ErsoyBilgehan

ErsoyBilgehan is an independent full-service law firm widely recognized for its strong national and international practice. The firm’s people are dedicated to achieving the goals of clients ranging from single-owner start-ups to household name companies, from public companies to global giants. ErsoyBilgehan provides advice concerning a wide range of sectors including shipping and transport, banking and finance, compliance, corporate, energy, construction, information technology and telecoms, real estate, mining, insurance and re-insurance, food and pharmaceuticals.

Since its foundation in 1999, ErsoyBilgehan acts for enterprises across the full spectrum of business including local, national and multinational companies in a wide range of business sectors. ErsoyBilgehan consists of dynamic and promising thinkers who satisfy their clients’ needs and offer them tailored advice from the right person at the right time. Devoting teams of highly skilled lawyers to address the most complex issues, the firm delivers clear and precise advice that is straightforward and easy-to-apply in the real word.

The firm is headquartered in Istanbul and has a strong national presence with a full-scale global reach.

ErsoyBilgehan’s longstanding network of relationships with pre-eminent law firms around the world ensures the firm is ready to provide comprehensive legal services in virtually every jurisdiction.

Areas of Practice

Shipping & Transport: Shipping and transport is a core practice at ErsoyBilgehan. Lawyers at ErsoyBilgehan enjoy vast experience in wet work, having dealt with most of the major collisions and casualties (including salvage and pollution) in the Turkish Straits since 1986.

Originally founded as a maritime law firm with extensive experience and contacts in in both dry and wet work, the firm expanded its practice to carriage of goods by land and air. The team now assists its clients in all matters related to transport law whether in a contentious or a transactional capacity. The team’s loyal clients include ship owners, charterers, P&I Clubs, hull and machinery underwriters, cargo owners and other market players in all aspects of shipping and transport matters.ErsoyBilgehan has extensive experience in virtually every type of legal matter facing the marine industry including charter parties, bills of lading, cargo claims, salvage, general average, collisions, pollution, ship building and repair, sale and purchase and other contractual claims and disputes and it is therefore listed by major evaluation companies as the market leader in shipping and transport law. In the last couple of years, a sub-team was created to represent vessel interests in criminal investigations related to smuggling and other matters related to maritime crimes.

Key clients include Charles Taylor & Co. Limited, Cosco Shipping, Specialized Carriers Co. Ltd., Gard AS, Hapag Lloyd Aktiengesellschaft, CMA CGM, MSC, Doun Kisen Co. Ltd., Hapag Lloyd Denizasiri Nakliyat A.S., Steamship Mutual (P&I) Club, Maersk, Shipowners P&I Club, Steamship Insurance Management Services Limited, Synergas Srl, The Britannia Steamship Insurance Association Limited, The Swedish Club, Thomas Miller P&I (Europe) Ltd., TT Club Mutual Insurance Ltd., UK Mutual (P&I) Club, Ulusoy Holding A.Ş., West of England Insurance Services (Luxembourg) S.A. and Yıldırım Holding A.S., NorthStandard P&I Club, Yang Ming, Skuld and Gard.

Dispute Resolution: Disputes are a reality in business and litigation is often the expensive and time-consuming result. ErsoyBilgehan works to ensure its clients are aware of the risks they run in relation to disputes and write into their contracts measures to resolve disputes effectively. The firm’s litigation team has experience in the full range of litigation and dispute resolution issues that their clients face. The lawyers work with clients to protect the clients’ business and reputation at minimum cost through rigorous defence of their interests – whether through arbitration, litigation or other techniques. The team has massive success in handling high profile and complex disputes, which gives ErsoyBilgehan a clear understanding of where the risks really lie. The firm takes a pragmatic approach to evaluating their clients’ cases, the objectives and best possible routes to success. The team also advises on regulatory enforcement and criminal investigations related to various activities across multiple jurisdictions. Key clients include DNV GL Group, Oldendorff Carriers, CMA CGM, Hapag Lloyd, Ulusoy Holding A.S., Genel Denizcilik Nakliyatı A.S., Yıldırım Holding A.S., Eren Holding, Gebrüder Weiss, Vitol SA, Aston FFI Suisse, MSI,

