Overview
Unlike some of its European neighbours, Turkey has been relatively unscathed by the global economic crisis. Law firms certainly experienced a dip in work, but for the most part managed well. The size of Turkey’s population and domestic market, plus the resilience of the banks has helped it weather the drop in foreign investment. It is perhaps for this reason that Turkey’s legal market has become increasingly attractive to foreign law firms. In 2009, there were just five foreign law firms operating in the market, with White & Case Müsavirlik Ltd. Sirketi the most prominent. 2010 saw the arrival of four more: DLA Piper Danismanlik Hizmetleri Avukatlik Ortakligi, Clifford Chance, Kinstellar Danismanlik Hizmetleri Avukatlik Ortakligi, and Schoenherr. Their official presence on the ground remains fairly small, but some of the associations they have formed, most notably DLA Piper Danismanlik Hizmetleri Avukatlik Ortakligi’s alliance with YukselKarkinKucuk, could make a lasting impression on the market (for more information see the ‘Foreign firms’ section).
Within the domestic legal market itself, few changes have occurred. The big shift has been in the broader judicial system, which is being reformed following a successful referendum on 12 September 2010. This will give parliament greater influence over the appointment of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors. It will also limit the power of the military courts and prohibit them from trying civilians. The detractors say this will pose a threat to judicial independence and Turkey’s secularist tradition. Supporters, however, feel it is more important to curb the power of the military.