The Legal 500

ELIG, Attorneys-at-Law’s comprehensive competition and antitrust practice remains the one to beat on all fronts. Merger notifications to the Competition Board have become a staple of the firm, and few can match it in terms of volume. The firm has also been involved on more complicated investigations and recently advised 13 Peugeot dealers on a cartel investigation before the Turkish Competition Authority. Other clients have included Warner Bros, Lafarge Beton and Red Bull. Gonenc Gurkaynak has an excellent reputation.

Mehtap Yildirim Öztürk heads a strong team at Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu, which has an excellent reputation for regulatory matters. Highlights included advising Garanti Bank on challenging a record fine imposed by the Competition Board. Visa Europe is also a client.

Seçil Abali heads a strong three-lawyer team at Cerrahoglu Law Firm. The practice provides excellent support to the firm’s market-leading corporate practice, and recently advised Sungenta Crop Protection on issues relating to its acquisition of assets in Monsanto’s sunflower business.

Senior partner Ercument Erdem of Erdem & Erdem Law Office has an excellent reputation for competition matters. The firm has acted for several major clients including Mey Içki Sanayi ve Ticaret, Supreme Foods and Yildirim Holding.

Derya Genç is the main contact for competition work at Hergüner Bilgen Özeke, which provides excellent support to the firm’s market-leading corporate practice. Major recent clients include Pepsi Bottling Group Turkey, Siemens and Turkven Private Equity Fund.

Ismen Law Firm has an excellent reputation for competition and antitrust matters. This is largely down to the reputation of name partner Tolga Ismen, who is one of Turkey’s best competition lawyers. Recently it was instructed on the controversial merger filing regarding Novartis’s acquisition of a 52% shareholding in Alcon.

Paksoy’s highly-rated four-lawyer competition practice is led by Togan Turan and advises its international clients on M&A clearances, antitrust issues and investigations. Highlights included advising BNP Paribas on Turkish competitions issues related to its merger with Fortis.

The ‘terrific’ Efser Zeynep Ergün has helped establish a very strong practice at YukselKarkinKucuk, which ‘stands one head above its Turkish rivals in competition law’. Highlights included advising Turk Telecom on its acquisition of Invitel. Other clients include TUI Travel, Johnson & Johnson and KLM.

Çaga & Çaga Law Firm has a very good track record advising clients from the media and entertainment sector, and regularly represents them before the competition board. Barbaros Çaga heads the team.

Ersoy Bilgehan Lawyers & Consultants regularly advises major international clients on investigations, merger notifications and joint venture clearances. Eren Gonen and Dogan Eymirlioglu are both recommended.

Güner Law Office has a good track record in domestic competition matters and has recently prepared several notification files to the Turkish Competition Board within the energy and chemicals sectors. On the EU front, the firm benefits greatly from its collaboration with SNR Denton.

Mehmet Gün & Partners has an excellent regulatory practice, and is particularly strong in the pharmaceuticals and healthcare sector where it represents most of the big names in the industry. Nese Önder heads the team.

Pekin & Bayar Law Firm’s market-leading corporate practice ensures that the firm’s lawyers are very experienced in competition and antitrust matters.

Pekin & Pekin’s high-quality competition practice forms a vital part of the firm’s market-leading corporate offering. The group, headed by Osman Akin, has been involved in several milestone merger clearances, including that of a major international bank’s investment into a leading Turkish bank.

Akol Avukatlik Bürosu’s first-rate corporate team is backed up by an experienced competition practice, that has cut its teeth on a regular flow of instructions.

Highly-rated disputes specialist Utku Cosar heads the competition practice at Cosar Attorneys at Law, which has strong experience in competition and antitrust law.

Kolcuoglu Demirkan benefits greatly from the competition expertise of Huseyin Karabulut, who remains a counsel at the firm and provides excellent support to the firm’s corporate team.

Özel & Özel’s competition and antitrust practice provides capable support to the firm’s corporate team. Ekin Güncan is the main adviser on this front.

Turunç acts for several major clients in the automotive sector, including General Motors and Chevrolet. Esin Çamlibel is the key contact.