Strategic legal solutions that balance regulation with commercial reality.
Effective defense and criminal law advisory throughout investigation and prosecution processes.
End-to-end legal support from incorporation to investment rounds.
Comprehensive legal support in tax disputes, audits and restructuring processes.
Litigation against administrative actions and advisory before public authorities.
Contract, compliance and dispute management in employee-employer relations.
Sensitive and solution-oriented support in divorce, custody and matrimonial property matters.
End-to-end legal advisory for intermediary institutions, IPO processes and capital markets entities.
Strategic advisory in due diligence, SPA/SHA negotiations and cross-border transactions.
Expert representation and advisory in all stages of domestic and international arbitration.
Preparation, revision and negotiation of commercial contracts and international trade documentation.
Deep expertise in data protection and IT law for regulated sectors.
Licensing, regulatory compliance and product legal modelling for payment institutions.
Comprehensive advisory in electricity, natural gas, petroleum and renewable energy markets.
Compliance with TSRS, ESRS and GRI standards, double materiality analyses and ESG reporting.
Advisory on commercial leases, real estate projects and international retail operations.
Maritime disputes, ship arrest and GAFTA/LMAA arbitration processes.
Regulatory compliance, data processing and malpractice advisory for healthcare institutions.
Defense counsel and complainant representation during investigation and prosecution stages.
Strategic advisory on white-collar crimes, financial crimes and criminal liability risks for company executives.
Legal support for settlement, effective remorse mechanisms and alternative resolution options, including risk analysis and defense strategy.
Strategic Legal Support for Startups and Emerging Companies in Turkey Building and scaling a high-growth technology enterprise requires an agile legal foundation capable of supporting rapid evolution and international investment. GRD Partners provides comprehensive legal support from initial incorporation through subsequent financing rounds, ensuring that emerging ventures remain compliant with the Turkish Commercial Code (Law No. 6102) while remaining structurally attractive to cross-border institutional capital. Entity Structuring and Founders’ Governance The corporate architecture established at inception determines the viability of future institutional investment. Legal counsel assists founders in choosing the appropriate corporate vehicle—principally Joint Stock Companies (Anonim Şirket - A.Ş.) due to share transfer flexibility and tax efficiencies—and drafting bespoke Articles of Association. Core advisory in this stage includes: Structuring Founders’ Agreements covering equity vesting schedules, cliff periods, intellectual property ownership, and non-competition commitments. Establishing Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and phantom stock arrangements within the statutory parameters of Turkish corporate law. Formulating robust IP assignment and work-for-hire documentation to guarantee that all proprietary software, algorithms, designs, and marks remain unencumbered and fully vested in the corporate entity. Venture Capital Financing and Cross-Border Investment As technology companies advance through pre-seed, seed, and priced equity rounds, maintaining ownership integrity while meeting capital requirements is essential. Legal representation covers both founders and emerging growth funds across diverse transaction structures: Structuring Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFE), Keep It Simple Securities (KISS), and Convertible Debt Instruments tailored to Turkish corporate capital maintenance rules. Negotiating Term Sheets, Investment Agreements, and Shareholder Agreements (SHA) containing liquidation preferences, drag-along, tag-along, anti-dilution, and information rights. Managing international holding company reorganizations (flip transactions) into jurisdictions such as Delaware, the United Kingdom, or the Netherlands to facilitate global scale. Technology Zones and Regulatory Incentives Turkey provides extensive statutory incentives for research and development activities. Advisory services cover operational structuring within Technology Development Zones (Technoparks) and designated R&D Centers under Law No. 4691, securing corporate income tax exemptions, payroll support, customs relief, and stamp tax exemptions for qualified innovation ventures. FAQ Schema Content Q: Which corporate structure is optimal for a technology startup in Turkey? A: A Joint Stock Company (Anonim Şirket - A.Ş.) is universally preferred over a Limited Liability Company (Limited Şirket - Ltd. Şti.) because it allows share transfers exempt from capital gains tax under statutory holding periods, accommodates share classes with distinct voting or dividend privileges, and aligns with venture capital expectations. Q: Can foreign investors finance Turkish tech companies via convertible instruments? A: While Turkish corporate law mandates formal capital subscription mechanics, international financing tools such as SAFEs and convertible notes can be structured legally through conditional capital increases, advance capital mechanisms, or cross-border holding company frameworks. Q: How does a startup protect proprietary software code developed by its employees in Turkey? A: Under Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works, economic rights to computer programs created by employees in the execution of their employment duties vest automatically in the employer, provided employment agreements contain clear intellectual property assignment and moral rights exercise clauses. Legal counsel for technology startups in Turkey. Entity formation, SAFE notes, venture rounds, ESOP structuring, Technopark incentives, and IP protection. startup lawyer Turkey, venture capital attorney Istanbul, company formation tech Turkey, SAFE agreements Turkish law, Technopark legal incentives.
