Aykut Keskintürk was born in 1962 in Istanbul. After he completed the education, he completed his military service as a judge and he started his professional life following. Initially he worked in some companies as in house counsel and afterwards founded a law firm in 1990. From that time, he has been providing legal consultancy services in different aspects of commercial and corporate law such as mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment law, banking and finance law and in relation with these issues he is also dealing with disputes on labour law, tax law and customs.

Mr. Keskintürk is founder and managing partner of UnitedKS Law Firm who combined expertise and experience of 28 years on the both litigation and legal consultancy services for domestic and international clients.

Education:
Marmara University, School of Law, LLB 1986
Istanbul/Turkey

Bar Association Membership:
Turkish Union of Bar Associations, 1987
Ankara/Turkey
Istanbul Bar Association, 1987
Istanbul/Turkey

Expertise Areas:
Commercial Law and Commercial Litigation
Corporate Law-Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Restructuring, Minority Protection etc.
Banking and Finance Law
Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law
Contracts Law
Labour Law
Privatisation
Projects Related with State
Tax Law
Customs Law
Intellectual Property Law
Dispute Resolution

Phone:
+90 (0) 212 270 52 88

Fax:
+90 (0) 212 281 36 30

E-mail
aykut@unitedks.com

Cengiz Söylemezoglu is the founding and senior managing partner focusing on company law, international law, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, foreign investment, labor law, securities law and all kind of commercial dispute (inc. arbitration) resolution.

For over 28 years of his law practice, he has regularly advised clients on transactions, investments and disputes involving many sectors from international trade, financial services, securities, insurance, textile, energy to retail, chemicals, media and construction ext.

He is the co-head of the dispute resolution in commercial litigation, arbitration, white-collar crimes, administrative proceedings, civil investigations and criminal proceedings.

Education:
“Law Degree”, Marmara University School of Law, Istanbul, Turkey,1986
“Computer Science”, Lewisham College, London, England, 1992
“Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising and Sales and Sales Management”, London University, School of Business, London, England, 1993
“Diploma in European Community Law”, University of Wolwerhampton, Holborn College, London, England, 1994
“MBA, Account and Finance Master Degree”, Marmara University School of Business, Istanbul, Turkey, 1997

Bar qualifications:
Member of Turkish Council of the Bar, Ankara, Turkey, 1988
Member of Istanbul Council of the Bar, Istanbul, Turkey, 1988
License of the Public Notaries. The Public Notaries Associations, The Ministry of Justice, Ankara, Turkey, 1991

Professional associations:
He is member of Consulegis, EuroCollectNet, FCIB, NACAM, American Lawyer Quarterly.

Areas of Practice:
Contractual & Commercial Law
Company & Corporate Law (incl. M&A)
Intellectual Property Law
International Law & Trade
Product Liability
Labor & Employment Law
Construction Law (incl. Energy Law)
Capital Markets & Stock Exchange
Dispute Resolution & Litigation (Arbitration)

Select publications:
One chart of accounts of Mutual Funds
Well-known Trademarks in Turkey
Parallel Importation and Trademark rights in the Turkish Law
Outlines of Debt Collection in Europe,
International Intellectual Property Law Basics, Consulegis Handbook (Turkish Section)
Invalidity of Non-Used Trademarks

E-Mail:
cengiz@unitedks.com

Phone:
+90 (0) 212 269 72 72

Fax:
+90 (0) 212 281 36 30

E-mail:
buketa@unitedks.com

E-mail:
gamzek@unitedks.com

Att. Begum Erguney had a successful education and achieved certificates of honor and high honor during her education period. After she accomplished the Erasmus program in Université Jean Monnet on 2009, she has graduated from Bahcesehir University on 2010.
Att. Begum Erguney is registered lawyer to Istanbul Bar and from the beginning of her law internship period; she assists and provides litigation and counseling services to many local and international firms.
Besides, she provides legal counseling with regards to the preparation of all forms of contracts, establishment of companies and general assembly proceedings.
As of 2015, she has joined the İKMS Law Firm and provides litigation and counseling services to many local and international firms.

Work experience and specialized areas:
Commercial Law, Law of Obligations, Civil Law, Labor Law, Contract Law, Corporate Law, International Private and Procedure Law, Law of Property, Law of Domestic Relations.

