Ex-Linklaters Counsel Ceyhun Pehlivan launches Cornerstone Counsel, an international boutique focused on technology, digital and commercial law  

Ceyhun Necati Pehlivan, known to clients and colleagues as "Cey", has launched Cornerstone Counsel, a new boutique law firm based in Madrid focused on high-value advisory in technology, digital and commercial law, including data protection, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

A technology lawyer with over 15 years of experience across Spain and Europe, Pehlivan recently departed Linklaters, where he served as Counsel and led the TMT & IP practice in Madrid for nearly eight years. Prior to this, he developed his career at leading international law firms, including DLA Piper in Madrid, and gained in-house experience at Philips’ global headquarters in Amsterdam. He began his legal career at the Swiss firm Lenz & Staehelin in Geneva.

The launch comes at a time of significant transformation in the legal market, driven by increasing regulatory complexity and the growing impact of technology on business models.

"There is a growing demand in Spain and across Europe for highly specialised, strategic and accessible legal advice. Companies are increasingly looking for direct, sophisticated support aligned with their business realities," Pehlivan explains.

Cornerstone Counsel is positioned as an international boutique advising companies, startups, scale-ups, investors and organisations operating in complex digital and technological environments, as well as on commercial matters linked to these sectors. The firm adopts a practical, strategic and business-oriented approach and already advises clients across Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom, in addition to international projects with a strong cross-border dimension.

The firm also brings a well-established international footprint in Latin America, where Pehlivan has regularly worked on multi-jurisdictional matters coordinated from Madrid, supported by a network of leading local firms and practitioners. His experience in the region includes advising on complex projects in data protection, cybersecurity and emerging artificial intelligence regulatory frameworks.

In this context, he has been involved in high-impact matters in Latin America, including large-scale cybersecurity incidents and strategic regulatory and constitutional proceedings related to data protection, working closely with local counsel and international clients. His practice also includes advising on international transactions with a significant Latin American component, such as the structuring of global media and entertainment platforms backed by international investors, with operations across the United States, Europe and Latin America.

In parallel, Artificial intelligence continues to emerge as a central driver of transformation. The increasing adoption of AI tools by companies is accompanied by new regulatory requirements, particularly in the European Union. "Technology—and artificial intelligence in particular—is redefining both the business environment and the legal sector. Companies require increasingly specialised advice that integrates technical, regulatory and strategic expertise," Pehlivan notes.

Alongside his professional practice, Pehlivan is Adjunct Professor and Academic Director at IE Law School, where he teaches in areas related to technology, data protection and cybersecurity. In recent years, his academic work has focused on artificial intelligence, acting as co-editor and co-author of two leading publications published by Wolters Kluwer, bringing together more than 90 high-level experts, including judges of the General Court of the European Union, regulators and leading academics.

Throughout his career, Pehlivan has been consistently recognised by major international legal directories. Legal 500 recently named him Next Generation TMT Partner of the Year in Spain and Portugal, describing him as a "technology authority" and a leading TMT lawyer. Chambers and Partners ranks him as a Leading Individual in TMT: Data Protection (Band 3, Europe, since 2024). He has also been recognised by Iberian Lawyer as one of the Top 10 Cybersecurity Lawyers in Spain and among the Top 50 Rising Stars in Spain and Portugal. He is included in the Lexology 100 Data list, identifying the world’s leading data lawyers, and has been recognised by Best Lawyers for seven consecutive years (since 2020) in Privacy/Data Protection and Corporate/M&A.

The name Cornerstone Counsel reflects the firm’s international outlook and strategic approach.

"Cornerstone represents the solid foundation upon which organisations build their projects. It also reflects our commitment to delivering top-tier, highly specialised legal advice, with a close, tailored and partner-led approach. Our ambition is to become a trusted advisor, providing clarity, stability and strategic direction in an increasingly complex regulatory environment," stated Ceyhun.

The firm launches with a clear focus on high-value, specialised advisory, built on an agile and focused model with direct partner involvement and long-term strategic support for clients.

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