the bold”)