CBC Law > Istanbul, Turkey > Firm Profile
CBC Law Offices
CEBECI CAD. 24
AKATLAR, BESIKTAS 34335
ISTANBUL
Turkey
CBC Law > The Legal 500 Rankings
Turkey > Compliance Tier 2
CBC Law‘s ‘dynamic‘ team is known for its ‘excellent and outstanding‘ experience in the development of compliance programmes across a wide variety of areas, with emphasis on energy and infrastructure, personal data privacy, and IT. Kemal Altuğ Özgün leads the team from Istanbul, having expansive expertise in the design and construction of compliance projects relating to foreign direct investment, insurance, and healthcare. Working out of the Bodrum office, Zeynep İnceer Üçgül was promoted to partner in March 2023, and is noted for her broad knowledge of corporate governance policy, and data privacy and employment law.Practice head(s):
Kemal Altuğ Özgün; Zeynep İnceer Üçgül
Testimonials
‘It is very refreshing to work with a law firm which is firmly rooted in providing practical and business-oriented legal support instead of traditional academic legal advice. CBC Law have a dynamic team dedicated to finding solutions, and can draw on a wealth of real-world experience to help their clients in a very practical and hands-on manner.’
‘This is a law firm which really wants to act as an extended arm of in-house legal departments, offering that legal business support over and above the formal advice.’
‘CBC Law’s compliance team, in particular Altuğ Özgün and Zeynep İnceer Üçgül, have excellent and outstanding experience in ethics and compliance. They have a good understanding not only of ethics & compliance, but also of all aspects of commercial and corporate law, which enables them to provide precise and valuable advice. They always demonstrate empathy and commitment.’
‘There are many reasons why CBC team members are different from others, including the quality of their work, the handling of matters within the best interest of the client regarding many aspects at the same time, adhering to deadlines, caring for interpersonal relationships and having connections with the most outstanding specifications.’
‘Altuğ Özgün and Zeynep İnceer Üçgül are the stand-out partners, both having embraced the core principles of ethics & compliance within a corporate structure, keeping up with the current practice worldwide. The harmony of their work makes it easier for clients to have what they seek for. They never shy away from hard work or any type of stressful situation. We are honored and feel lucky to work with them and hope our business relationship will continue into the future.’
Work highlights
Turkey > Dispute resolution Tier 4
CBC Law’s dispute resolution group primarily focuses on commercial litigation and arbitration cases. Despite its compact size, the boutique firm handles a significant volume of cross-border work, and is currently involved in two ICSID proceedings. The team is led jointly by managing partners Lale Defne Mete, whose practice spans corporate, real estate and dispute resolution, and Törehan Büyüksoy, who specialises in criminal law, commercial litigation and administrative disputes. Senior associates Erdinç Dalar and Atakan Gungordu provide support. Fellow senior associate Ekinsu Cebi left to join the US-based Akerman LLP.Practice head(s):
Lale Defne Mete; Törehan Büyüksoy
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘We are completely in the hands of CBC Law to guide us through the complexities of both the Turkish criminal and civil legal systems and three different concurrent court actions to help us to secure a recovery of funds.’
‘Erdinç Dalar has been a source of reassurance and continues to persist to secure us a full recovery. The litigation has been ongoing for many years now and, through Erdinç’s persistence and tenacity, should hopefully conclude by this time next year.’
‘CBC Law is a young and dynamic firm. The team is currently handling some of the most complicated international law disputes in the market. It does not shy away from solving problems and will always go the extra mile for its clients.’
‘Lale Defne Mete and Törehan Büyüksoy are excellent lawyers. They are very client-oriented and experienced litigators. They will think of all the details and potential scenarios and make sure to gear up for these.’
‘CBC Law is becoming an enforcement powerhouse, especially for international investors or multinationals in Turkiye, who can make the most of its considerable capabilities across commercial dispute resolution and both private and public international law.’
‘Lale Defne Mete and Törehan Büyüksoy are very solid partners leading the department offering.’
