BTS & Partners > Istanbul, Turkey > Firm Profile
BTS & Partners Offices
ESENTEPE MAH.
23 TEMMUZ SOK. NO:2/1
34394 SISLI/ISTANBUL
Turkey
BTS & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings
Turkey > IT and telecoms Tier 1
BTS & Partners leads multi-jurisdictional projects in the IT and telecoms sector with regard to e-commerce, social media, payment systems, cloud and cryptocurrency. The firm is experienced in acting on data protection compliance projects for high-profile clients. Yasin Beceni advises on a range of commercial transactions, including outsourcing agreements and procurement arrangements. Tuğrul Sevim specialises in IT and telecoms contracts and Selin Beceni advises social media companies on compliance with legislation related to the internet. Zeynep Unlu focuses on public projects and procurements and Erdem Aslan acts for several cloud service providers.Practice head(s):
Yasin Beceni; Tugrul Sevim; Selin Beceni; Zeynep Unlu; Adnan Akgun; Erdem Aslan; Ece Özelgin
Testimonials
‘Great team! We have worked together with BTS for years on different topics, most recently in world-wide compliance assessments on IT, telecoms and data protection.’
‘Selin Beceni is a well experienced lawyer, very goal oriented and pragmatic. Erdem Aslan works fast, responsible and independently. Always very responsive and on time.’
‘BTS & Partners has a legal team with a very strong level of legal knowledge and experience not only in Türkiye but also in the other markets especially the US and the EU.’
‘Yasin Beceni and Zeynep Unlu are exceptional lawyers and professionals who are very well aware of the trends, challenges, potential risks and developments in the respective markets that may affect their clients with an SLA of 24/7 and a support of 360-degree view on matters with an executive perspective.’
‘In addition to their legal expertise, I value their transparency and eagerness to always take their support to the next level for a 200% client satisfaction.’
‘They are always to the point, and they provide tailored solutions.’
Key clients
Microsoft
Apple
AWS
Mastercard Europe SA
Meta
SAP Turkey
Avalanche – Avalabs
Work highlights
- Advised AWS on a retainer basis and provided daily advice on the legislative, regulatory, and administrative developments.
- Advised Apple on a retainer basis by tracking, monitoring, reporting and making analysis of the regulations and new legislative acts.
- Advised Microsoft on a retainer basis and provided daily advice on the legislative, regulatory, policy related and administrative developments.
Turkey > Media and entertainment Tier 1
BTS & Partners provide legal services to clients in each area of the TMT and tech-driven ecosystem, from e-commerce and social media companies to software, payment systems and NGOs. The practice leads multi-jurisdictional projects from Turkey and provides regulatory advice to stakeholders in the sector. The team is co-led with Yasin Beceni advising clients on a range of commercial transactions including outsourcing and procurement agreements. Tugrul Sevim specialises in complex IT and telecommunication contracts with support from Selin Beceni and Zeynep Unlu.Practice head(s):
Yasin Beceni; Selin Beceni; Tugrul Sevim; Zeynep Unlu
Testimonials
‘Creative, efficient, results oriented.’
‘Understand the technology easily, are flexible and out of the box thinking, quick.’
‘The team has a comprehensive working area and are especially specialised on emerging and developing fields of law. When we ask for their legal opinion, they do extensive research and handle the subject with alternative suggestions. They understand our needs and always propose solution offers. They follow up the legislative amendments intensively and update us instantly.’
‘They understand our needs, strategy and commercial structure. They advise us with an extensive framework. It is easy to reach and communicate when we need.’
‘BTS & Partners has a legal team with a very strong level of legal knowledge and experience not only in Türkiye but also in the other markets especially the US and the EU.’
Their founding partner Yasin Beceni and the partner Zeynep Unlu are exceptional lawyers and professionals who are very well aware of the trends, challenges, potential risks and developments in the respective markets that may affect their clients.’
In addition to their legal expertise, I value their transparency and eagerness to always take their support to the next level for a 200% client satisfaction.’
Key clients
Apple
Bugece
Digiturk
IAB Turkey
LC Waikiki
Meta
Microsoft
Sahibinden
Vakko
Work highlights
- Advised Microsoft on online content, media, and advertisement regulations in relation to its online services, such as MSN, Bing, Xbox, and GitHub.
- Provided legal analysis and updates on the effects of online broadcasting, advertisement, online content, OTT and e-commerce regulations, which significantly affect the Apple TV, iTunes, iMessage, App Store, and other major products and services.
- Assisted Meta with their compliance efforts in relation to the amendments to online content law enacted in 2020.
