Insights
Cross-Border Transfer of Personal Data
Prior to the Amendment Law, personal data could mostly be transferred abroad with the explicit consent of the data subject, as the other legal grounds specified in the legislation were either not available or not applicable. Since the Law's enactment in 2016, the fact that the Board had not yet established a list of countries providing adequate protection had significantly limited and complicated the practice of cross-border data transfer. This situation made obtaining… »
Processing of Special Categories of Personal Data
In the Law, special categories of personal data are defined in a limited manner as data related to a person’s race, ethnic origin, political opinions, philosophical beliefs, religion, sect, or other beliefs, attire, membership in associations, foundations, or trade unions, health, sexual life, criminal convictions, security measures, as well as biometric and genetic data. Before the enactment of the Amendment Law, the processing of special categories of personal data under… »
Market Availability of Products and Parallel Trade
The export of products that are produced for and imported to the Turkish market after being introduced to the market may restrict patients’ access to treatment. Additionally, pharmaceutical products that are purchased at prices significantly lower than those in many other countries and then exported can influence the market prices in other countries. In this context, the Circular No. 2014/11 on the Availability of Pharmaceutical Products in the Market prepared by the Agency… »
Jurisdictional Conflicts in Global FRAND Cases and the EU’s WTO Complaint against China for Alleged Violation of TRIPs
Anti-suit injunctions ("ASI") issued by Chinese courts, which prevent parties of proceedings concerning standard-essential patents ("SEPs") from bringing proceedings against each other in different countries, have made the “jurisdiction of the court" a controversial issue. As is known, in the case of SEPs, the first issue that confronts the patent holder and the company implementing the SEP is whether a licence has been asked, offered and/or granted on Fair, Reasonable and… »
Patent and Trademark Office almost loses authority to revoke trademarks – before it even gets a chance to use it (1)
Within the context of the entry into force of Article 26 of the Industrial Property Code, there have been heated discussions as to whether the administrative revocation of trademarks is constitutional An IP court applied to the Constitutional Court to annul the office’s authority to revoke trademarks before the office was able to use such authority The Constitutional Court rejected the application due to the court's lack of jurisdiction and did not examine the… »
Higher Board corrects implementation of goods and services limitations in landmark decision
The Higher Board recognised that stricter conditions apply to the limitation of goods and services for national applications compared to international applications filed via WIPO The limitation applications rejected by the Trademarks Department were in accordance with the law and should have been accepted The decision emphasises that parties should be encouraged to resolve disputes through amicable agreements Background The Trademarks Department of the Patent and Trademark… »
Chef’s Recommendation: Turkish Case Offers a Tasty Takeaway for Trademark Owners
Would you like to hear more about the chef’s recommendation? First, as a starter, some background information will be provided on a trademark dispute in Turkey that has a culinary theme, with the following steps taken at the administrative stage: The owner of the above-left trademark opposed a third-party application for the above-right trademark before the Turkish intellectual property office, by addressing the entire coverage of the filing under the Nice Classification… »
Data Controllers’ Registry (VERBIS)
Pursuant to Article 16 of the Law, data controllers who meet certain criteria are obliged to register with the Data Controllers’ Registry ("VERBIS"). The procedures and principles regarding the VERBIS system, which is open to the public, are determined by the "Regulation on the Data Controllers Registry" dated December 30, 2017 ("VERBIS Regulation"). With the Board's decisions dated 2018, various professional groups, associations, foundations and political parties were… »
Protection of Personal Data In the Field of Artificial Intelligence
With the rapid expansion of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its integration into all areas of life, it has become essential to establish a legal framework that regulates the safe and ethical development, distribution and use of AI systems, considering the complexity and unique characteristics of this technology. In addition to promoting the safe, transparent, and human rights-respecting development of AI technologies, and aiming to protect the safety, rights, and… »
Market Access - Alternative Reimbursement Models
aaaaIn the presence of alternative reimbursement models developed globally for pharmaceutical reimbursement systems, such as payback, value-based, indication-based reimbursements, and performance-based models, the Turkish pharmaceutical industry has also required alternative reimbursement models that fall outside the usual pricing and reimbursement rules for innovative products, and that can be negotiated with the Social Security Institution (SSI) to determine reimbursement… »
