Gowling WLG has a dedicated Turkish Country Desk operating out of Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Our lawyers regularly liaise with a wide variety of Turkish and international clients spanning numerous industries, and we frequently co-counsel or lend support to Turkish law firms representing clients abroad.

The Firm is also committed to conducting business in the most efficient, effective way possible. Our aim is to ensure clients get the maximum value out of their legal spend. No matter the objective, let Gowling WLG navigate the complex legal issues involving your next Turkish business endeavour.

Serving clients with a global focus

Gowling WLG is guided by the belief that the best way to serve our clients is to be in tune with their world, aligned with their opportunity, and ambitious for their success. With more than 1,500 legal professionals in 19 offices across Canada, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and South America, we can also leverage the strength of our international firm to handle any complex matter.

One of the key benefits the Firm provides clients - in Turkey and around the world - is bridging gaps in business, culture, and legal systems. Gowling WLG's Turkish Country Desk is home to several linguistically and culturally capable professionals, who maintain strong connections in Turkey in both private and public institutions.

While our primary focus remains assisting Turkish clients in Canada and the UK on a wide variety of matters, we also have proven experience to support Turkish companies investing in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. This includes assisting Turkish companies in litigation and arbitration in state courts and before arbitral tribunals.

Extensive client work and capabilities

Lawyers working on the Turkish Country Desk regularly support projects in the infrastructure, construction, energy, and natural resources sectors. Clients also turn to the Firm for advisement in areas such as mergers & acquisitions, dispute resolution, fast-moving consumer goods, hospitality, telecommunications, technology, IP, and energy.

From an IP perspective, the Firm is well-equipped to handle enforcement and protection matters related to Turkey's growing manufacturing and tech presence. Looking to expand? Gowling WLG lawyers can help Turkish clients who wish to grow their businesses in Canada and the UK, as well as refer international clients to Turkish firms that are best-suited to assist in transactions and projects across a range of sectors.

At the same time, companies in Southeast Asia, in particular, may be looking to establish a presence in Turkey in the years ahead. This is in no small part due to the country's growing middle-class and increased economic prosperity in the surrounding region. Our lawyers are ready and willing to assist in this space, too.

Some of our recent client work highlights include:

  • Assisting a client with obtaining ministerial consent and other regulatory matters for the establishment of the first private university in Ontario, Canada
  • Advising a client with a software development agreement and IP for web-based services in relation to the online gaming industry
  • Advising a Turkish construction company with regards to civil engineering work for the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant
  • Assisting a Turkish investor in relation to a Canadian company shareholder dispute
  • Advising the project company for the Sinop Nuclear Power Plant with regards to Turkish law and government relations
  • Advising a Canadian seafood importer regarding a commercial dispute with its Turkish supplier
  • Counseling a Turkish investor in relation to its share acquisition at a Canadian IT company
  • Advising a Middle Eastern client in connection with its investments into several US and Turkey-based IT companies.
  • Assisting a Canadian mining company in relation to Turkish due diligence processes, with regards to its acquisition of another Canadian mining company with a Turkish subsidiary
  • Assisting a Canadian client in relation to legal, regulatory, and financing issues with its energy investments in Turkey
  • Counseling a Turkish construction company in relation to its bid for a development project in downtown Toronto
  • Assisting Canada-based Turkish clients in relation to Canadian tax and estate planning matters
  • Guiding Turkish clients with business immigration applications
  • Assisting an Asian manufacturing client with a multi-matter and multi-country trademark dispute, in which we are cancelling a Turkish company's trademark registration before the Turkish courts, as well as handling oppositions against more recent filings of the same party before the Turkish Trademarks Office
  • Assisting an ecommerce client with a multi matter and multi-country trademark dispute, in which we are successfully defending incoming actions before the Turkish Trademarks Office and the Turkish Courts filed by a Saudi competitor, but also successfully challenging that entity's trademark applications before the Turkish Trademarks Office and appeal tribunal
  • Assisting a MENA based broadcasting client in protecting a range of trademarks in Turkey
  • Assisting a UAE based group of companies in protecting a variety of trademarks in Turkey, which included successfully overcoming issues raised on appeal during the course of the registration process
  • Assisting an Asian FMCG client in protecting a range of new trademarks in Turkey, but also managing existing registrations such as renewals, assignments and changes of details on the official records
  • Assisting a US FMCG group in the protection, enforcement and litigation of its intellectual property rights in Turkey, which included successful actions before the courts, as well as successful raids and actions with the enforcement bodies, against entities dealing in infringing and counterfeit products manufactured and/or on sale in Turkey
  • Assisting an international cosmetics company with its registration and licensing of cosmetic products for distribution and sale in Turkey, including obtaining consents from the Turkish Ministry of Health

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Get in touch

To learn more about how Gowling WLG can address your legal needs, both inside and outside Turkey, please contact Gordon Bell.