ErsoyBilgehan

THE FIRM 

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, restructuring, 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.

PRINCIPAL AREAS OF WORK 

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.Ersoy Bilgehan 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 Standard (P&I) Club, 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.

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. and Yıldırım Holding A.S.

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 and Export Finance Norway (Eksfin).

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, Ulusoy Shipping Group and Bayraktar Shipping Group.

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 China Telecom, eBay, Gitti Gidiyor, Amazon, Nintendo, Dialog Semiconductor, CD Media, Mitsubishi Corporation, Hapag Lloyd AG 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. We represent creditors, in particular banks and investment funds, in connection with the renegotiation and restructuring of secured and unsecured bank loans and other debts. We 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 our 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. We also handle transactions such as purchase, sale of telecommunication companies and cooperation agreements.

Other Practices & Sectors: Insurance, Tax, Real Estate and Construction, Administrative and Regulatory Affairs, Asset Finance and Securitisation, Aviation, Capital Markets, Competition and Antitrust, Energy and Natural Resources, Environmental Law, Franchise, General Contract Law, Hotel and Leisure, Infrastructure, Insurance and Re-Insurance, Mining, Petroleum, Real Estate and Construction, Telecommunication.