Serhan Koçaklı

Practice Areas

Corporate and Commercial, Real Estate and Construction

Career

After spending seven years with a major Istanbul-based law firm, Serhan Koçaklı joined the Firm in 2010 as a partner. He currently leads the Firm’s Corporate and Commercial and Real Estate and Construction practices.

Professional Memberships

Istanbul Bar Association; International Bar Association (IBA); Turkish Corporate Governance Association (TKYD); Beşiktaş Sports Club Association

Publications

Co-author of “Doing Business 2020” (The World Bank, U.S.A., 2020); “Doing Business 2019” (The World Bank, U.S.A., 2019); “Getting the Deal Through: Real Estate M&A, Turkey Chapter” (Law Business Research, 2018-2020); “International Franchise Handbook, 2nd Edition” (DWF Germany, 2017); “Commercial Real Estate, Turkey Chapter” (Global Legal Group, UK, 2015-2016)

Personal

Istanbul Bilgi University School of Law (LL.M., 2018); Istanbul Bilgi University School of Law (LL.B., 2003); Istanbul American Robert College (1998)

Languages Spoken

English, Turkish

Experience

Serhan Koçaklı advises a number of foreign capital companies in connection with their activities in Turkey on a broad range of issues, including joint ventures, corporate law, contracts and employment in several different sectors, including retail, hospitality, aviation, construction, energy, textiles, chemical and metal industries. He has significant experience in establishing/improving corporate governance structures of family-owned businesses by creating mutually acceptable solutions to address the shareholders’ conflicting interests.

Serhan has a particular focus on the real estate sector, where he advises on all types of real estate transactions, including infrastructure and property development projects. He has a substantive degree of experience in commercial and industrial property transactions with a specific focus on zoning, construction and structuring matters. Serhan has special expertise on specific legislation governing the real estate aspects of complex projects (e.g., development of mixed-use projects, renewable energy projects, port and data center development projects and tourism facility developments concerning the use of treasury/state-owned land). Serhan is heavily involved in the negotiation of all types of real estate contracts. He advises major property developers, investment funds, construction companies, landlords, tenants and other parties involved in property development.

Serhan lectures on real estate law in various Istanbul-based university certificate programs.

Work Highlights

Some of Serhan’s recent work highlights include providing legal advice and assistance to a UK-based retail giant in connection with the development and acquisition of approximately 40 sites throughout Turkey for its hypermarket activities in more than 20 cities; TPI Composites, the largest U.S.-based independent manufacturer of composite wind blades, on a multi phased built-to-suit lease contracts as well as on its renewable energy investments composed of wind turbines and solar panels; Folkart, one of the leading companies in the construction sector in Turkey and a group company of the Saya Group, one of Turkey’s leading conglomerates, on the acquisition of 24 real properties through a series of highly complex transaction; Losta Turizm, the owner and manager of a boutique hotel and several other real properties, and its shareholders in the property sale transactions; Boston Consulting Group in the drafting of a FIDIC Green Book Short Form of Contract; Tosaf Compounds, manufacturer and distributor of color and additive masterbatches and compounds, in the settlement of a dispute arising from a construction agreement; and QTerminals, a leading Qatar-based terminal operating company, on the extension of Port Akdeniz’s privatization agreement’s term.

Clients

Vitol, TPI Composites Inc, Deloitte, Cummins, Mediterra Capital, Goodrich Corporation (UTC Aerospace), Vinmar Group, Bunzl, TOSAF, Duracell, Dyson, Decathlon, Folkart, RZK Çelik, Actera, Söke Un, LR Global Holding, Huntsman Group, Italferr, Agence France-Presse (AFP), Otto Group, Boston Consulting Group, Hugo Boss, Comau, UN RoRo, SolarReserve, Spotify, Vansan, Fujifilm, Ajax System, Ruhrpumpen, AptarGroup, Petrol Ofisi, Porsche, Marriott International/Design Hotels GmbH, Merlin Entertainments, Saya Group, Rönesans Holding, Turkven Private Equity, UL LLC, Alterna Gıda, Elba Bant, Bozzetto Group, Pfizer, Yu Group, Odea Bank, Losta Turizm, Advaita Trade, Alexander Dennis Limited, DM İnşaat, Kent Proje Yönetimi, QTerminals