The Legal 500

Akinci Law Office is ‘first rate in terms of quality and know-how in arbitration’. Founding partner and ‘fine strategist’ Ziya Akinci is highly respected for his ‘in-depth knowledge of the “science” of arbitration’. He successfully represented TUBIN in an ICC arbitration securing a $60m-plus final award in favour of the client. The firm also has an active local litigation practice. The group was strengthened by the addition of US-qualified senior attorney Mark Skilling, formerly of Aksan Law Firm.

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu has developed a strong dispute resolution practice particularly in administrative lawsuits. It continues to represent Atam Alapi Elektrik in actions pending against the Republic of Turkey, and is also acting for Rio Tinto in an administrative lawsuit filed against the General Directorate of Mining Affairs in relation to its mining rights. Mesut Çakmak, Tugba Bayman and Zeynep Çakmak are recommended.

Cosar Avukatlik Bürosu’s founding partner and leading name Aydin Cosar passed away in 2012, but the firm continues to stand out for being ‘responsive, strategic, and attuned to Western and Eastern clients alike’. It recently defended the Republic of Turkey in a $10bn Energy Charter Treaty dispute brought by Libananco Holdings before the ICSID. ‘Leading arbitration specialist’ Utku Cosar was the lead counsel in the case.

YükselKarkinKüçük is ‘one of the leading firms in dispute resolution’, and is able to handle ‘the pre and post stages of a dispute and has other teams that can provide advice on different legal issues’. The practice recently added a white-collar crime practice to its commercial arbitration and litigation capabilities. The ‘very experienced and knowledgeable’ Murat Karkin is leading the representation of LG Electronics in a $200m dispute with its distributor Digicom. Onur Yalçin and co-managing partner Cüneyt Yüksel are also recommended.

Showing ‘in-depth knowledge and dynamism’, Balcioglu Selcuk Akman Keki represents a wide range of clients in civil and commercial litigation, and has experience in international arbitration, enforcement and debt recovery proceedings. Clients include Pizza Restaurantlari, Ipragaz, Mynet Medya, and Johnson & Johnson Medical Turkey. Practice head Özgür Akman is ‘the type of adviser you want to keep on your side’.

Çaga & Çaga’s Idil Çaga Degerli is advising key media clients in various disputes with the Advertisement Directorate of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce concerning allegedly deceptive advertisements. The group’s expertise spans general commercial and corporate litigation, with notable strength in tax and shareholder disputes, as well as arbitration. Erdem Degerli and Barbaros Çaga are the key figures.

Cerrahoglu Law Firm gives ‘prompt and to-the-point service’ to clients involved in commercial disputes at local court level as well as before international arbitral tribunals, including the ICC and ICSID. Eda Cerrahoglu Balssen and the highly respected Fadlullah Cerrahoğlu co-head the arbitration practice.

Ismail Esin heads Esin Attorney Partnership’s ‘dedicated and result-oriented’ team, which is handling mandates such as advising Carrefour on resolving real estate and construction disputes. Esin also has strong arbitration experience. Associate Seda Ozbay is also recommended.

Güner Law Office provides representation in commercial and administrative litigation, and has extensive experience in arbitration. It is advising BP Oil International before the Turkish courts regarding the enforcement of an abitration award and acting for Yukos Oil in an ICC abitration with Tüpraş, a Turkish state oil refinery. Fox Turkey and Willis Group are also clients. Nihan Kaya is recommended.

Gür Law Firm’s head of dispute resolution Serkan Yildirim is ‘a strategic thinker’ and ‘able to resolve even the most challenging conflicts in a tailor-made manner’. The group has experience in international arbitration, commercial and administrative litigation, and has particular strength in enforcement proceedings. Highlights included representing Sibirskiy Cement in a €50m ICC arbitration against Ciments Français. It is acting for Cargill International Trading in a debt collection case against Habas Sinai ve Tibbi Gazlar Ihtihsal Endustrisi in the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Arbitration.

Mehmet Gün & Partners has an outstanding reputation in IP litigation, as well as broader expertise in dispute resolution and ‘good knowledge of the Turkish court system’. It represents clients in IP, insurance, white-collar crime, general commercial, construction, labour, and tax disputes. Founding partner Mehmet Gün gives ‘strategic advice’, and senior associate Orçun Çetinkaya ‘gets the job done’. Riza Gümbüşoğlu is also recommended.

Moroglu Arseven advises on various matters but is particularly active in distribution-related disputes. The group is representing an aviation company in a cancellation of share transfer lawsuit. Benan Arseven, Seyfi Moroglu and Nejla Aydin Özer are all experienced litigators.

Şefika Pekin and Hasan Çağlayan co-head Pekin & Bayar Law Firm’s ‘impressive’ dispute resolution practice, which is representing a client in an appeal over a disputed distribution agreement.

