Contributors Gökçe

Gökçe is an independent law firm with full-service capacity based in Istanbul. Gökçe offers a broad range of legal services with a pragmatic and business-minded approach to meet the needs of its diverse client base, ranging from the most reputable international banks to rapidly expanding international companies. Since its establishment in 2010, Gökçe has been experiencing constant progress. Established mostly with the aim to specialize in technology law, Gökçe has garnered a solid reputation for its expertise in technology and media. Moreover, Gökçe has become a go-to law firm for high-profile commercial disputes.

Gökçe is the Turkish representative of Interlaw, a highly-ranked international law firm network.

Gökçe is also a member of Lawyers Associated Worldwide, a global resource of locally respected law firms.

As the last groundbreaking progress, the Gökçe team published the first E-Sports Law book in Turkey. Gökçe has bolstered its IP, media and entertainment practice in 2021.

Main Areas of Practice

Technology, Media, Communication & Privacy

Gökçe’s TMC & Privacy team’s reputation is built on delivering commercial and practical legal advice to clients active in the digital sphere in various industries, ranging from multinational Global 2000 enterprises to venture capitals and start-ups. With a highly qualified team, Gökçe’s scope of services covers broad range of matters including matters of IT law, internet law, cybersecurity law, telecommunications law, intellectual property law, consumer law, e-commerce and data protection.

Team members frequently provide mentoring to emerging growth companies at leading start-up incubators and accelerators including İTÜ Çekirdek and Endeavor Turkey. Clients such as Hilton, N11, Nimo.tv (HUYA), All Stars Music, Eternal Fire, Onedio, Inofab, Evreka, Figopara are all widely recognized game changers in their respective industries; and Gram Games (a Zynga company), Masomo, Miniclip, and Codeway Games, all prominent actors in the e-gaming industry.

The TMC & Privacy team is led by Turkish IT and Privacy Law “star” Dr. Bedii Kaya, along with his deep expertise in data analysis, data protection, cybersecurity, and internet law. In 2021, Gökçe strengthened its Media, Entertainment, and IP practice with representing and providing legal consultancy to its international and domestic clients for their IP-related projects including cross-border licensing, IP portfolio management, linear channels and VOD platforms, NFT projects, IP/IT related dispute resolutions, due diligence processes, merger & acquisitions in media & entertainment sectors, data protection requirements in Turkey, local compliances and so on.

Corporate, M&A & Venture Capital

Corporate, M&A and Venture Capital team focuses on large to middle-market cross-border and domestic corporate transactions in various industries. Gökçe advises on a range of corporate issues including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, venture capital transactions, corporate restructurings, spin-offs and corporate governance. Clients include Farasis Energy (Ganzhou), Figopara, Gedik Yatırım, hiVC, WorleyParsons, and Çelebi Holding. Team members are also highly adept in growth investment transactions and represent founder-led technology companies, from the early stage all the way up to growth phase and exit.

Gökçe advised:

• FIT Solutions (Foriba) founders on the sale of their shares to Sovos, a leading global tax compliance and regulatory reporting software company
• Gram Games, a leading Turkish mobile game company on the acquisition by Zynga Inc
• Four Mobile (Masomo) in the acquisition by Tencent owned mobile games developer Miniclip
• Gameguru on the sale of one of its most downloaded hyper-casual games (namely, Slap Kings) to Lion Studios
• HI Venture Capital a licensed venture capital investment company in its establishment
• Various emerging growth companies on financings by private equity giants and growth/venture capital investors such as EBRD, IFC, Revo Capital, Endeavor, 500 Startups and Growth Circuit
• Evreka, an outstanding waste collection solutions SaaS company
• Neo Auvra, a pioneering medical health company
• Figopara, a major fintech company acting as intermediary for trade finance transactions
• Inofab, an innovative medical device company
• Onedio, a prominent Turkish online content provider

Banking & Finance & Capital Markets

Gökçe has extensive experience in banking & finance and capital markets transactions, particularly in project financings.

On the banking side, Gökçe provides international and local banks with legal advice on daily operational issues, multilateral and bilateral institutional support, equity fund investment and credit enhancement. On the finance side, Gökçe acts for both Turkish and foreign banks in a large spectrum of financing transactions, including domestic and cross-border transactions. On the capital markets side Gökçe’s practice covers the full range of transactions.

Team members have represented İş Bankası, Vakıfbank, Ziraat Bankası, OdeaBank, TSKB, T-Bank, Fibabanka, Gedik Yatırım, Worldpay, CBH Compagnie Bancaire Helvétiqueand Nurol Holding on various project finance and financial restructuring transactions including energy sector, infrastructure, real estate project financing, acquisition financing and other types of asset financing.

Dispute Resolution

Gökçe has profound knowledge and experience in litigation, especially in commercial and IP-related disputes. Gökçe represented N11(Doğuş), NRC International, FIT Solutions, Celebi Aviation, BBraun, V-Count, Onedio, Trendbox, ASB Modern, and Seacor Holding on various commercial disputes.

Employment

Gökçe’s employment team has extensive expertise in handling the full spectrum of employment and labour law issues. It advises numerous clients including Biopipe, Evreka, Gram Games (a Zynga company), Codeway Games, Alba Prestige, Alictus, and various company directors/managers on:

• Employment Contracts
• Termination of Employment
• Employment Disputes
• Settlement of Disputes
• Social Security Disputes

Debt Recovery & Debt Collection

Gökçe has a wide practice of debt collection activities including foreclosure proceedings, primarily conducted for high-volume commercial receivables of its clients. Gökçe represents Çelebi Aviation, Alpla, Seacor Holding, Geniks Kongre, Özak Global, B-Braun.

Criminal Law

Gökçe’s criminal law team represents clients in complex criminal law matters in relation to commercial fraud, white collar, financial, cyber, reconstruction crimes, and data protection offenses. Gökçe’s criminal law clientele includes well-known individuals in Turkey.