The Legal 500

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a third tier firm,

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu’s responsive team makes ‘a valuable contribution giving Turkish law support in international financing agreements’. It has built a strong reputation in borrower-side project finance, but has made a conscious effort to grow its financial institutions client base and advised Yapi Kredi, Garanti Bank, Is Bank and Vakiflar Bank as mandated lead arrangers to structure and finance the Gebze combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant. Mesut Çakmak is ‘certainly one of the best in his field in Turkey’. Zeynep Çakmak, Sebnem Önder and Mehtap Yildirim Öztürk are other key lawyers.

Within Competition, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a second tier firm,

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.

Within Corporate and M&A, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a second tier firm,

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is marked by great responsiveness and strength in depth. The mainstays of its corporate and M&A transactions in 2010 and 2011 were energy and natural resources. It advised Rio Tinto on selling its shares in Rio Tur. Mesut Çakmak, Ahmet Dogan, Sebnem Önder and Zeynep Çakmak are recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a first tier firm,

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu handles commercial and administrative litigation, and arbitration. The power and energy sectors are a major source of clients for the firm, and the team is representing projects company Atam Alapi Elektrik in a series of lawsuits filed against the Republic of Turkey concerning the non-realisation of its natural gas power project due to an alleged default by the government. Other instructions include banking and antitrust disputes. Mesut Çakmak, Tugba Bayman and associate Çagdas Ergun are recommended.

Within Intellectual property, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a third tier firm,

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu’s clients include Phillip Morris. Registered patent and trade mark attorney Tugba Bayman is highly recommended.

Within Privatisation, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a first tier firm,

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu recently advised EnerjiSA on privatisation of the Turkish electricity distribution sector, helping the client win the tender for the Ankara distribution region. It acts for other participants including investors, underwriters and corporates such as AEI, SK Telecom and RWE Energy. Mesut Çakmak and Zeynep Çakmak are highly recommended.

Within Project finance/projects, Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu is a first tier firm,

Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu can ‘simply be described as strong, prudent and trustworthy’, providing support on corporate, contractual, regulatory and financing aspects of projects. It is ‘one of the best in Turkey in respect of response times, business acumen, industry knowledge, appropriateness of advice and strength in depth’. The group has especially ‘broad experience on energy-related project finance’, and also recently advised Anagold Medencilik on the $125m financing of a gold mine project. Mesut Çakmak, Mehtap Yildirim Öztürk, and senior associate Çagdas Ergun are ‘among the highest credited legal professionals in Turkey’. Zeynep Çakmak and Sebnem Önder are also recommended.