Education:
Cambridge Law Studio, Girton College, Cambridge University
Bahcesehir University, Faculty of Law
Université Jean Monnet, Erasmus Program
Lycée Saint Joseph

Language:
English
French

E-mail:
begume@unitedks.com

After his graduation at Bilkent University Faculty of Law, Att.Altug Aydogan has started his practice of law at a reputable law firm. He accomplished his legal internship and started to work as a lawyer within the same law firm. In this period, he attended various legal courses at United Kingdom.
Later on, Att.Altug Aydogan has participated in an international consultancy company and got solid corporate experience. Since August 2015, he has been performing his legal skills as a part of IKMS Law Firm(UnitedKS) and; serving several number of domestic and international clients at both litigation cases and corporate issues.

Experiences and Professions:
Corporate Law, Commercial Litigation, International Contracts, Labor Law, Tax Law, Sports Law, Law of Inheritance, Arbitration Law, Civil Litigation Privatization Law, Construction Law, Intellectual Property Law

Education:
Bilkent University, Faculty of Law Girton College,
Cambridge Law Studio TED Ankara Private College

Languages:
English
German

Membership:
Istanbul Bar Association (Lawyer) Turkish Billiard Federation (Former Foreign Relations Board Member)
Bilkent University Alumni Associaton (Member)

Bar Registration Number:
50198

Phone:
+ 90 (212) 270 52 88

Fax:
+ 90 (212) 281 36 30

E-mail:
altuga@unitedks.com

After accomplishing the legal intern at the law office, he had continued his profession as an academician for three years. During that time, several numbers of his articles are published in both national and international refereed legal journals. Additionally, he presented his papers at both national and international conferences. Since Jan, 2015, he has been working as an attorney at law at IKMS Law Firm.
His article titled “Restriction Problem of Freedom of Expression in the Presence of Terrorism” was awarded with a special mansion at the article competition for LLM and PhD students organized by The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) in 2012.
As a member of International Law Students Association (ILSA), he was one of the members of the team of Istanbul University Law Faculty at the 2009 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. The team came in second at the national round and was awarded with the best petitions of applicant and respondent.

Experiences and Professions:
Human Rights Law, Criminal Law, Labour Law, Social Security Law

Education:
Faculty of Human Sciences, Political Science and Sociology, University of Köln, Köln 2008 (Erasmus).
Faculty of Political Science, Public Administration Department, University of Istanbul, İstanbul, 2010.
Faculty of Law, University of Istanbul, İstanbul 2011.
LL.M., University of Galatasaray, İstanbul 2014.
Advisor of the Thesis: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ümit KOCASAKAL,
Subject of the Thesis: The Crime of Propaganda of Terrorism.
Ph.D., University of Galatasaray, İstanbul (in progress).

Membership:
İstanbul Bar Association

Yabancı Dil:
English
German

E-mail:
canc@unitedks.com

Att. Can GURSEL graduated from Istanbul Bilgi University in 2009, he registered to Bar of Istanbul in 2011 and he started to profess as an attorney since 2012.
He accomplished the Law of Economics Master Program in Istanbul Bilgi University while he was doing his law internship and he attended to Master of International and Economic Law Program in University of Toulouse. Can GURSEL who worked at Law Department of Borsa Istanbul for two years joined to IKMS Law Firm team at 2015. He is still counseling for many local and international clients in the IKMS Law Firm.

Work Experience and Specialized Areas:
Commercial Law, Capital Market Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Commercial Law, International Commercial Arbitration,

Education:
Istanbul Bilgi University, Faculty of Law
Istanbul Bilgi University, Law of Economics Master Program
University of Toulouse, Master of International and Economic Law,
Galatasaray University Tax Law Department, Law of Economics Certificate Program,
William Mitchell College Summer Institute on American Law, American Legal System and Legal English and International Business Law

Foreign Language:
French
English

E-mail:
cang@unitedks.com

Of-Counsel

Attorney at Law, Mediator

Gül Yanık is a Turkish Lawyer, admitted to Istanbul Bar Association. Her practice focuses on litigation, mediation, international arbitration, law on foreigners, law on non-governmental organisations, family law and copyrights of artists. She also focuses on women’s rights cases. Ms. Yanık represents clients before Turkish Courts and arbitration tribunals. She is also leading mediation process.

Ms. Yanık received her law degree from Baskent University, Faculty of Law, Ankara. She studied in England, Italy, Turkey and Switzerland. Gül Yanık holds an LL.M degree in International and European Economic and Business Law from University of Lausanne, Switzerland. She wrote her master thesis on “International Construction Contracts and Resolution of Disputes”. She organised and spoke at numerous worldwide conferences and published several articles about international arbitration, institutional arbitration and mediation.