Turkey > Compliance Tier 2
A market leader in Turkey’s IT and telecoms space, BTS & Partners excels in compliance matters relating to those industries, covering data protection issues, as well as heavily related subsectors, such as fintech and e-commerce. Its familiarity with the sector differentiates it from more general corporate support from other departments, encouraging a number of tech sector multinationals to instruct the firm across related practice areas. Compliance work is co-led by three partners: doyen of TMT law Yasin Beceni; Zeynep Ünlü, who is especially strong in the IT sector; and Tuğrul Sevim, ‘one of the most skilled lawyer in the payment services field in Turkey‘. Managing associate Melis Mert receives considerable client praise for her work in the data protection field, while senior associate Erdem Aslan regularly counsels his clients on issues spanning licence application and telecoms regulations arising from local authority requirements.
Practice head(s):
Yasin Beceni; Tuğrul Sevim; Zeynep Ünlü
Other key lawyers:
Erdem Aslan; Melis Mert; Miray Muratoğlu; Müge Minareci
Testimonials
‘What clients want is to get answers to their questions. BTS (in particular Melis Mert) is giving you this. I’m really appreciate their responsiveness and to the point answers.’
‘Melis Mert is one of the most outstanding data protection Turkish lawyers that I’ve worked with.’
‘Very responsive team and excellent communication with regard to requests for assistance in multijurisdictional projects.’
‘Miray Muratoğlu and Müge Minareci have provided extensive and reliable advice throughout the various projects and created a great working atmosphere.’
‘BTS team is providing quality and timely services in terms of our data privacy compliance area. Their support differs from other external consultants as they know our company well, respects the characteristics of our company processes and provides tailor made legal consultancy according to our needs.’
‘They provide efficient, quick and informative legal service in the areas of financial technology, payment services. They are covering every aspect of the matter regarding our questions. People are highly reachable and skilled.’
‘BTS Partner Tuğrul Sevim is one of the most skilled lawyer in the payment services field in Turkey. He is working closely with regulatory bodies.’
‘BTS & Partners has a legal team with a very strong level of legal knowledge and experience not only in Türkiye but also in the other markets especially the US and the EU.’
Key clients
Baxter Turkey Renal Hizmetler Anonim Şirketi
BioNTech SE
Doğuş Holding A.Ş.
Garanti Ödeme Sistemleri Anonim Şirketi
Koç Holding A.Ş.
LinkedIn Corporation
Mastercard Europe SA
Mercedes-Benz Türk Anonim Şirketi
Microsoft Bilgisayar Yazılım Hizmetleri Ltd. Şti.
QNBPAY Teknoloji ve Bilişim Anonim Şirketi
Sodexo Avantaj ve Ödüllendirme Hizmetleri A.Ş.
Snap Inc.
Türkiye İş Bankası A.Ş.
Work highlights
- Advising Biontech on its efforts to comply with the Turkish privacy regulations.
- Assisting Mastercard with compliance of their payment security and business insight products with Turkish laws from the perspective of a wide spectrum of regulations, including competition, fintech and data protection.
Turkey > Employment Tier 3
BTS & Partners provides legal services including drafting employment contracts, workplace policies and security guidelines. The practice is also well-versed in transfer of business matters and supporting employers with protocols on restrictive covenants. In addition, the firm offers mediation and litigation services, representing clients in every stage of proceedings. The team is jointly led by Selin Beceni, who offers expertise in areas such as shareholder conflicts, alongside Zeynep Ünlü who is experienced in contractual and immigration issues.Practice head(s):
Selin Beceni; Zeynep Ünlü
Other key lawyers:
Ece Ozelgin
Testimonials
‘They are very commercial, pragmatic and the only firm we use in Turkey.’
‘A very nice and helpful team. Fast and good work.’
‘Excellent, profound knowledge of the law and quick reactions.’
Key clients
Bigger Games
Bumper
Cover Genius
Cerebrum
Electronics for Imaging
Insha
Lenovo
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Razer
RTB House
TE Connectivity
Work highlights
- Assisted Sumitomo in drafting and reviewing documents such as employment agreements and mutual termination protocols.
- Represented Lenovo in numerous dispute settlement procedure which includes mediation and litigation.
- Assisted Russell Reynolds on employment law practices and policies.
Turkey > Intellectual property Tier 4
BTS & Partners > Firm Profile
The firm: BTS & Partners is the leading law firm in the sectors where technology plays a key role in operations. Over the last 15 years, the vision of BTS & Partners has been to assist its clients with navigating their way through their business’ technological transformation. Today’s businesses are disrupted by the digital technologies and each economic actor in the global economy should be adopting digital technologies’ benefits and realities into their current operations and outlook. In order to achieve its vision, BTS & Partners is closely following the regulatory developments not only in Turkey, but also the EU and the US.
