Interview with: Murat Aygün, Partner

Partner Murat Aygün, discusses the firm’s multidisciplinary approach and evolving client needs in Türkiye.

 

What do you see as the main points that differentiate ABCOO Law Firm from your competitors?

ABCOO Law Firm distinguishes itself through its multidisciplinary expertise, combining strong capabilities in real estate, corporate/M&A and dispute resolution to support clients throughout the entire life cycle of their investments. This integrated structure enables us not only to structure and execute complex transactions, but also to manage regulatory processes and resolve disputes when they arise. As a result, our advice goes beyond technical legal analysis and focuses on delivering solutions that are commercially effective and aligned with our clients’ long-term objectives.

Another key differentiator is our partner-led service model. Our senior partners, each bringing decades of experience, remain closely involved in client matters and strategic decision-making. This ensures consistency, responsiveness and a deep understanding of the commercial realities surrounding each project. We believe that legal advice creates the greatest value when it reflects both legal precision and a thorough understanding of the client’s business environment.

Finally, we place strong emphasis on building long-term, trust-based relationships with our clients. Acting for leading domestic and international companies across a wide range of sectors, we focus on providing practical, solution-oriented guidance that supports sustainable business growth rather than offering purely theoretical legal opinions.

 

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

Over the next 12 months, we expect continued growth particularly in real estate and construction, corporate/M&A, data protection and cybersecurity advisory. Türkiye remains a dynamic market for large-scale development projects, logistics investments and urban redevelopment initiatives, which continue to generate demand for legal advice on zoning procedures, project structuring, joint ventures and complex real estate transactions. At the same time, corporate/M&A activity is expected to remain active as both domestic and international investors explore strategic partnerships, restructurings and acquisitions in response to changing economic conditions and evolving market opportunities.

We also foresee increasing demand for legal advisory in the areas of personal data protection and cybersecurity. Rapid digitalisation across industries, together with evolving regulatory frameworks and heightened enforcement by supervisory authorities, are prompting companies to reassess their compliance structures, data governance policies and cybersecurity preparedness. As businesses rely more heavily on digital systems and cross-border data flows, the need for comprehensive legal guidance in these areas continues to grow.

Overall, the main drivers behind these developments are ongoing foreign investment interest in Türkiye, the continued transformation of the real estate and logistics sectors, and the need for companies to adapt their corporate structures and investment strategies in a rapidly evolving regulatory and economic environment.

 

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

One of the most important developments within our firm in recent years has been the continued investment in technology and internal systems aimed at improving efficiency and the quality of our legal services. We have implemented a range of digital workflow systems and AI-assisted review processes, particularly in areas such as document analysis and transaction management. This allows our teams to process large volumes of information more efficiently, identify potential risks more quickly, and focus their time on strategic legal analysis rather than routine tasks.

At the same time, we have strengthened our collaborative working model, enabling closer coordination between our corporate, real estate and dispute resolution teams. This integrated approach allows us to address complex matters from multiple legal perspectives and provide clients with more comprehensive and commercially aligned advice.

These developments have ultimately resulted in faster turnaround times, improved accuracy and greater transparency in client communication. By combining technological capability with experienced partner involvement, we are able to deliver solutions that are both efficient and strategically valuable for our clients.

 

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

Yes, technology is significantly transforming both how we interact with our clients and how we deliver legal services. Since our establishment, we have continuously invested in digital infrastructure and legal technology to improve efficiency, accuracy and transparency in our work. For example, we have integrated AI-supported tools into our due diligence and document review processes, particularly in M&A transactions, allowing us to identify key contractual risks and regulatory issues across large datasets much faster than traditional methods. This enables our lawyers to focus more on strategic analysis and client-oriented advisory work.

Technology has also enhanced the way we collaborate with clients and other stakeholders. Through secure digital platforms and virtual collaboration tools, our teams are able to manage transactions and communicate with clients in real time regardless of location, which has reduced transaction timelines and improved responsiveness. In addition, our online knowledge-sharing platforms and specialised software solutions allow us to keep clients better informed and manage complex legal portfolios more efficiently.

 

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

A practical example would be our work advising the owners of a large residential complex in one of Istanbul’s most prominent districts on the redevelopment of their property under Türkiye’s urban transformation framework. The existing site, consisting of numerous independent units, was to be demolished and redeveloped as a mixed-use project including residential, hospitality and commercial components. Our role involved establishing the overall legal structure of the project, preparing and negotiating the construction agreements and related documentation, and guiding the owners through the complex decision-making and approval processes required under the applicable legislation.

Beyond drafting the legal documentation, we played a key role in coordinating negotiations among multiple stakeholders and explaining the legal and commercial implications of the redevelopment to the property owners. By structuring the contractual framework and facilitating consensus among the parties, we helped transform an ageing property into a large-scale redevelopment project with significantly higher long-term value.

As a result, the owners were able to unlock the development potential of the site, reduce legal and regulatory risks, and create a framework that supports sustainable investment and future revenue generation.

 

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

Yes, our clients increasingly expect their law firm to provide not only technical legal advice but also stability and clear strategic guidance, particularly in a market environment where regulatory frameworks and economic conditions can evolve rapidly. In our experience, companies value advisors who understand their industries, anticipate potential risks and help them structure investments and operations with a long-term perspective rather than addressing issues only when they arise.

At ABCOO, we approach our role as a long-term legal partner to our clients, combining strong expertise in real estate, corporate/M&A and dispute resolution with a commercially focused advisory style. This multidisciplinary perspective enables us to support clients at every stage of their business activities, from structuring investments and complex transactions to managing disputes and regulatory challenges.

Looking ahead three years, we see the firm further strengthening its position as a trusted advisor for both domestic and international companies operating in Türkiye. Our focus will remain on sustainable growth, deepening sector expertise and continuing to provide strategic, business-oriented legal guidance that supports our clients’ long-term objectives.