Turkey > Employment Tier 4
CBC Law expanded its team in 2023, hiring two partners and a senior associate from Karahan & Aydın in April 2023: Gürhan Aydın, who leads the team alongside Kemal Altuğ Özgün and key litigator Torehan Buyuksoy. The latter is key for the group’s work in the Turkish Labour Courts. Established in 2020, the group’s workload covers a broad spectrum of matters, from labour law compliance to data privacy and tax restructuring.Practice head(s):
Kemal Altuğ Özgün; Törehan Büyüksoy; Gürhan Aydın
Work highlights
CBC Law > Firm Profile
CBC Law is a full-service law firm based in Istanbul servicing local and international clients. With extensive expertise in dispute resolution, white-collar crime, technology, data protection, and IT, the team has a broad perspective with the commercial and technical understanding needed to help you meet the challenges of a fast-paced world. CBC Law takes pride in a clear and straightforward approach that helps you to navigate the legal framework of today’s intense regulatory environment. Guided by the entrepreneurial spirit and consistent high standards set by its founders, the team strives to forge close relationships, tailor effective solutions, and help you meet your long-term business goals.
Areas of practice
Litigation and dispute resolution: CBC Law is a market leader advising contentious matters. Regularly acting in high-value and precedent-setting cases, the team has successfully represented clients in disputes relating to construction, insurance, tax, media, and a variety of employment and intellectual property matters in Istanbul and Turkey. Alongside numerous commercial litigation cases, CBC Law excels in domestic and international arbitration, representing clients in connection with commercial and investment arbitrations while maintaining a network of leading lawyers and specialists around the world. In recent years, the firm’s lawyers have been at the forefront of business human rights litigation, acting for clients internationally and in Turkey. The team also has comprehensive sectoral knowledge that gives an unparalleled insight into industries such as construction, infrastructure, textiles, and food manufacturers that frequently use alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods.
Corporate: CBC Law provides comprehensive, tailored legal advice, guiding clients’ business decisions and strategies in relation to legal, regulatory and compliance requirements in Turkey. Assisting through all stages of corporate development, across a broad range of sectors, the firm’s strength in regulated markets in Turkey and strong compliance practice ensures clients operate within local and international regulations, and soft laws. CBC Law has extensive risk prevention, crisis management, litigation, and white-collar crime capabilities, successfully safeguarding a range of corporate clients against commercial risks in Turkey. Recent work highlights include the acquisition of a Turkish technology business by a Swedish company; ongoing guidance for a Turkish construction company’s international projects in countries such as the UK, Canada, and Nigeria; and the restructuring of a software development company in Turkey.
Privacy and data protection: CBC Law understands that the global economy is increasingly driven by, and reliant upon data. Considerable data protection experience and an in-depth understanding of many industries allow the firm’s lawyers to focus on the specific requirements of a business, providing a range of support such as designing and implementing compliance programs, evaluating data breaches, and representation before the Turkish Data Protection Authority. CBC Law’s team tracks developments in data protection globally, in order to provide the most satisfactory long-term solutions, focusing on recommendations that integrate current requirements and anticipate future trends, such as privacy by design and cross-border data transfer considerations.
Compliance: CBC Law provides tailor-made compliance solutions supporting corporations in increasing customer confidence, controlling internal policies, building a solid reputation for stakeholders, and reducing legal and regulatory risks. From internal investigations and interviews, to speak-up hotlines and pre-trial strategy, the team recognizes how to fight misconduct, design accurate risk assessments, and maintain strong company culture and organizational justice. CBC Law understands the global compliance environment, the regulatory regime in Turkey, and the requirements of extraterritorial legislation such as FCPA, UKBA, Loi Sapin II, Sanctions, UN Guiding Principles, etc. Recent client work includes monitoring, risk assessment, and third-party due diligence for international clients.
