Clifford Chance is to launch in Turkey, 18 months after The Lawyer revealed that the magic circle firm had built a presence in the jurisdiction.
Next year the firm will open an office in Istanbul, with London-based finance partner Simon Williams leading the Turkish practice.
The office will operate in cooperation with Yegin Legal Consultancy (YLC), Clifford Chance’s associate Turkish law firm, which is headed by Mete Yegin.
In 2009 Clifford Chance tied up with Yegin, who had previously worked at local firm Pekin & Pekin (27 July 2009). That said, until now Turkish work has mainly been handled out of Frankfurt.
Managing partner David Childs said: “Since formalising our consultancy arrangement with Mete last year, our business in Turkey and the wider region has gone from strength to strength. It’s clear from discussions with our clients that they see this as one of a number of important growth markets and are keen to see us establish a presence on the ground.
“Their view reflects our own focus on the fast growing economies in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East and our long-standing commitment to Eastern Europe.”
Clifford Chance has been active on Turkish matters for about 30 years and recent client mandates include representing major Turkish and international clients on the financing of the Eurasia Bosphorus Tunnel, the Boyabat hydro project, the EnerjiSA power portfolio, the Mersin and Bandirma Ports, the Ankara, Antalya, Izmir and Istanbul airports and the MMK Atakas steel mill, as well as gas distribution and electricity generation and distribution privatisations and debt and capital markets issuances for a number of issuers in the US and European markets.