Gunes Yalcin > ÖzmenYalçin > Istanbul, Turkey > Lawyer Profile

Since its foundation in March 2022, the ‘responsive, analytical and diligent’ team at ÖzmenYalçin has rapidly made in-roads into the finance market for a varied mix of banks and corporates, which are appreciative of their ability to ‘bring an-outside-the-box approach to transactions with their understanding of non-legal aspects of deals’. The firm is best-known for its capital markets expertise, with a sizeable deal flow that has meant that they are furnished with ‘the most up to date information on how regulators might respond to complex situations and advise clients accordingly’. Güneş Yalçın is particularly visible on behalf of financial institutions as issuers in the DCM market, regularly advising local banks on Eurobank issuances as well as their MTN programmes. The ‘exceptionally commercial’  Ömer Gökhan Özmen, who co-heads the team alongside Yalcin, is noted for his ECM prowess (including on IPOs and secondary public offerings), as well as his work for borrowers and lenders on club and bilateral deals to fund large projects and M&A transactions. The ‘hardworking and client-oriented’ Murat Ayyildiz excels at handling the technical aspects of the IPO work and also provides advice on subsequent ongoing regulatory compliance as a listed entity. Damla Keskin Şerbetcioğlu is praised for her ‘strong business acumen’, which manifests itself in energy-related banking and capital markets work, in particular.

ÖzmenYalçin‘s ‘legal expertise is top-notch, and is supported by responsive and problem-solving team’. The firm is a key adviser to Turkey’s largest banks on a range of financing matters, including major project finance transactions. A prime example is the work of Ömer Gökhan Özmen and the ‘diligent’ Damla Keskin Şerbetcioğlu for lenders in the arrangement of a high-value cash loan facility to fund the development of a power plant. Güneş Yalçın, who has in-depth knowledge of structured finance, also plays a major role in the practice.

ÖzmenYalçin acts for both domestic and foreign clients in financial and corporate restructurings and insolvency. It is heavily involved in M&A transactions involving insolvent or distressed companies, a recent example being a $15m transaction in the real estate sector. Banking and finance expert Ömer Gökhan Özmen and Damla Keskin Şerbetcioğlu lead the practice and were the principal advisers on that deal. They also led on a $55m restructuring in the financial services sector, arising from a declaration of concordat due to financial stress. The finance and capital markets-focused Güneş Yalçın is also heavily involved in the practice.