The Legal 500

Despite the departure of former name partners Emre Derman and Aydin Düren, Akol Avukatlik Bürosu continues to impress on the corporate front and clearly benefits from the firm’s affiliation with White & Case Müsavirlik Ltd. Sirketi. The firm represents an impressive range of international clients, including National Commercial Bank, Saudi Arabia’s largest bank, which it advised on $1bn acquisition of a 60% stake in Turkiye Finans Katilim Bankasi, Turkey’s largest Islamic bank. Meltem Akol and Rozita Nigrin-Borden are highly recommended.

Cerrahoglu Law Firm has a long and distinguished track record for corporate work that few other Turkish firms can match, and managing partner Fadullah Cerrahoglu is one of the market’s best-known practitioners. Major recent instructions include representing ING in its acquisition of Oyakbank, and acting for Continental Caoutchouc-Export Aktiengesellschaft in its acquisition of its Turkish tyre dealer, Oltas, from Koc Holding. The team also includes Bekir Aroma, who is recommended for his tax expertise, Selen Gures and Aysegul Mertler.

EsinIsmen is making strides in M&A and general corporate work. Headline deals include advising Koc Holding on the $1.7bn sale of the supermarket chain Migros, as well as advising Carlyle Group on the acquisition of TVK shipyard. Having already offered advice to BAT on the privatisation of TEKEL, it was also sole adviser to the company on TEKEL’s post-acquisition restructuring. Other major clients include Diageo, Hilton International and Pfizer.

International clients consider Hergüner Bilgen Özeke’s ‘very, very good’ corporate practice to be ‘well positioned to address large projects in a short period of time, on a very broad multi-disciplinary basis.’ Ümit Hergüner and Ender Ozeke are both extremely well regarded, as is Itir Sevim Ciftci for her ‘strong technical knowledge, combined with the patience necessary to assure clear client understanding.’ Kayra Ucer is singled out for his ‘very good knowledge of company law and good commercial view,’ while Kemal Mamak is praised for his ‘relevant practical advice.’ Major clients include Carlsberg, which it advised on the sale of its shares in Turk Tuborg, as well as Tesco, HP, Roche and Procter & Gamble.

Paksoy’s practice is highly rated, especially on transactions within the financial services sector. The firm advised the selling shareholders in the sale of Tekstilbank and Vakif Insurance and Pension Fund, it also acted for AEGON Turkey on its acquisition of Ankara Pension Fund. Other highlights include representing the Finnish company Rettig on its acquisition of the assets of Seri Is, a Turkish radiator manufacturer, and the subsequent formation of a new joint venture. Name partner Serdar Paksoy is one of the leaders in the market.

Pekin & Bayar Law Firm boasts an impressive list of corporate and private equity clients. On the private equity side, it represented BC Partners on the acquisition of a 50.8% shareholding in Migros Turk Ticaret, Turkey’s largest supermarket chain. The firm also represented Zurich Financial Services on its takeover of TEB Sigorta, a major Turkish insurer. Partners Sefika Pekin, Selin Bayar, and Murat Aygun are all extremely well regarded.

Ayça Sevimay, Ahmed Pekin and Fethi Pekin are the main partners in Pekin & Pekin’s first-class practice. The firm regularly advises major international corporates and financial institutions on their transactions in Turkey. Most recently it acted for Cogentrix and Goldman Sachs on the acquisition of 50% of share capital in a group of renewable energy companies. It also advised Citgroup on its role in the $2.7bn sale of Oyakbank through a private auction.

Birsel Law Offices has a long and illustrious record advising major international and domestic clients on inbound and outbound M&A. While Mahmut Birsel is among the most respected senior lawyers in Turkey, others, such as managing partner Arzu Aksaç and Begum Dorukan, play an increasingly vital role for the firm.

Mesut Çakmak and Zeynep Çakmak of Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu are extremely well regarded within the market. The Ankara-based firm also benefits from its relationship with White & Case Müsavirlik Ltd. Sirketi. The firm’s corporate capabilities are augmented by its strong command of administrative and regulatory matters, which extends to a range of sectors, including energy, banking, mining and manufacturing.

ELIG, Attorneys-at-Law’s top notch practice acts for an impressive range of big name clients, including ExxonMobil, 3M, Google, Canon, and Warner Bros on all their corporate and commercial matters in Turkey. The firm had an active year and recently advised L’Oréal on its acquisition of Canan Kozmetik. Tunc Lokmanhekim and Gonenc Gurkaynak are the firm’s best-known corporate partners. Gurkaynak is praised for his ‘excellent judgement’ and his ‘sophisticated understanding of the support needs of US multinational companies operating in Turkey.’ One major international client adds: ‘I would rank Gurkaynak among the best external counsel I have ever worked with.’

