The Legal 500

ELIG, Attorneys-at-Law’s 13-lawyer competition practice remains a clear market leader with a strong client portfolio which includes ExxonMobil, Coca-Cola, Monsanto, Apple Inc and L’Óreal. It has been instructed by clients to act in eight of the nine new investigations launched by the Turkish Competition Board (TCB), and is representing Warner Bros before the High Court in its appeal against a fine imposed by the TCB. The ‘very respected and successful’ Gönenç Gürkaynak heads the practice.

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu provides ‘strong expertise’ in competition law and is regularly instructed to advise on competition aspects of M&A and corporate transactions, as well as giving compliance advice. It successfully represented Lafarge Beton before the Turkish Administrative Court challenging a fine imposed by the TCB. Other clients include Centerra, Garanti Bank, and Visa Europe. Mehtap Yildirim Öztürk and of counsel Gamze Oz are recommended.

M&A filings, negative clearance and exemption applications are all staple aspects of Cerrahoglu Law Firm’s competition practice. It draws its clients from various sectors including agriculture, construction, energy and pharmaceuticals. It represented Coca-Cola and United International Pictures in TCB investigations. Seçil Abali is recommended.

Erdem & Erdem Law Office regularly advises clients, such as Carrefour, on general competition compliance, merger notifications and negative clearance applications. It is acting for Mey Içki in a TCB investigation regarding the removal of the block exemption to its distribution agreements. Ercüment Erdem is recommended.

Ismen Law Firm’s competition practice is highly recommended, although clients would welcome a larger team. It advises on merger filings – acting for clients such as Seagate Technology, Franklin Electric and Dellawood Holdings – and is well versed in representing clients in TCB investigations. Tolga Ismen has ‘excellent knowledge in the field of competition law’.

Mehmet Gün & Partners has ‘a strong team of competent lawyers’ that are ‘quick and knowledgeable’, and provide ‘excellent service’. It advises a number of pharmaceuticals companies on matters including competition aspects of distribution strategies. Of counsel Nese Önder and team head Mehmet Gün are recommended. Sevi Bozoglu was promoted to the partnership in late 2010.

Paksoy provides general competition law advice to clients including Dow Chemicals, TimeWarner and Ferrero. It also advised Diageo on the Mey Içki acquisition. Pivotal figure Togan Turan is ‘very familiar with regulatory matters’.

YukselKarkinKucuk’s Zeynep Ergun is ‘one of the few genuine experts in her field for competition law’. The group regularly acts for clients in merger notifications and investigation work, and is representing Efes in a TCB antitrust investigation.

Çaga & Çaga Law Firm’s comprehensive competition practice represents clients before the TCB and undertakes competition litigation and general consultancy. It has a strong following in the media industry. Barbaros Çaga is recommended.

Ersoy Bilgehan Lawyers & Consultants has particular expertise in merger control, distribution and franchising law. Dogan Eymirlioglu is ‘excellent to work with’.

Güner Law Office provides comprehensive competition advice. It recently successfully obtained TCB clearance on Accell Group NV’s 100% share acquisition of Bianchi Bisiklet AS.

Hergüner Bilgen Özeke’s team complements the corporate practice: it advised Knorr Bremse on TCB clearance of a joint venture, and Yildiz Group on clearance for the acquisition of Sok Marketler. Kayra Üçer, Piraye Kuranel and Ayse Bilgen are the main contacts. Derya Genç joined Esin Attorney Partnership, a Member Firm of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein.

Pekin & Pekin recently acted on several pre-merger notifications and merger control matters. Ali Sanver heads the practice.

Turunç worked impressively during a recent TCB investigation of automotive manufacturers: it acted for General Motors, which was one of only four companies not to be fined. Esin Çamlibel is recommended.

Sezin Elcin Cengiz recently joined Akol Avukatlik Bürosu as a competition adviser. The team is involved in a large number of merger filings and recently acted for Danone on TCB filings for the merger by incorporation of Numico. Unicredit and National Commercial Bank are also clients.

Özel & Özel’s competition group, headed by Haluk Can Özel, recently obtained TCB clearance for OMV Enerji’s acquisition of 54% of Petrol Ofisi’s shares.

Pekin & Bayar Law Firm has expertise in Turkish and European competition rules. It advises across the board on competition matters including merger control and negative clearance applications, and also represents clients in TCB investigations.

Birsel Law Offices has represented a number of clients before the TCB recently with respect to sanctions imposed for violating competition rules.

Utku Cosar heads the competition work at Cosar Avukatlik Burosu, which is representing a client in investigations and challenges to a TCB decision.