S. Mustafa Durakoğlu > Çakmak Attorney Partnership > Ankara, Turkey > Lawyer Profile

Highlighted for its ‘exceptional expertise and experience in projects’, Çakmak Attorney Partnership is widely revered as a force in the market. Equally adept at representing lenders and sponsors, the group packs a punch across the full projects life cycle, from development and construction, through to financing and dispute resolution. Mesut Çakmak is a go-to expert for large-scale projects and co-heads the group together with energy and infrastructure specialists Mustafa Durakoğlu and Zeynep Çakmak. The deep bench also draws on Gökhan Okan, who joined in February 2023 from Verdi Hukuk Bürosu, next-generation partner Ayşe Eda Biçer Özen, and associate Nazli Başak Ayık.

The ‘well-connected and knowledgeable’ group at Çakmak Attorney Partnership keeps busy advising on an array of financing transactions, capital markets offerings and regulatory matters. The firm significantly augmented its corporate finance and projects expertise during 2023 through the hire of Gökhan Okan from Verdi Hukuk Bürosu. Okan now jointly heads the department together with banking, finance and debt capital markets partner Devrim Ergun. High-profile projects partners Mustafa Durakoğlu and Mesut Çakmak also have significant banking and finance dimensions to their practices.

With offices in both Istanbul and Ankara, Çakmak Attorney Partnership is well placed to handle a wide breadth of energy related mandates, including advising on regulatory matters, drafting and negotiating purchase agreements, and assisting with project financing and development within the renewable energy industry. Mesut Çakmak heads the team alongside Zeynep Çakmak and Mustafa Durakoğlu. Other key members of the team include Ayşe Eda Biçer Özen and Nazli Başak Ayık, both of whom have in-depth experience acting for sponsors and lenders in relation to the acquisition and development of projects within the energy and infrastructure sector.

The team at Çakmak Attorney Partnership is known for its capabilities in aviation law, and is sought after by international aircraft carriers, airline operators, and engine manufacturers. The group is also noted for its expertise in advising on the development and financing of major infrastructure projects in the transport sector. The practice is led by the quartet of aviation finance expert Serap Zuvin, Mesut Çakmak, Zeynep Çakmak, and Mustafa Durakoğlu.

Çakmak Attorney Partnership‘s practice is known for its strong focus on the energy, banking, and payment sectors, in addition to its broad knowledge of data privacy regulation. Mustafa Durakoğlu and Gülsen Engin co-lead the team from Istanbul and Ankara respectively. Durakoğlu is particularly adept at handling regulatory issues relating to anti-mondey laundering, payment services, and banking, while Engin is noted for her expertise in internal investigations and risk management. Simge Esendal is a key name for payment service clients, often assisting with the implementation of asset freezing decisions, and the prevention of terrorism financing.