Gül Yanık is the former Turkish ICC YAF representative for Middle East, Africa and Turkey Chapter. She is a member of ISTA, Young ISTAC, YIAG and she is an associate member at Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She is a formal mediator admitted to Ministry of Justice of Turkish Republic.

Education:

Başkent University Faculty of Law, LL.B , Ankara, Turkey

University of Lausanne Faculty of Law, LL.M, Lausanne, Switzerland

Memberships:

Istanbul Bar Association

ICC YAF, Regional Representative for Africa, Middle East and Turkey Chapter between 2013-2017

ISTA, Young ISTAC, YIAG, CIARB, Mediation Volunteer Associations

Seminars, Educations and Events (Organized and Participated as a Speaker):

• ICC YAF 3^rd AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST AND TURKEY REGIONAL CONFERENCE- 30 September 2016 and 1^st October 2016- Beirut, Lebanon

Debate: Affirmative action has no place in Arbitration?

Arbitrator, Speaker

• ICC YAF ISTANBUL CONFERENCE – 28 March 2016 – Istanbul

Resolution of M&A and JV Disputes

Organized and participated as moderator

• 5^th ICC YAF ANNUAL ISTANBUL CONFERENCE- 27 November 2015- Istanbul

Cross Examination in International Arbitration

Organized and participated as a moderator and lead the Mock Case Session

• 5^TH ICC YAF GLOBAL CONFERENCE- 25 June 2015- 27 June 2015 – London

Participated as a speaker: Arbitrators Got Talent

Debate: Arbitrators have a duty to report acts of corruption to authorities

• ICC YAF IZMIR CONFERENCE: INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION: EFFICIENCY FROM DAY

ONE- 13 March 2015- İzmir

Organized and participated as a speaker: The advantages of arbitration versus litigation

• ICC YAF ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS – 7 March 2015 – Istanbul Bilgi University

“The More the Merrier? Consent in Arbitrations Involving Multiple Parties and Multiparty Contracts”

Organized and participated as the moderator

• ICC TURKEY- ICC YAF TRAINING ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION – 10-11 January 2015, 31

January-1 February 2015 – Istanbul

• 4^th ICC YAF ANNUAL ISTANBUL CONFERENCE- 13 OCTOBER 2014 – Istanbul

Advocacy in International Arbitration

Organized and participated as the reporter

• ICC YAF MENA CHAPTER REGIONAL CONFERENCE- 12 September 2014-Istanbul

Floating Arbitration Event

Organized and participated as a speaker: Debate: Finding best place of arbitration in Africa and Mena Region

• ICC YAF MEDIATION CONFERENCE ANKARA- 18 April 2014 – Ankara

ICC Mediation Rules

Organized and participated as a moderator, speaker

• 3^rd ISTANBUL ICC YAF CONFERENCE- 13 September 2013-Istanbul

Scrutiny of the Award by the ICC International Court of Arbitration

Organized and participated as a moderator, speaker

Publications:

Istanbul Arbitration Centre Bulletin, June, 2016

Changes Brought by ISTAC Arbitration Rules: Fast Track Arbitration, Emergency Arbitration, Procedural Time Table

https://istac.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/istac-eng-copy-01.html

Areas of Practice:

Arbitration

Mediation

Law of Foreigners

Association and Foundation Law

Family Law

Copyrights

E-Mail:

guly@unitedks.com

Telephone:

+90 212 281 32 91

Att. Alptuğ GUVEN graduated from Bilkent University, Law Faculty on 2012 and registered to Istanbul Bar Association on 2013.
He fulfilled his legal internship at an international law firm. Later on, he got two separate LLM degrees from Galatasaray University and University of Queen Mary.
After completing his higher education program and specializing at ,Corporate and Commercial Law, he has joined to IKMS Law Firm (UnitedKS) on 2015. Currently, has been working with many domestic and international clients.

Experiences and Professions:
Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Law and Brand Protection, Commercial Contracts, Corporate Law, Merger and Acquisition, Arbitration Law, Civil Litigation

Foreign Languages:
English
German

Memberships:
İstanbul Bar Association

Bar Registry Number:
47183

Phone:
+ 90 (212) 270 52 88

Fax:
+ 90 (212) 281 36 30

E-mail:
alpg@unitedks.com

Att. Elif Gizem Erşahin has a degree in Law from Okan University and has been qualified as lawyer since 2017 at Istanbul Bar Association.

