Interview with: Mehmet Suat Kayıkçı, Partner

Mehmet Suat Kayıkçı explains how the firm is enhancing its leader position both locally and internationally.

 

 

What do you see as the main points that differentiate LBF Partners from your competitors?

LBF Partners has an unprecedented capacity of serving the clients with an expertise from its partners team over decades in the regulatory bodies namely Capital Markets Board of Turkey, Energy Market Regulatory Authority and big firms.

We take great pride in our extensive technical expertise, which enables us to provide clients with the most accurate and prompt advice. Beyond this distinctive strength of LBF Partners, we foster a unique environment where our team works in harmony, driven by a deep passion for the practice of law and a commitment to addressing the sophisticated legal needs of our clients.

While we offer full-service legal support, our primary distinguishing factor compared to other law firms is the utmost care at partner level given to each client. Also, our unique expertise in capital markets, banking, finance, energy, competition, real estate, corporate law and mergers and acquisitions is a great differentiation factor. Serving a prestigious client base over the years stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment.

 

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

First of all, Energy continues to be a top priority both in Türkiye and in the world. Demand in energy and particularly in renewable energy will grow due to the energy transition, increasing power demands driven by AI and zero-carbon initiatives. In the context of Türkiye, we believe that investments in renewable energy sources will continue to grow in line with the country’s energy supply security and net-zero carbon targets. Supported by feed-in tariffs, incentive mechanisms, and efforts to streamline bureaucracy, developments in storage and aggregation activities are expected to enhance system reliability. At the same time, investment in and integration of new technologies into the grid will accelerate. To secure financial resources and strengthen their presence in international trade, companies are also expected to intensify their focus on energy efficiency, ESG compliance, and the green transition.

According to IMF inflation was expected to decline more slowly than expected in January, given the impact of tariffs recently declared by Donald Trump; IMF released a revision on its forecasts, reaching 4.3% in 2025 and 3.6% in 2026, with “notable” upward revisions for the U.S. and other advanced economies. Considering the inflation in the Türkiye – according to the latest economic data published by TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute), the annual inflation rate slightly declined from 39.1% to 38.1% despite increasing risks that occurred starting from half of the month by April 2025 – and important amendments about Protection of the Value of Turkish Lira, along with certain legislative changes, we continue to receive many financial queries such as foreign currency contracts and the atmosphere in the financial markets.  We, therefore, expect continuous developments relating to finding new financial instruments for companies and institutions. Given these circumstances, we are confident that we will be engaged in a range of matters concerning financial and banking law, as well as capital markets.

The substantial reserves of Private Equity dry powder remain a key driver of M&A activity. Companies seeking strategic consolidation after economic uncertainties is expected to be one of the main drivers of M&As. Sectoral shifts, particularly in technology, healthcare, energy, and financial services plus cross-border deals becoming more attractive due to regional market fragmentation and of course opportunities in emerging markets are other key drivers. However, ticket sizes in Türkiye remain small, often leading to the adoption of co-investment strategies.

In banking and finance the interest rate volatility and financing challenges for businesses continue to be the key drives. Demand for debt restructuring and refinancing needs, particularly among mid-market companies and growth of alternative lenders (non-bank financial institutions) are other drives of the sector. A decrease in interest rates may encourage investors to prefer public offerings for exits or companies searching for investments. However, complexities and increased IPO thresholds could potentially hinder this trend. As a result, it remains uncertain whether IPOs will be the preferred exit and/or investment strategy in 2025, but we expect to close a significant number of IPOs because there are and will be companies seeking access to liquidity through IPOs.

Last but not the least, we are fully aware that there are numerous disputes that require resolution. There are several reasons behind this fact such as the economic strain that often leads to contractual disputes, shareholder conflicts, and post-M&A claims. Additionally, growth in cross-border transactions naturally brings more jurisdictional and contractual disputes. And, more companies are choosing arbitration clauses in contracts to avoid lengthy court proceedings.

Eventually, we will be working on a variety of complex cases, including those relating to contractual disputes, debt recovery, contentious insurance, and reinsurance matters, and particularly shareholder disputes and those arising from M&A transactions, as is the case at present.

 

What is the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

We are currently experiencing a period of significant growth, both through the expansion of our physical premises — having added an additional floor and doubled our office space —and by welcoming an increasing number of qualified attorneys to our team. Our enlarged premises allow us to operate more efficiently and provide a better client experience. Throughout qualified headcount growth, we remain firmly committed to delivering services that consistently exceed expectations, both in quality and in timeliness.

 

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

At LBF Partners, we are committed to embracing new practices within the legal market to enhance communication and provide seamless service delivery. We closely monitor technological advancements and emerging trends within the legal sector to ensure we remain at the forefront of innovation. Our flexible approach enables us not only to meet but to exceed our clients’ expectations by devising new solutions and developing custom-made tools tailored to the client needs.

 

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

We successfully obtained license approval from the Energy Market Regulatory Authority within just two weeks—an exceptionally short timeframe for such a process. This is especially notable considering that previous applications had been rejected after six months of effort, before we took the initiative on behalf of our client.

 

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

In a world where clients expect not only stability and strategic direction but also inventive thinking and cutting-edge solutions, we stand apart. At LBF Partners, we combine the rigour of experience with the dynamism of innovation. We do not merely advise from a distance — we step into our clients’ world, working shoulder to shoulder with them to navigate complexity and seize opportunity. Every client engagement is led at partner level, ensuring swift decision-making, deep insight, and a quality of service that is both distinctive and relentlessly forward-looking. We take pride in the trust our clients place in us, and their continued commitment and engagement serve as a valued reflection of the results we strive to achieve together.

In three years’, time, we aim at providing services not only to European, Turkish and clients from Gulf area, but also, we are planning to expand all over America, Asia & China, assuring the same quality of services regardless of how demanding our clients are.