BTS & Partners is the only law firm that has specific expertise and experience in the field of technology in Turkey, and is the market leader on regulations on several matters in this regard. This vision provides an advantage which allows BTS & Partners to differentiate its services from other law firms. In addition to its legal activities, the firm’s founding partners Yasin Beceni and Tugrul Sevim are actively working with NGOs and also teaching at universities. Alongside its close following of the international regulatory developments, such NGO and academic activities enables BTS & Partners to have an awareness level of the upcoming regulations in Turkey and allows the firm to quickly adapt its service scale to meet the needs of clients under the new regulatory regime. BTS & Partners is flexible about diversifying its services to create innovative service lines for its clients.
Considering that technology plays a key role in almost every sector, the clientele scale of BTS & Partners has increased enormously in the last three years and the demands of clients have expanded to practice areas other than ICT and regulatory advice. In this respect, BTS & Partners has immediately adapted its team to one that is eligible to provide services in such areas and has delivered the high-quality standards its clients are accustomed to receiving in ICT and regulatory advice. The firm hired a strong employment and corporate law team led by a partner in early 2015, and such an act has scaled the profile of BTS & Partners with its clients and facilitated more work by qualifying the firm as one of general practice – not just a boutique firm working in a sophisticated area of law.
Areas of practice: BTS & Partners focuses on providing solution-oriented and advocacy-led legal services driven by the needs of its clients. It draws upon considerable expertise to meet clients’ needs, particularly regarding emerging areas of law, with an academic approach and focus on the information and communication technologies (ICT) and telecommunications sector.
BTS & Partners’ cutting-edge, innovative vision and client-focused services have led to a proven track record of going beyond the conventional approach to maximise the success of its clients. Always striving to create essential added value, BTS & Partners has introduced new legal methodologies for preventive and proactive legal services in the IT and telecommunications sector, IP-driven companies, and investors in Turkey. One of the firm’s key assets is its ability to provide clients with strategic and legal decision-making support. The firm attributes great importance to understanding its clients’ business and strategic objectives, creating strategies tailored to achieve clients’ goals, and providing bespoke guidance throughout the execution and implementation phases of those strategies.
By leveraging its sector-specific know-how, BTS & Partners has evolved into a specialised technology law firm with a prestigious client portfolio that includes international governments, Fortune 500 companies, non-governmental organisations and expanding domestic clients in the Turkish ICT sector.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Corporate and commercial | Selin Beceni | ||
Corporate and commercial | Riza Yücel | ||
Corporate and commercial | Zeynep Ünlü | ||
Corporate abd commercial | Müge Minareci | ||
Mergers and acquisitions | Selin Beceni | ||
Mergers and acquisitions | Zeynep Ünlü | ||
Venture capital and private equity | Selin Beceni | ||
Venture capital and private equity | Müge Minareci | ||
Venture capital and private equity | Rıza Yücel | ||
Data protection and privacy | Yasin Beceni | ||
Data protection and privacy | Erdem Aslan | ||
E-commerce | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
E-commerce | Melis Mert | ||
Entertainment, media and advertisement | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
Entertainment, media and advertisement | Erdem Aslan | ||
ICT infrastructure and outsourcing | Yasin Beceni | ||
ICT infrastructure and outsourcing | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
Employment | Selin Beceni | ||
Employment | Zeynep Ünlü | ||
Risk management | Yasin Beceni | ||
Risk management | Erdem Aslan | ||
Payment systems | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
Payment systems | Kaan Can Akdere | ||
Social media | Selin Beceni | ||
Social media | Çağdaş Çizer | ||
Telecommunications | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
Telecommunications | Erdem Aslan | ||
Intellectual property rights | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
Intellectual property rights | Melis Mert | ||
IPR management and strategies | Tuğrul Sevim | ||
IPR management and strategies | Melis Mert | ||
Competition | Selin Beceni | ||
Competition | Adnan Akgün | ||
Competition | Cansu Tekşen | ||
Sustainability | Gözde Kuşçuoğlu | ||
Public Policy | Ece Özelgin | ||
Employment | Zeynep Ünlü | ||
Employment | Rıza Yücel | ||
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Number of lawyers and consultants : 55Legal Briefings
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Since the enactment of the Turkish Personal Data Protection Law No 6689 (the Law) in 2016, one of the most critical problems that in-house lawyers of both local and multinational companies face has become cross-border personal data transfers from Turkey. The government has a tendency to keep the data of Turkish residents in Turkey and, …
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