The Pioneer of Turkish Lawyers

Attorney Akbulut’s journey began in 1982 when he came to the United States with his wife, who attended a bank-training program.   His wife completed her bank-training program and began working in the banking industry in New York.  Meanwhile, Mr. Akbulut decided to pursue legal studies. 
 
Mr. Akbulut finished his legal studies and worked several part-time jobs until he passed the New York State Bar Exam and began working with the Law Offices of Peter J. Kelley in New York City.
 
 “To my knowledge, I am the first Turkish-American who came to the United States as a foreign graduate and became a licensed attorney in the United States,” Akbulut notes.  As stated by Mr. Akbulut, his distinction is that “traditionally others are born and complete their studies in the United States, pass the Bar, and then become a lawyer.”
 
After gaining fourteen years of legal experience, including his active involvement in several Turkish-American non-profit organizations and societies, Mr. Akbulut opened his own law practice.  He has pioneered the path for Turkish law students who have graduated abroad and want to become attorneys in the United States.  Now, perhaps as a result of the achievements of Mr. Akbulut, many Turkish law professionals have followed in his steps.  There are now at least twenty Turkish-American lawyers practicing in the New York metropolitan area with a dual degree in Turkey and the United States.
 
Attorney Akbulut proudly notes that both of his sons, Salih Zeki Akbulut and Ben Hasan Akbulut, have followed his footsteps and are now practicing attorneys in New York.