Headed by Ilknur Peksen, Ersoy Bilgehan Lawyers & Consultants’s ‘very helpful’ corporate team has been active on the private equity front. Highlights include advising a sovereign wealth fund on its multi-billion dollar acquisition of a major media group. The firm works across a range of sectors including transport, healthcare and manufacturing. The group is praised for its ‘very good technical know how,’ and its ‘ability to interact with international counsel on multi-jurisdictional transactions.’

Considered by clients to be ‘very professional, punctual and with a great and broad overview of the legal implications of each matter,’Güner Law Office comes highly recommended. The firm’s ‘positive, timely and value added’ practice has been active in the energy sector, recently advising ABN AMRO Infrastructure Capital on its $1.61bn privatisation tender for Baskent Dogalgaz Dagitim, Ankara’s natural gas distribution company. Ece Güner and the ‘fast and effective’ Aylin Akdora are recommended. Other major clients include Mitsui, Newscorp and Fox International Channels.

It was a busy year for Özel & Özel on the M&A front. The firm advised a joint venture between SOCAR and Turcas Enerji on their $2.04bn acquisition of a 51% stake in PETKIM, a state-owned petrochemical facility. It also acted for Ruukki Group on its €80m acquisition of the Turkish mining company Turk Maadin. Haluk Can Özel and Orkun Güncan are both highly recommended.

Somay Hukuk Bürosu’s thriving M&A practice advised on the $2.7bn sale of OYAK Bank to ING, as well as the $525m sale of AxaOyak Insurance to AXA. Metin Somay enjoys a superb reputation for private equity and M&A work.

Established in 2006, the ‘proactive, creative and constructive,’ YukselKarkinKucuk has since made a major impression on the market, advising on some of the largest transactions available. Recent examples include representing Lukoil on its $500m acquisition of the Turkish gas distributor Akpet. The firm also advised Turkuaz on its $1.1bn acquisition of ATV-SABAH, Turkey’s second largest media group. Name partner Cuneyt Yuksel is considered to be a ‘profound expert on Turkish law.’

Name partner Zeki Çaliskan is recommended at Aksu Savas Çaliskan Law Office. The firm has a particularly strong track record in the banking sector and is backed up by a quality acquisition finance practice.

Aybay & Aybay is best known for its work in the transport industry, where it regularly advises shipping and aviation clients in M&A and joint ventures. The firm is also active in the pharmaceuticals and medical research sectors.

Both Balcioglu & Selcuk Avukatlik Burosu’s name partners, Barlas Balcioglu and Galip Selçuk, are active on the corporate front. The firm acts for an impressive range of international and domestic clients including Liberty Mutual, Amway International and MUDO, a major Turkish retailer.

Bener Law Office has a particularly strong niche in the insurance sector, acting for the likes of AIG, Turk Nippon Sigorta and Turkapital. On the M&A front it advised Atakas Group on its formation of a $200m joint venture with Russia’s Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. The firm is also highly recommended for employment law. Senior partner, Erim Bener is very well regarded, as is Onur Kordel.

Ilhan Coskun’s practice at CLO - Coskun Law Office covers the full range of corporate matters for its clients and recently advised Ulosoy Holding, a major Turkish company, on its corporate restructuring. Associates Ali Erdogan and Ugur Mutlu are also recommended.

Çaga & Çaga Law Firm is well known for its work in the entertainment sector, where it represents one of Turkey’s largest media conglomerates. The firm offers clients a strong tax and corporate restructuring practice, and is also active in the aviation, real estate, tourism and energy sectors. Name partner Barbaros Çaga comes recommended, as do partners Erdem Degerli and Omer Yigit Aykan.

Cosar Attorneys at Law represents several major clients in the corporate and banking sectors, including an international financial institution on the acquisition of shares in a power generation company. As adviser to the Privatisation Authority the firm is involved on a regular flow of deals, most recently on the sale of a majority share in Turkiye Halk Bankasi, Turkey’s sixth largest bank.

Headed by Aylin Aksun, Gür Law Firm offers clients a full range of services, including general tax and employment advice. The firm recently advised a Dutch holding company on the €55m sale of a fibre manufacturer.