She has been carried out her legal internship to be qualified as lawyer at UnitedKS Law Firm.. She has been currently working in UnitedKs Law Firm team.

Her practice areas include Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law, Law of Obligations, Labor Law, Consumer Law, Commercial Law and Litigation.

Att. Elif Gizem Erşahin currently holds membership in Istanbul Bar Association.

Education:

• Okan University-2016
• The British Legal System and the British Court System- Bradford University- 2014
• Presentation Techniques, Body Language, Diction Certificate Program – Bahçeşehir University- 2016
• Maritime Law Certificate Program, Marmara University 2014

Languages:

• English
• German
• Japanese (Basic Hiragana)

Membership:

• Istanbul Bar Association (Lawyer)-
• Turkish Kendo Association

Bar Registration Number:
58466

Phone:
+ 90 (212) 270 52 88

Fax:
+ 90 (212) 281 36 30

E-mail:
gizeme@unitedks.com

A.Engin Ergüden is the advisor focusing on auditing, internal auditing, internal control corporate governance.
For over 20 years of his experience, Preparation of financial statements and audit reports in compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards, Capital Market Board Standards and Auditing on Cost Accounting both in English and in Turkish, Acted as team leader in several audit assignments and provided services to clients active in telecommunications, hotel management, tourism & leisure, steel, publishing, construction & building textile, cement industry, investment & securities, food and beverage industries and prepared reports according to CMB and IFRS principles and acted as an advisory team member in the preparation and implementation of accounting packages (IAS Consolidated). Acted as team leader in an audit project involving Socioal Security Organization of Turkey (S.S.K) assigned by World Bank and Turkish Treasury,

Education:
– Uludağ University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Bursa Major:  Business Administration 1988-1992
– Istanbul University, Faculty of Business Administration, Institute of Business Economics, Certificate Program in Financial Management (Curriculum in English), 1993 – 1994
– Marmara University, Institute of Social Science Master Program in Accounting – Finance, 1997-200
– Marmara University, Institute of Social Science Phd Program in Accounting – Finance, 2001-2008

Membership qualifications:
– Istanbul Chamber of Independent Accountant and Financial Advisors,,
– Turkish Internal Audit Institute (effective member of Academic Relations Committee),
– Turkish Accounting Specialists Association, and Financial Consultants Accountants Union.

Areas of Practice:
Auditing
Internal Auditing
Fraud
IFRS
Corporate Governance
Tax Law
Capital Markets

E-Mail:
engine@unitedks.com

Phone:
+90 (0) 212 269 72 72

Att. Banu Erdem Özdemir graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Law in 2006 and following her graduation, she registered in Istanbul Bar Association as qualified lawyer. Between the years 2004-2009, Banu Erdem Özdemir provided legal consultancy services to both domestic and international companies within IKMS Law Firm and whereafter she specialised in labour and social security law as of 2009 she has started to provide legal consultancy in her specialisation area.

Att. Banu Erdem Özdemir has been providing legal consultancy services to both domestic and international clients in labour and social security law since 2006 also she has been working for Labour Courts, Commercial Courts and Criminal Courts as a legal expertise. She has memberships for variety of institutions.

Legal Career and Expertise
Labour and Social Security Law

Education
Marmara University, School of Law, LLB 2004
Marmara University, School of Law, LLM Labour and Social Security Law, 2012 

Memberships
Istanbul Bar Association
Registry Number, 32591

Languages
English

Phone
+ 90 (212) 270 52 88

E-mail:
banue@unitedks.com

She has graduated from one of the reputable trade vocational school, at 1999.
After  working  at accounting departmants  of various domestic and international companies for several years, she has joined our team.

Education:
Ahi Evran Trade Vocational School

Languages:
English

Phone:                         
+ 90 (212) 270 52 88

Fax:
  + 90 (212) 281 36 30

E-mail:
sennur@ikmshukuk.com

Huseyin Seydik works with our team for almost ten years in filing and administrative department of our firm. He follows and delivers all the files from and to Public Notaries, Trade Registries and clerk offices of Courts and Enforcement Offices.

E-mail:
huseyins@unitedks.com

Elif Yalcin was born at 27 November 1989. She was graduated from Kocaeli University Vocational High School Business Administration and Anadolu University Open Education Faculty Business Administration.
Elif Yalcin worked at various companies’ and law firm’s accounting departments located in Turkey. She has joined our team on 2014 and welcomes our guests and directs them to our attorneys.

Language:
English

E-mail :
elify@unitedks.com