Finance & Restructuring: ErsoyBilgehan’s approach is to develop the simplest, most clearly structured and transparent contractual terms possible in complex financial arrangements. ErsoyBilgehan’s finance team advises commercial and investment banks, direct lenders, private investors, financial leasing houses and other financial institutions as well as corporate borrowers. The team advises in the structuring of various complex transactions, the drafting and negotiation of contracts and other transaction documents in first financing, re-financing or restructuring deals. Key clients include Hamburg Commercial Bank AG, Transport Desgagnes, European Bank of Restructuring and Development, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and ICBC Leasing, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Bank of Communications Financial Leasing, Minsheng Financial Leasing, AVIC Financial Leasing, China Huarong Financial Leasing, DVB BANK SE (and DVB BANK AMERICA N.V), ORIX, Amsterdam Bank, Deutsche Bank AG, Credit Suisse AG, Export Finance Norway (Eksfin), QNB Turkey, Albaraka Turk Katilim Bankasi and Denizbank.

Asset Finance & Securitisation: ErsoyBilgehan’s Asset Finance and Securitisation team has extensive experience in advising on a wide variety of asset and structured finance projects including the procurement, financing and leasing of aircraft, ships, heavy and light rolling stock and the issuance of financial instruments. The team works on a variety of structures and products, including operating leases, finance leases and leveraged leases. The team also has extensive experience in structured financing. Work includes drafting and negotiating contracts and other deal documents that invariably involves a cross-border element. Key clients include Royal Caribbean Cruises, Transport Desgagnes, The Ritz-Carlton, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Oriental Fleet International Co Ltd, Ekol Logistics, Albaraka Turk Katilim Bankasi and Denizbank

Corporate & Compliance:ErsoyBilgehan’s corporate practice provides a full service covering the entire range of issues that arise in the corporate sphere such as corporate governance, formations, venture and private equity investing, restructuring, compliance & operations and cross-border M&As. The firm offers a multidisciplinary service combining the expertise of its lawyers in the fields of corporate and commercial law, banking, finance, capital markets, competition, labour law, insolvency and restructuring as well as public law. Key clients include Eren Enerji, eBay, Gitti Gidiyor, Amazon, Nintendo, Dialog Semiconductor, CD Media, Mitsubishi Corporation, Hapag Lloyd AG, Columbia Ship Management and DNV.

Employment (Contentious and Compliance): ErsoyBilgehan provides advice on all aspects of human resources and employment law. The firm’s employment law services include counselling on general personnel matters and issues arising from traditional labour-management relations (recruitment to termination including management agreements, profit sharing and pension models), equal employment opportunity claims, immigration and occupational safety and health claims. The team has a holistic understanding of the issues involved and delivers workable and pragmatic solutions that fit with the culture and structure of the clients’ organisation and workforce. Key clients include Mitsubishi Corporation, eBay, PayPal, DNV GL, Labcorp, Hapag Lloyd AG and Benefit Systems International.

Insolvency & Bankruptcy: ErsoyBilgehan provides a broad range of advice and assistance to companies facing financial difficulties, both before and after bankruptcy. The firm represents creditors, in particular banks and investment funds, in connection with the renegotiation and restructuring of secured and unsecured bank loans and other debts. The firm also represent listed and non-listed companies in restructuring their debt.

TMT (Telecommunications, Media, & Technology): ErsoyBilgehan advises local and international clients on issues arising in information technology and telecommunications as well as data protection. The team advises on all aspects of information and communication technology, in particular the design and implementation of highly complex technology projects. Suppliers and customers of technology services and products seek advice on all legal issues relating to their operations. This includes the design, licensing and support of software, obtaining, operating and servicing hardware and developing distribution channels (e.g. ASP, VAR, OEM). The team covers all regulatory and operative issues, in particular advising telecommunication companies in cases of network access, licence applications, interconnection and supply agreements. Firm handles transactions such as purchase, sale of telecommunication companies and cooperation agreements. Key clients include China Telecom.

Insurance and Re-Insurance: ErsoyBilgehan is a leading law firm in Turkey in insurance/reinsurance disputes and has been maintaining its leading presence and reputation in this field, which is evidenced by its diverse client portfolio and the size and value of the transactions in which the firm has taken part. The team is well known for its role acting as the legal correspondent of major protection and indemnity insurers and provides all-round legal assistance to the insurers and the claims that they have subrogated. The firm’s expertise is not limited to marine insurance but also insurance for other types of transport risks, such as road carrier’s and air carrier’s liability, cargo insurance and freight forwarder’s liability insurance. ErsoyBilgehan has on numerous occasions advised insurance interests involved in complex relationships in multimodal transportation where the simultaneous involvement of marine, air, road and rail transport risks are common. ErsoyBilgehan also continues to advise and represent world-leading insurance providers to the world’s largest and busiest ports in liability insurance matters. Key clients include all major P&I Clubs, Apollo Underwriting, TT Club, SIAT Assicurazioni, Mitsui Sumimoto Insurance Group, AXA Insurance, Generali.

