About

The firm: AKT is a full-service law firm providing qualified legal services and has grown from its establishment in 2000. Prior to establishing the current practice, AKT’s legal experts already enjoyed solid reputations in their respective areas. The AKT team possess a broad range of skills and expertise, all focused on delivering quick and effective service to clients. With its trust-based relations established over the years, AKT is able to provide multi-jurisdictional services to the highest standards.

AKT has cultivated strong partnerships with prominent law firms worldwide and is the exclusive Turkish member of Warwick Legal Network, a well-known international association of law firms specializing in commercial law. This helps AKT’s clients to access global legal resources in a trustworthy way that they need in their cross-border activities.

AKT partners Rona Kaspi and M. Cem Kaspi are the Turkish special agents of the Marshall Islands Registry, one of the leading and most reputable international registries in the shipping sector.

Practice areas
Shipping and logistics: Shipping and logistics account for a significant proportion of AKT’s activity. The team has an exceptional track record. AKT has market-leading experience in sale and purchase transactions of all kinds of ships and yachts. This exceptional background enables the team to anticipate and identify any possible risks, from the initial stages through the completion of the transaction. In addition, each AKT member is dedicated to find personalized and pragmatic solutions for concluding transactions by protecting the interests of all concerned parties. The scope of work generally includes; drafting and negotiating the contracts of sale and purchase of ships and yachts, ship and yacht registrations, providing legal opinions, drafting agreements regarding design, building, conversion, and repair of ships and yachts, attending closings.

AKT has extensive experience in handling dry and wet shipping matters in both domestic and international jurisdictions. AKT counsel on a wide range of matters including; ship arrests, cargo claims, casualties, charter party disputes, marine insurance, shipbuilding disputes, claims for personal injury and property damage.

AKT also provides legal assistance to insurance companies, freight forwarders, and commodities traders relating to corporate, commercial, and regulatory issues, including air and road transport chain of responsibility.

Banking and finance: AKT is renowned for its experience and practical knowledge in banking and finance. AKT provides customized solutions to its clients to achieve their objectives in their cross-border and domestic projects. AKT offers comprehensive support for all business matters involving financial institutions, including regulatory advice, transactions, disputes, and investigations, as well as legal assistance in day-to-day operations. AKT’s globally integrated team helps guide clients through the challenging multi-jurisdictional issues.

AKT provides clients with legal assistance on a wide range of matters, including; Project Finance, Financial Services, Debt Restructuring, Secured & Unsecured Lending, Securitizations, Investment Funds & Structures, Banking & Finance Disputes.

Insurance and reinsurance: AKT provides high-end legal assistance to clients from all segments of the industry, in Turkey and abroad. Clients in the insurance and financial services industry benefit from AKT’s deep understanding of their diverse business, and AKT’s ability to serve their needs across a broad range of legal and business issues. AKT’s strong connection with these markets covers all aspects of insurance and reinsurance. AKT acts on behalf of insurers and reinsurers, professional intermediaries, policyholders, self-insureds, and professional associations in negotiation and preparation of all types of insurance agreements and all areas of dispute resolution.

AKT’s relevant experience includes advising on matters related to; property damage, transport & logistics, marine, aviation, construction, general liability, directors’ & officers’ liability, product liability, life & health.

Dispute resolution: Litigation and arbitration remain AKT’s top strength. AKT actively seeks solutions through alternative dispute resolution techniques to tackle with the most complex cases. AKT’s main priority is to resolve disputes quickly and effectively with as little disruption to business as possible. When required, AKT can litigate in any court; are skilled in arbitration and representing clients in official investigations.

AKT’s team is ideally skilled to handle cross-border disputes. The ability to handle disputes around the world persuades many of clients to trust AKT in resolving their legal disputes. AKT has a thriving commercial, maritime, aviation and insurance law litigation practice. AKT also assists in enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in Turkey.

AKT’s areas of expertise include; insolvency & bankruptcy, domestic & international arbitration, insurance, maritime & transport, employment disputes, professional negligence, product liability, regulatory investigations, property & leasing disputes.

Corporate:  AKT provides expert legal services to local and foreign investors in negotiations on all types of agreements for their investments or corporate matters. The team also supports clients in defining the correct structure of contracts, partnership and management models, and security instruments tailored to the requirements of the transaction and client’s needs.

AKT’s expertise covers; mergers & acquisitions, joint venture establishment and dissolution, branch and liaison office registration, asset purchases and sales, ipos, financing arrangements, dispute resolution.

Energy and natural resources: AKT stands at the forefront of energy law. AKT’s dedicated team has a breadth of expertise across all areas relating to energy and natural resources projects. AKT has accumulated extensive experience in disputes arising from onshore and offshore energy installations. These include cases relating to losses and liabilities in the oil and gas, power generation and mining industries. AKT provides expert advice on the merits of a matter and has the capability of helping clients resolve disputes without the need to litigate.

AKT has experience with almost every type of energy asset including; oil & gas terminals, petrochemical facilities, floating storage & regasification units, power plants, wind & solar farms.

Real estate: AKT has extensive experience with all types of real estate transactions, and can provide expert legal assistance for domestic and cross-border real estate deals. The team provides a full range of services to support clients’ needs to satisfy all regulatory requirements.

AKT’s areas of expertise include; purchase and sale of commercial and private properties, construction of commercial and private properties, mixed-use facilities, leasing for all property types, asset repairs and improvements, financing arrangements.

Labor and employment: AKT provides the most effective protection for clients in the drafting of contracts and the handling of all employment law disputes.  AKT team maintains vigilance in determining the correct strategy and in discovery of evidence in employments claims. AKT is a well-established, reputable expert on disputes regarding death or injury claims.

AKT’s areas of expertise include; domestic international labour law, employment contracts, termination agreements, disability, health, & insurance procedures.

Taxation: AKT is a prominent expert providing consultancy and dispute resolution services in tax-related issues. AKT represents clients in reconciliation meetings and legal proceedings in connection with taxation. Through AKT’s network of affiliated offices in key business centers of the world, AKT has developed wide experience in advising clients in international tax matters.

AKT’s areas of expertise include; IFRS regulations, dispute resolution, tax exposure management.

Civil law: AKT provides comprehensive services in all civil law matters, both in Turkey and abroad. AKT’s specialties are pre-sale, sale, and acquisition of both movable and immovable assets, security arrangements, and disputes arising from rental contracts. AKT’s practice also provides various types of services regarding inheritance and probate related matters.

AKT’s areas of expertise include; contract drafting, dispute resolution, settlement of compensatory damages, negotiation among domestic and cross-border parties.