Europe - Turkey
1

Project finance/projects

Çakmak Attorney Partnership

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Highlighted for its ‘exceptional expertise and experience in projects’, Çakmak Attorney Partnership is widely revered as a force in the market. Equally adept at representing lenders and sponsors, the group packs a punch across the full projects life cycle, from development and construction, through to financing and dispute resolution. Mesut Çakmak is a go-to expert for large-scale projects and co-heads the group together with energy and infrastructure specialists Mustafa Durakoğlu and Zeynep Çakmak. The deep bench also draws on Gökhan Okan, who joined in February 2023 from Verdi Hukuk Bürosu, next-generation partner Ayşe Eda Biçer Özen, and associate Nazli Başak Ayık.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Exceptional expertise and experience in projects and project finance work, particularly PPP/BOT projects. It advises on the full project cycle, including development, financing, construction, operation and disputes. Lawyers are commercial, punctual, detail-oriented and easy to work with.’

  • ‘Mustafa Durakoğlu is very experienced in complex projects, including negotiations with governmental entities, and has substantial experience in development, financing, construction and operation matters. He is responsive, punctual and provides sound legal advice. We find it easy to work with him.’

  • ‘Associate Selin Erten Yaşar is easy to reach and helpful whenever needed.’

  • ‘For Çakmak, I can easily say that teamwork is the joint action of people working toward the same end goal; it is more than just completing a task for them and they work together effectively. The strength of the team comes from supporting each other, communicating well, and doing their share.’

  • ‘Although the Çakmak members have varying areas of expertise, they still share similar goals, resources, and leadership and with their diverse set of specialised skills, they are able to solve problems as a group. They also have a designated authority figure who resolves their differences and makes decisions.’

  • ‘I would like to say that Mesut Çakmak, who is the senior partner, and Mustafa Durakoğlu, as the young leader, are collaborative leaders, who can span the scope of our business with their in-house trained legal advisers and get them to work as a team with a common goal.’

  • ‘The team is very experienced and collaborative. Gökhan Okan is very friendly, and experienced.’

Key clients

  • ERG Group
  • Ceska Exportni Banka
  • Rönesans Holding
  • Rönesans and Sonatrach Joint Venture
  • Garanti BBVA and Bayerische Landesbank (BayernLB)
  • Çelikler Holding
  • Gama Holding and Türkerler
  • Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Siemens Bank and Banca IMI
  • International Finance Corporation
  • Landesbank Baden-Württemberg and KfW IPEX-Bank

Work highlights

  • Advising Gama Holding and Türkerler, as the sponsors, on the restructuring of the existing loan facilities extended for the construction and operation of the 2,060-bed İzmir Bayraklı and 1,180-bed Kocaeli Integrated Health Campus projects, tendered out by the Ministry of Health on a PPP basis.
  • Advising a joint venture of Rönesans and Sonatrach on a petrochemical project in Adana, Turkey.
  • Advising ERG, a Turkish conglomerate, on the financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the Ankara-Niğde Motorway Project.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Mesut Çakmak
Mesut Çakmak’s practice focuses on advising clients on local and international commercial and financial transactions and disputes, involving, among others, strategic sectors such as power, oil & gas, mining, transportation, defense and public health. He has represented lenders and sponsors in the development and financing of many major projects in these sectors, including recent large scale PPPs in Turkey. Mesut’s practice also extends to the representation of his clients in mergers and acquisitions, banking and capital markets transactions in the aforementioned sectors. Mesut is also a recognized legal expert in local and international arbitration as well as administrative and commercial litigation. He has represented clients before local and appellate courts in highly complex disputes relating to corporate law, construction law, company law, contractual conflicts, product liability, tax litigation, and regulatory and administrative law matters. Mesut has also represented investors in international arbitrations pursuant to various arbitral procedures, including ISTAC, ICC and ICSID rules.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
S. Mustafa Durakoğlu
Mustafa's practice focuses on energy and infrastructure projects, and banking and finance transactions. He has represented domestic and international lenders, sponsors and project developers in the development, financing, construction and operation of a number of large-scale energy, transportation and infrastructure projects. He also advises some of the major players in the payment services industry.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Ayşe Özen

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Mesut Çakmak, Zeynep Çakmak, Mustafa Durakoğlu

Other key lawyers

Gökhan Okan, Ayşe Eda Biçer Özen, Nazlı Başak Ayık

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