Management of tax audits and proceedings before tax authorities.
Settlement, litigation and objection processes against tax penalties, including representation before tax courts.
Tax planning, restructuring and international tax compliance advisory for companies.
Annulment and full remedy actions against administrative decisions.
Advisory and application follow-up for permits, licenses and public authority procedures.
Legal risk analysis and representation regarding public tenders, sanctions and regulatory actions.
Legal procedures for termination of employment contracts, including mutual termination processes and related risk assessments.
Representation in employee receivables, reinstatement claims, workplace accident and social security disputes.
Preparation and revision of employment contracts, internal policies and workplace regulations.
Representation in uncontested and contested divorce proceedings.
Resolution of custody, alimony and personal relationship disputes.
Advisory on matrimonial property liquidation, family agreements and family law matters connected to inheritance.
Formation, licensing and operational structuring of capital markets institutions, particularly brokerage houses and portfolio management companies.
Management of IPO processes, registered capital system transitions, prospectuses and legal reports in line with capital markets regulations.
Establishment and issuance processes for umbrella investment funds, venture capital funds and real estate investment funds.
End-to-end due diligence management and target company analysis.
Preparation and negotiation of SPAs, SHAs, term sheets and similar transaction documents.
Coordination with foreign counsel in multinational transactions, AML compliance and application of international tax treaties.
Management of domestic and international arbitration proceedings from strategy to enforcement.
Strategic drafting of arbitration agreements and support for recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards.
Advisory on third-party funding and coordination with international law firms.
Drafting, revision and negotiation of sales, distribution, services, supply, confidentiality, framework and partnership agreements.
Legal structuring of board processes, representation and authority mechanisms, signature circulars and internal commercial processes.
Trade registry procedures, company incorporation, articles of association, capital increases and contractual risk analysis in international transactions.
End-to-end data protection compliance projects, including data inventories, processing activity analysis and risk maps.
Preparation of privacy notices, explicit consent texts, retention and destruction policies and cookie policies.
KVKK-GDPR gap analyses, data breach management and regulatory notifications.
License application processes for payment and electronic money institutions and follow-up before regulatory authorities.
Compliance with Law No. 6493 and secondary legislation, including product legal modelling and user agreements.
Legal infrastructure for wallets, cards and payment systems, plus partnership, infrastructure and outsourcing agreements.
Legal advisory for companies operating in electricity, natural gas, petroleum and renewable energy markets.
Legal structuring of licensing, generation, supply, storage and distribution processes.
EPC, O&M, energy purchase and joint venture agreements, and process follow-up before relevant energy authorities.
Design and implementation of compliance processes for TSRS, ESRS and GRI standards.
Double materiality analyses and assessment of obligations under CBAM, ETS and the European Green Deal.
ESG due diligence, sustainability risk assessment, CSR projects and regulatory monitoring.
Preparation and negotiation of commercial lease agreements and advisory for international retail companies.
Legal review and structuring of real estate projects.
Legal support in lease disputes.
Disputes arising from maritime trade and transportation, including cargo claims, demurrage and collision matters.
Ship arrest processes and support in GAFTA, FOSFA and LMAA arbitration proceedings.
Regulatory compliance processes for healthcare institutions and legal structuring of health data processing.
Advisory in malpractice and healthcare disputes.
Follow-up of licensing and administrative processes.