Turkey

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Our strong track record in the Turkish market is evidenced both by the range of transactions we have counseled on and the range of clients we have represented. Chadbourne has been involved in inbound/outbound transactions, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, privatizations, infrastructure projects, restructurings, project financings, as well as other corporate matters in Turkey. In these transactions, our clients have ranged in size from multinational corporations to small and mid-sized companies establishing or expanding their operations. Our clients encompass the banking, financial services, telecommunications, insurance, energy, healthcare, real estate, consumer goods, natural resources, textile, and construction industries.

In September 2011, we opened an office in Istanbul, which concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, corporate finance, project finance, and tax. The attorneys in our Istanbul office have significant experience in a variety of sectors in Turkey, with special focus on the energy, healthcare and financial services sectors.

Our Istanbul office is headed by Managing Partner Ayşe Yüksel, who has built and led the firm's Turkey/MENA corporate practice from its offices in London, New York and Dubai. Chadbourne also has tax advisory capabilities in Turkey through its tax partner Taylan Baykut. We provide tax advice regarding corporate taxation, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity transactions, financings, equity offerings, tax structures for groups of companies, international taxation, tax disputes and personal tax.

Our expertise is continually reinforced by the numerous and diverse transactions in which we represent our clients. For example, in mergers and acquisitions, we recently represented Koç Holding A.Ş. in the sale of its majority stake in Migros Türk A.Ş., after an auction process, to a consortium led by the private equity firm BC Partners, which was the largest private equity deal in Turkey to date. In finance, we recently represented Turkcell, the leading provider of mobile communications in Turkey, in the successful conclusion of a $3 billion unsecured syndicated term loan facility, which was the largest unsecured syndicated loan facility closed by a single corporation to date in Turkey. In capital markets, we recently represented various issuers, including Koza Altın A.Ş. and Reysaş Gayrımenkul Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş in connection with their Rule 144A/Regulation S global equity offerings. We have also acted as counsel to numerous Turkish companies in their outbound transactions. In project finance, we represented the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in connection with the $2 billion co-financing of three build-own-operate (BOO) power projects in Turkey totaling 1890 MW of capacity, all of which were sponsored by InterGen and ENKA.

We have represented parties in the following landmark transactions in Turkey:

• Largest private equity acquisition in Turkey to date.
• Largest privatization transaction in Turkey to date.
• Largest unsecured syndicated loan facility closed by a single corporation in Turkey to date.
• First subordinated debt capital markets offering and the first time the banking regulator approved a tier two capital deal.
• A project financing that received the “Project Finance Deal of the Year” award by Global Finance magazine.

Honors

• The American Lawyer named Ayşe Yüksel to the prestigious global "45 Under 45" list of "the best of the best among young women lawyers in The Am Law 200" (2011).
• Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2011) ranked Ayşe Yüksel as the only Turkey "Regional Expert" in the category of Corporate/M&A: United States of America and as one of only three attorneys in the premier band (Band 1) for Corporate & Finance: Lawyers Based Abroad: Turkey.
• Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2011) ranked our Turkish corporate and finance practice (Band 2) on the list of top lawyers based abroad.
• Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2010 and 2009) ranked Ayşe Yüksel (Band 1) as the only attorney in the premier band of leading overseas counsel in Turkey.
• Chambers Global – The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business (2010 and 2009) ranked our Turkish corporate and M&A practice (Band 2) on the list of top overseas counsel in Turkey.
• Mergermarket ranked Ayşe Yüksel number 1 on the list of Top Legal Advisers to Turkish M&A 2009-2010 by Value (including local and overseas counsel).
• Mergermarket ranked Chadbourne & Parke number 2 on the list of Top Legal Advisers to Private Equity in 2008 by Value (including local and overseas counsel).
• Mergermarket ranked Chadbourne & Parke number 4 on the list of Top 20 Legal Advisers to Turkish M&A 2008 by Value (including local and overseas counsel).

Chadbourne & Parke MENA Programs

• For years, Chadbourne has offered a one-year foreign attorney program for attorneys from the MENA region (including Turkey).
• Chadbourne recently strengthened its commitment to the region by creating the MENA Fellowship Program. Each year, the MENA Fellowship Program funds one law student's summer legal internship with a non-profit, public service organization working in or on the region.

Representative Experience