Tax: ErsoyBilgehan provides legal assistance in various tax issues, including but not limited to stamp tax, value-added tax, customs duty, withholding tax and consumption tax. Lawyers who are experts in their respective fields are highly equipped and experienced in dealing with tax law advice. The firm assists its clientele with regard to tax law related issues arising out of or in connection with their corporate, employment, financing etc. related matters. The team offers services in relation to to both day-to-day tax law issues as well as advising both national and international clients in relation to tax liabilities arising out of or in connection with major transactions. ErsoyBilgehan also advised worldwide companies concerning the tax regime in Turkiye and how their business will be affected if they are established in Turkiye. ErsoyBilgehan’s tax team consists of lawyers admitted to the Turkish, England and Wales and TR Northern Cyprus bars. The tax team members have backgrounds in United States law (California state law) and United Kingdom law as well as two fellows with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London. In addition to the tax team, ErsoyBilgehan has an associated office in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and operates through its correspondent local law firms in other countries. Key clients include Chailease Intl Financial Services, Minsheng Financial Leasing Corp., Deutsche Bank AG, Eren Holding, Maersk, Dedeman Hotels, ORIX Maritime Corporation.

Real Estate and Construction: ErsoyBilgehan’s real estate lawyers handle all matters relating to asset management, acquisition and disposition of real estate assets, real estate interests and real estate companies. The team offers a multidisciplinary service combining the expertise of its lawyers in the fields of tax law, corporate and commercial, banking, finance and capital markets as well as public law. The firm advises a wide range of actors in the real estate market, including banks and specialized credit institutions, hotels, listed real estate companies, insurance companies, Turkish and foreign investment funds, developers and intermediaries. ErsoyBilgehan regularly handles purchases and sales of real estate assets (including sale and leaseback transactions). Firm's lawyers are also recognized for their expertise in the financing of real estate. Key clients include Dedeman Holding, Sheraton Hotels, Eren Enerji, Columbia Shipmanagement

Administrative and Regulatory Affairs: Regulatory Affairs is a tricky field that requires in-depth knowledge of various disciplines. The team at ErsoyBilgehan consists of lawyers who have vast knowledge of the local regulations, principles and practice pertaining to various different sectors. They are specialised in analysing the client’s needs and addressing the issues with a focus on Turkish regulatory practices and this makes the department unique as the team can provide pinpoint tailored advice to its clients looking to fulfil such regulatory requirements and adapt to the demands of their relevant sector in the most efficient and desirable way possible, saving time and costs in the process which are crucial in today’s commercial dynamics. The quality of ErsoyBilgehan’s work adds to its well-earned reputation for providing practical and creative solutions, and the connections with administrative bodies make ErsoyBilgehan a unique player in the legal market. The team regularly analyses the ever-changing practice over multiple sectors and provides regular updates to their clients, even stepping in and restructuring the clients’ systems and processes when required for efficiency and practicality, to be in full compliance with Turkey’s regulations as well as any cross-border issues that may be in discussion.

Energy and Natural Resources: ErsoyBilgehan has been improving its impact and practice in the energy sector. ErsoyBilgehan has been receiving a significant increase in enquiries from leading clients in this field, reflecting the growing influence and expertise of the firm. ErsoyBilgehan advises Turkey's largest power plant operator in all of their legal matters. Additionally, ErsoyBlgehan advises two mining companies and manages numerous disputes related to the energy sector. From disputes arising out of energy products to intricate contract negotiations, ErsoyBilgehan is equipped to handle the diverse legal needs of the sector. The consultancy services extend to both domestic and international clients, providing strategic advice on issues related to classical energy sources such as oil and gas, as well as renewable energy products.

Other Practices & Sectors: Capital Markets, Competition and Antitrust, Environmental Law, Franchise, General Contract Law, Hotel and Leisure, Infrastructure, Petroleum, and Mining