Turkey > Foreign firms > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

The country’s attorneyship law prohibits foreign law firms from practising Turkish law. Foreign law firms with offices in the country advise on international law, and use co-operation agreements with Turkish law firms to provide clients with Turkish legal representation.

White & Case Europe Danışmanlık Hizmetleri Avukatlık Ortaklığı maintains its affiliation with GKC Partners in Istanbul, whereas the association with Ankara-based Çakmak Avukatlık Ortaklığı ended in July 2016. The firm is particularly well known for its experience in banking, finance, capital markets, dispute resolution and cross-border M&A. In one recent highlight, the team advised Spanish bank BBVA on the €859m acquisition of an additional 9.95% stake in Garanti Bank. Asli Basgoz is the key contact.

Baker McKenzie has an alliance with Esin Attorney Partnership, Member of Baker & McKenzie International, a Swiss Verein and a wealth of experience in contentious and non-contentious work, including cross-border M&A, private equity matters and IPOs. The team’s expertise also spans real estate, compliance, competition, tax and employment law. Managing partner İsmail Esin and corporate lawyer Eren Kurşun are the main contact figures.

Jared Grubb heads Clifford Chance’s Turkey practice, which works in association with Yegin Ciftci Attorney Partnership. The firm is particularly active in the M&A, banking, project finance and capital markets practice areas. Recent highlights include advising a syndicate of six banks on the €1.02bn project financing for the construction and operation of a new cruise liner terminal.

Banking, finance and energy law are the main features of Dentons’ practice in Turkey, which operates in association with Balcıoğlu Selçuk Akman Keki. Tamsyn Mileham is recommended for her broad expertise in international banking and finance matters and Ian McGrath is particularly experienced in the energy sector. The client base includes Karadeniz Holding, Crescent Capital and HSBC.

Allen & Overy LLP’s Istanbul practice is led by Charles Lindsay, who is experienced in banking and project finance and is particularly active in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The firm, which has an alliance with Gedik Eraksoy Avukatlik Ortakligi, also advises on capital markets, loan facilities and M&A.

Following the return of former managing partner Matthieu Roy to the main office in Paris, Gide Loyrette Nouel’s Turkey practice is now jointly led by partners of the associated Özdirekcan Dündar Senocak Attorney Partnership. The full-service firm advises multinational clients on banking, finance, M&A, competition, tax, employment, insurance and contentious matters. Arpat Şenocak is recommended.

Kinstellar/CCAO has an alliance with CCAO and is led by Onur Taktak and Tolga Semiz. The team handles cross-border transactions, project finance and litigious matters and is particularly active in the renewable energy, banking and automotive sectors. Clients include JP Morgan, Akbank and Rabobank.

Norton Rose Fulbright recently entered into an association with Bilgiç Attorney Partnership, following its combination with Chadbourne & Parke in June 2017. The firm advises on all aspects of cross-border transactions, including corporate, compliance, regulatory and financing matters. Ayşe Yüksel Mahfoud heads the combined team, and Haluk Bilgiç is the main local contact.

Levent Çelepçi heads Türkoğlu & Çelepçi in cooperation with Schoenherr and handles matters related to capital markets, corporate and M&A, banking and finance, and real estate. Erhan Türkoğlu advises clients on disputes, administrative law and bankruptcy. The client roster includes OMV Petrol Ofisi, KSL Group and Kinetek.