Gürcan Law Offices’ name partner Cuneyd Gürcan has a good reputation for corporate and commercial work. The firm represents an impressive range of international and domestic clients. Umut Kolcuoglu and Huseyin Karabulut are both recommended.

Inal Law Office acted for several industrial clients in the manufacturing and automotive sectors on their corporate acquisitions. The firm also advised a Turkish construction company on the establishment and subsequent termination of its joint venture with a Dubai-based real estate company. Seyma Inal is well regarded.

Kolcuoglu & Karabulut has a strong private equity and venture capital clientbase. Major clients include BC Partners, Is Private Equity, Golden Horn Ventures and Kerten Real Estate and Private Equity Fund

Mehmet Gün & Partners advised a major oil and gas client on a multi-million dollar joint venture in the petrochemicals sector. It also represented an international advertising giant on its takeover of a Turkish company. The firm has a strong stable of pharmaceutical, IT and telecoms clients.

Senguler & Senguler represents a number of international clients in the energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, IT, internet and telecoms sectors. Partners Selcuk Senguler and Jonathan Blythe are recommended.

Serap Zuvin Law Offices’ name partner Serap Zuvin is experienced in the aviation, pharmaceutical and technological sectors. Zuvin covers the full range of corporate matters, including M&A and cross-border joint ventures.

Taboglu & Demirhan advises an impressive mix of domestic and international clients. Recently it represented Boyner Group, a major Turkish textile company, on the sale of a 30% stake in Beymen Magazacilik and a 50% stake in Beymen Magazacilik to a subsidiary of Citigroup Venture Capital. While the firm will miss former name partner Elif Ates, who left the law, partners Ebru Demirhan and private equity expert Sezer Çaliskan are recommended.

Dr. Ünal Tekinalp of Tekinalp Lawyers has a sterling academic reputation matched by a strong commercial approach advising a mix of domestic and international clients, including Cadbury-Schweppes, Siemens, Daimler-Benz and Thames Water.

Turunç’s corporate department is backed up by strong teams in competition, finance and tax. The firm is well-versed in M&A, corporate reorganisations and joint ventures. Lerzan Nalbantoglu is highly praised.

ADMD Law Office’s work incorporates M&A, privatizations, joint venture agreements and corporate restructurings. Orhan Mavioglu heads the team, while Eda Deniz is also highly recommended.

Bircanoglu Attorneys at Law’s three partners, Erol Bircanoglu, Halit Karabul and Sedat Özkanli, are recommended for their advice on corporate and private equity matters.

Devrim Çukur heads the active corporate practice at Cukur & Yilmaz, which advised a major Turkish construction and engineering company on its takeover by a French company. The firm has also worked on major deals in the holiday and retail sectors.

D & D Law Firm’s founding partners, Yagiz Ali Dagli and Prof. Dr. Ugur Alacakaptan, regularly advise domestic and international clients on M&As, MBOs, joint ventures and corporate restructurings.

Duman Law Office has a strong clientbase in the media sector, and the firm’s founder, Mustafa Duman, previously worked as an in-house lawyer at the major Turkish media conglomerate, Dogan Group.

Erdem & Erdem Consultancy acts for several major domestic and international companies on their corporate and commercial matters. Senior partner Ercument Erdem is recommended

Gürel Yörüker Law Firm enjoys a strong reputation for M&A and name partner Gülperi Yörüker is well regarded. The firm is also recommended for employment and competition advice.

Clients are effusive in their praise for the ‘extraordinary’ Moroglu Arseven Ozdemir and its ‘very effective, responsive and responsible’ corporate practice, which covers the full range of sectors. Seyfi Moroglu and Benan Arvesen are recommended.

Özkan Law Office is recommended for its expertise in mining, agriculture and industrial transactions. Recently the firm advised on the merger of two Turkish bentonite producers, and represented a Norwegian company investing into Turkish fish farming.

Headed by Etem Postacioglu, who went to law school in France, Postacioglu Law Office stands out for its strong links to the French corporate market.

Sakmar Law Office was founded in 1969 by Dr Ata Sakmar and regularly represents international clients on domestic corporate matters. Sakmar is also active in employment law.

Semiha Görgülü is one of the main corporate lawyers at Yamaner & Yamaner Law Offices. As well as advising major domestic companies, the firm is known for its large German clientbase.

Yarsuvat & Yarsuvat Law Firm is a well-regarded family run firm that regularly advises international and Turkish clients on corporate matters.