Turkey > Foreign firms
Foreign firms
Strict Turkish bar rules prevent foreign law firms from opening local offices that practise Turkish law. Several firms do, however, have a presence on the ground, and most of them do practice Turkish law, albeit through affiliations that they have with local firms and ‘local’ partners. In reality, these local partnerships are to all intents and purposes part of the international firm, and foreign clients can be guaranteed a seamless service. Some will not even realise that a domestic Turkish law firm is officially advising them. Nevertheless, in order not to fall foul of Turkish bar rules, the international and Turkish firms must market themselves as separate entities. Yet, while the nameplate on the door might be different, the firm will largely remain the same.
White & Case Müsavirlik Ltd. Sirketi has the most established presence on the market through its affiliation with two market-leading local firms: Akol Avukatlik Bürosu in Istanbul, and Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu in Ankara. Mirroring the relative strengths and differences between the Istanbul and Ankara legal markets, Akol Avukatlik Bürosu has an excellent reputation for corporate finance, while Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is highly recommended for heavily regulated industries such as energy and natural resources, as well as privatisation and project finance. Both firms invariably work closely with their colleagues in the wider global network, not least Asli Basgoz who oversees the Turkish operation, while dividing her time between Turkey and the US. Capital markets expert Laura Sizemore is also largely based in Turkey.
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP boasts an ‘impressive’ group of six lawyers led by Ali Gürsel. The firm, which offers the full range of services, has been particularly active on the disputes front, representing international and domestic clients on major ICC arbitrations.
It is still early days for DLA Piper Danismanlik Hizmetleri Avukatlik Ortakligi’s nascent Turkish operation, which only established itself in 2010. Nevertheless, by aligning itself with YukselKarkinKucuk, it has found a firm that matches it in scale and ambition. Its new Turkish affiliate has over 60 lawyers, which is large for Turkey, and covers almost every corner of the domestic legal market. DLA Piper Danismanlik Hizmetleri Avukatlik Ortakligi’s official representative on the ground in Istanbul is Of Counsel Ayla Özenbas.
Corporate finance, banking, capital markets and intellectual property are the core areas of Gide Loyrette Nouel’s impressive Turkish practice. The firm, which is headed by Jean-Gabriel Flandrois, recently advised Legrand on its acquisition of the Turkish electronics company Inform Elektronik. On the banking side, it advised Akbank on the issue of a $957.5m bond issue. On the IP side, the firm acts for an impressive range of clients in the luxury goods sector, including L’Oréal, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Renault.
SNR Denton has a special alliance with Güner Law Office, which is especially recommended in the infrastructure, energy and project finance sectors. The firm also acts for several technology, media and telecoms clients.
Salans has a strong relationship with Özel & Özel, which is recommended for its corporate finance, IT and telecoms, project finance and privatisation expertise. Salans’ Turkish offering forms an integral part of an impressive office network that covers much of Eastern Europe and the CIS.
Having circled the market for several years, Clifford Chance finally took the plunge through its association with the Yegin Legal Consultancy, which is headed by Mete Yegin. The Magic Circle firm has had a long history advising on major Turkish transactions, particularly in the infrastructure sector. London-base finance partner Simon Williams heads the Turkish practice.
Kinstellar Danismanlik Hizmetleri Avukatlik Ortakligi is another new entry into the market. The firm, which spun out of Linklaters LLP’s Central and Eastern Europe network in 2008, is well known for its standalone presence across Eastern Europe. Charles Dunn heads the Istanbul office, which work’s closely with the Turkish firm CCAO, which was itself established in 2010, following the arrival of Halide Çetinkaya from Paksoy and Gamze Çigdemtekin from Akol Avukatlik Bürosu.
The Austrian firm Schoenherr is the final new entry into the market, having established a formal relationship with Turkoglu & Celepci in late 2010. The firm’s main focus will be on inward and outbound investment and energy projects.