Announcement of 2026 Partner and Senior Associate Promotions
We are pleased to announce the continued growth of our firm with the promotion of Asena Aytuğ Keser, Direnç Bada and Yalçın Umut Talay to partner, and Uğur Erkırlı to senior associate, effective 1 January 2026.
Asena Aytuğ Keser has specialized in complex dispute management, commercial litigation and arbitration since joining the firm in 2011, providing strategic counsel to national and international clients across a wide range of disputes, from employment-related to regulatoy matters. She expertly combines her litigation prowess with business crimes as well as insurance and reinsurance law, playing a leading role in managing high-profile contentious matters in both local and international markets.
Direnç Bada is a partner at Gün + Partners, focusing on intellectual property enforcement and anti-counterfeiting, with particular experience in the pharmaceutical, technology and fashion industries. Admitted as an attorney in Türkiye and a solicitor in England and Wales, he has advised and represented multinational clients since 2014 in complex civil litigation and criminal enforcement matters, often involving public health and regulatory considerations. In addition to his enforcement practice, he represents clients in international arbitration proceedings and advises on data governance matters, including international data transfers, and holds the CIPP/E certification.
Yalçın Umut Talay advises national and multinational companies on strategic corporate and M&A matters in Türkiye, with a strong focus on the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors. He supports clients in navigating complex transactions and regulatory landscapes, aligning legal solutions with broader business objectives. As a CIPP/E-certified lawyer, he also leads comprehensive data protection projects and represents clients before administrative authorities on high-impact privacy, media, and electronic communications matters.
Uğur Erkırlı specializes in Corporate and M&A, commercial contracts, and corporate governance, advising national and multinational companies on complex transactions, restructurings, capital increases, and statutory filings in Türkiye. He has extensive experience in data protection compliance and cross-border data transfer arrangements, and supports clients on competition law compliance, including regulatory engagements and matters before the Turkish Competition Authority.