IP: CBC Law provides a comprehensive range of legal services for intellectual property owners in Turkey, including trademark owners from the food and beverage, entertainment, media, and technology sectors. Advising clients on matters relating to false advertising, unfair competition, trademark, and trade dress issues, the firm protects clients in copyright infringement, injunctions, mediations, and settlements. With particular expertise in designer and architects’ rights and in-depth insight into the media and entertainment industry, CBC Law also regularly acts as counsel in trade secrets cases and internet-related disputes. Recent work highlights have included advising on copyright transfers for a foreign production taking place in Turkey.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance, Employment, Privacy & Data Protection | Altug Ozgun | altug.ozgun@cbclaw.com.tr | +90 212 351 3140 |
| Litigation & Dispute Resolution | Torehan Buyuksoy | torehan.buyuksoy@cbclaw.com.tr | +90 212 351 3140 |
| Corporate & Commercial, Litigation & Dispute Resolution | Lale Defne Mete | defne.mete@cbclaw.com.tr | +90 212 351 3140 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mr Torehan Buyuksoy | Managing Partner | View Profile |
|
Ms Lale Defne Mete | Managing Partner, Corporate & Commercial | View Profile |
|
Mr Altug Ozgun | Managing Partner, Head of Compliance & Business Ethics and International Services | View Profile |
|
Ms Cansu Ak Yilmaz | Partner, Corporate & Commercial | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partner : 7 Associate : 17Languages
English Turkish French Russian KyrgyzMemberships
Istanbul Bar and Turkish Bar Association British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey TEID AHK Society of Construction Law Yapay Zeka ve Teknoloji DerneğiInternational Capabilities
Our international services team help foreign businesses to successfully expand into Turkey and Turkish organizations to source and achieve new business operations overseas. We have a wealth of experience working with important stakeholders from a variety of jurisdictions, allowing us to provide prompt and seamless solutions for our clients.
We offer legal and compliance services to individuals and organizations investing in Turkey including licensing to trade, IP, litigation & dispute resolution, regulatory, compliance, and immigration. Our corporate services include contract management and mergers and acquisitions. We also advise on new market entry opportunities, go-to-market strategy and portfolio management among other services that enable businesses and investors to manage their risk and succeed in Turkey.
In addition, our Turkish clients that operate overseas enjoy the benefits of the many close relationships that we have forged with leading law firms and specialists in global jurisdictions such as the UK, USA, Canada, Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the EU. We assist our network of clients on a variety of issues that they may face when operating in new jurisdictions, including those relating to trade, government relations, compliance, corporate, tax, IP, licensing, employment, immigration and in disputes. We invest time in getting to know our partner firms to ensure that we provide clients with prompt and seamless business, legal and compliance services.
Diversity
Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity, inclusion, and well-being are essential parts of CBC Law’s culture and values. We support our colleagues and strive for the highest ethical culture within our organization through diversity and inclusion. We provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and look to hire talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures, regardless of age, sex, race, sexual orientation, or disability. More than 50% of our lawyers and 50% of our leadership team are female. We comply with all relevant Turkish legislation and regularly review internal policies, making updates when necessary to continue working towards a diverse culture within the firm. We strive to create a fair and rewarding place to work that looks to fulfill everyone’s potential and together achieve personal and business goals. We do all we can to treat people fairly and with mutual respect, whether they are colleagues, clients, suppliers, or those from the wider communities we engage with.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility and sustainability are at the core of our business operations. Whether it be our team, clients, suppliers, or broader society there are always expectations on us to make the right choices in respect to how we conduct ourselves and our business operations. Inspired by our clients, our team, and our professional responsibility as lawyers, we strive always to do the right thing in every situation. Integrity is a key component of everything we do.
CBC Law will continuously look to improve the way it operates so that it acts responsibly. We achieve this by taking a holistic approach, towards a range of issues including our own actions towards climate change, human rights, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, responsible corporate governance, business ethics, and our team’s health and wellbeing. We are always seeking ways in which we can reduce our own environmental impacts through energy and resource efficiency, waste prevention, sustainable travel, and supply chain engagement.
Pro Bono
Under our pro bono program which includes work carried out for non-governmental organizations in Turkey, we provide support mainly in the areas of compliance, employment law, and general business advice.
For our support in compliance, we draft clarification texts in relation to personal data processing and provide training on local and international laws and processes that are relevant to our client’s operations.
In terms of labor law, we provide legal opinions and advice on all employment-focused questions or processes our pro bono clients are facing and are on hand to provide advice relating to general business concerns and operations.
- Compliance