Practice

The firm practises in four areas. Each entry sets out the scope of the work and the principal matters handled.

Corporate and Commercial

We prepare, negotiate and carry out the documents and corporate actions that govern a company’s relations with its shareholders, its management and third parties, from incorporation to winding up.

In commercial contracts the aim is to record clearly what each party expects, and to settle in advance how each provision will operate if a dispute arises.

Principal matters

Incorporation of joint-stock and limited companies; articles of association and shareholders’ agreements
General assembly and board proceedings, signature circulars and trade registry filings
Share transfers, capital increases and reductions, mergers, demergers and conversions
Share and asset acquisitions; legal due diligence
Distribution, agency, franchise, supply, services and licence agreements
Directors’ liability and arrangements for the prevention of shareholder disputes

Disputes, Arbitration and Enforcement

We assess a dispute on the papers first, and set out in writing the cost and the likely course of litigation or arbitration before any step is taken.

Once proceedings begin, pleadings, evidence and time limits are managed on a single calendar. The client knows each step in advance.

Principal matters

Litigation before the Turkish commercial and civil courts of first instance
Arbitration under the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (ISTAC) and ICC rules, and ad hoc proceedings
Representation in mediation
Enforcement proceedings, objections and actions for the annulment of objections
Bankruptcy, composition with creditors (concordat) and restructuring
Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in Turkey

Foreign Investment and Cross-Border Matters

We advise foreign companies and individuals investing in Turkey in their own language and in the form of documentation they are used to, from the outset of the project.

Because one of the partners is a solicitor of England and Wales, the position of English-law contracts under Turkish law is considered within the firm.

Principal matters

Establishment of foreign-owned companies, branches and liaison offices in Turkey
Cross-border commercial contracts; alignment of English-law contracts with Turkish law
Notifications and approvals under the Foreign Direct Investment Law
Work permits, residence permits and related formalities for foreign personnel
International distribution, licensing and joint-venture structures
Bilingual reporting on Turkish litigation and enforcement proceedings for international clients

Intellectual Property, Data Protection and Employment

Three areas that bear on a company’s day-to-day operation are handled together: the protection of its products and brands, the lawful processing of personal data, and the regulation of its relations with employees.

In each, putting the documentation in order at the outset is usually less costly than resolving the dispute that follows its absence.

Principal matters

Trade mark, design and patent registration; oppositions, invalidity and infringement actions
Copyright and licence agreements; confidentiality and non-compete provisions
Compliance programmes under the Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK), VERBİS registration, privacy notices and consent forms
Data processing and international transfer agreements; data breach notifications
Employment contracts, workplace regulations and disciplinary procedures
Termination, reinstatement and employee claims; collective redundancy procedures