Pekin & Pekin’s Ahmed Pekin has ‘unique knowledge and vast experience’ that allows him to provide ‘proper, useful strategic advice in disputes’. The firm’s strong banking practice is a frequent source of instructions for the team, which is acting for a client in a civil lawsuit filed against a Turkish bank. Gökben Erdem Dirican heads the team, which also includes Ali Gözütok and Ahmet Bağcı.

Akol Avukatlik Bürosu is a strong choice for clients facing complex commercial or securities law litigation in Turkey. The group continues to represent Cukurova Group in its dispute with Alfa Group, and is acting for Deutsche Bank in litigation relating to its asset portfolios in Turkey. Senior associate Yalin Akmenek is recommended.

Ariemre Attorneys at Law’s litigation department represents client in a diverse range of cases, including general commercial litigation and arbitration. Enforcement and insolvency work is a key part of the practice. Murat Bozkurt heads the group.

Bener Law Office’s dispute resolution team is defending Siemens against a $400m claim arising from the termination of a distribution contract. Practice head Sezai Sur and Cenk Kisnisci are leading this matter and are recommended.

Senior associate Serkan Pamukkale heads Birsel Law Offices’ litigation practice, which handles cases before the civil, commercial and administrative first instance and appellate courts. Mahmut Birsel is also recommended for his expertise in arbitration.

Mustafa Alp Yilmaz heads Cukur & Yilmaz’s dispute resolution team, which advises on general commercial, insurance, administrative, employment, and product liability cases.

ELIG, Attorneys-at-Law has a particular strength in administrative, labour law and distribution disputes. It is representing Digicom in an action against LG Electronics arising from the latter’s termination of its distribution agreement. ExxonMobil and Google are also clients. Gönenç Gürkaynak and Tunc Lokmanhekim are recommended.

Maritime, aviation and insurance disputes are key focuses of Erçin Bilgin Bektasoglu’s practice, where the three name partners – Mehmet Feyzi Erçin, Dilek Bektasoglu-Sanli, and Burcu Bilgin – have strong litigation experience. Sinan Senol was promoted to the partnership in January 2012.

Erdem & Erdem Law Office has experience across a wide range of civil and administrative litigation. Süleyman Sevinç is recommended for general litigation, as is Ercüment Erdem for arbitration.

Ersoy Bilgehan Lawyers & Consultants has a good general commercial litigation practice and has outstanding strength in maritime and insurance disputes. It also has experience in international arbitral proceedings. Ergun Ersoy is recommended.

Hergüner Bilgen Özeke’s Ender Ozeke is ‘a professional of extremely high quality and great knowledge of civil procedure’, and Tolga Danisman is also recommended.

Okan Demirkan and Kolcuoglu Demirkan’s disputes team recently became involved in an international arbitration case, representing a private equity client. Panasonic and Armani are also clients. Kazim Kolcuoglu has a strong reputation.

Özel & Özel’s broad-ranging litigation practice has local and international experience. Managing partner Haluk Can Özel is the main contact.

Paksoy’s dispute resolution team is headed by Serdar Paksoy, who is also an accredited arbitrator. The group has strong experience across a wide range of cases and industries including financial services, technology, healthcare, and construction.

Senguler & Senguler is representing EFG Private Bank in multimillion-dollar litigation against certain Turkish companies. Seda Demirsar and Selçuk Şengüler are recommended for litigation, with Jonathan Blythe handling arbitration instructions.

Turunç acts for multinational clients including Cargill, Chevrolet, Nissan, British American Tobacco, and SC Johnson. Practice head Asli Işik ‘oversees a number of cases at any given time with ease and effectiveness’, and Noyan Turunç is also recommended.

Yamaner & Yamaner Law Offices has niche expertise in shipping litigation. Cihan Yamaner and Ahmet Berker are recommended.

ADMD Law Office is expert in tax litigation and executive employment cases. Duygu Alkan leads the group.

Sevgi Toluay leads Aksan Law Firm’s dispute resolution practice, which also includes Muhammet Aksan, Muammer Özgür Kaplan and Y. Nail Gönenli.

Bezen & Partners’ Serdar Bezen is representing GE Commercial Aviation Services regarding the enforcement of an English court judgement. Yeşim Bezen is also recommended for her ‘negotiation skills, legal know-how, and strategy’.

Erol Bircanoglu is the main contact at Bircanoglu Attorneys at Law, which represents some high-profile clients in areas such as shareholder, ship finance, contractual and software disputes.

Çelen Law Office’s boutique practice stands out for its ‘strong personal client service’ and ‘attention to detail’. It acts for clients in local courts as well as before the ICC and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. Gökce Çelen is highly recommended.

Istanbul-based Group Law Firm has experience in civil litigation as well as local and cross-border arbitration and mediation. Expertise includes commercial, IP and labour disputes. Ahmet Keşli has appeared before the ICC, and Ebru Eksioğlu is another busy practitioner.

Inal Law Office, which is known for its maritime law expertise, recently won a $1m case for a Turkish bank against a shipping company and also has a solid practice in general corporate disputes. Practice head Seyma Inal ‘guides clients perfectly’.