Use of Hemp in Production of Pharmaceuticals
Hemp cultivation in Türkiye came to the forefront with the “Symposium on Local Governments in the Presidential Government System” held on 9 January 2019, followed by the preparation of the “Report and Action Plan on Industrial Hemp Cultivation in Türkiye”. The hemp cultivation reached a significant stage with the publication of the Law on Amendments to the Forestry Law and Certain Laws on 5 April 2025. This law encourages the production of fibre, seeds, and stems, with the… »
Updates on the Ban Regarding Foreign Currency Payment in Movable Sale Contracts
To address the challenges arising from the obligation to make payments in Turkish Lira in sale of goods contracts, which are frequently encountered in commercial life, an amendment was made in 2022 to the Communiqué on the Decree numbered 32 Regarding the Protection of the Value of the Turkish Currency (the "Communiqué"). This amendment allowed the contract value to be paid in foreign currency for certain movable sale contracts, except for vehicle contracts, concluded between… »
News and Events
IAM Patent 1000 - The World's Leading Patent Professionals Rankings 2024 Announced
The 2024 edition of the IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Professionals has been released online. We are proud to announce that we have been recognised as the top tier firm and our 8 practitioners are recognized as the leading individuals in the IAM Patent 1000 - The World's Leading Patent Professionals 2024. The IAM Patent 1000 is a comprehensive directory that identifies the top patent professionals and expert witnesses globally, based on extensive research and…
Hande Hançar Listed in Top 250 Women in IP 2024
Congratulations to Hande Hançar to be recognised as Managing IP's Top 250 Women in IP 2024 edition. This special publication recognises some of the senior female IP practitioners in private practice who have performed exceptionally for their clients and firms in the past year.
We Completed Our 2024-2025 Legal Intern Evaluation Process
We have completed our legal intern evaluation process for the 2024-2025 period. We would like to thank all our candidates who showed great interest and applied. Welcome to our legal interns who will be with us from September. Hilal Gökdeniz, Yağmur Karakışla, Damla Köse, Meryem Çalışkan, Ayşe Erdoğan, Özge Dağlı, İpek Baltacıoğlu, İdil Kanadoğlu, Aysu Kevser Ergin, Miraç Tan Demirkale, Tuğçe Korkmaz, Ayşegül Aydemir, İsmail Arslan.
Atahan Erkul Spoke at the Panel Organized by OSS at the Automechanica Istanbul 2024
Atahan Erkul spoke at the panel organized by OSS at the Automechanica Istanbul 2024 Fair on Friday, May 24th, on the Importance of Brand Protection in Maintenance and Repair in the Automotive Sector and Recent Legal Developments. The panel featured presentations on legal sanctions under brand legislation regarding counterfeit automotive spare parts and an overview of annual activities.…
Direnç Bada Spoke at the USPTO "Intellectual Property Enforcement at the Border" Conference
Our managing associate, Direnç Bada, spoke at the recent USPTO "Intellectual Property Enforcement at the Border" conference in Istanbul. The presentation focused on the critical role of private-public collaboration and case studies in strengthening IP enforcement.
Baran Güney, Spoke at an GALA EMEA Webinar: Hot Topics in Advertising Law
Our managing associate, Baran Güney, spoke at an GALA EMEA Webinar: Hot Topics in Advertising Law in Europe with members of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA) from Ireland, Spain, Slovakia, Turkey, and the UK, discussing recent developments in European advertising law, including environmental marketing, influencer marketing, consumer protection, AI, and the new UK Digital Markets Bill.
Our founder Mehmet Gün Spoke at the Panel on Resolving IP and Technology Disputes Through Alternative Dispute Resolution
Our founder Mehmet Gün spoke at the panel on Resolving IP and Technology Disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Workshop on Mediation of Intellectual Property (IP) Disputes, which was organized by TÜRKPATENT, Justice Academy of Türkiye, and WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center on May 6. https://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/amc/en/docs/web-mediation_ip_disputes-turk.pdf…
Begüm Yavuzdoğan Okumuş spoke at the Climate Summit held at TOBB University
Our partner Begüm Yavuzdoğan Okumuş gave a speech on "Law and Compliance in the Green and Digital Transformation Path" at the Climate Summit held at TOBB University on May 10, 2024. Speakers from academia and the business world discussed the effects of the climate crisis, upcoming regulations, and developments during the event.…
Our Lawyers Spoke During the 2024 Patent and Trademark Attorney Qualifying Exams Preparatory Trainings
Our lawyers, Güldeniz Doğan Alkan, Aysel Korkmaz Yatkın, Dilan Sıla Kayalıca, Zeynep Çağla Üstün, Ayşenur Çıtak Bozdağ, Edanur Atlı, and Seda Takmaz, conducted legal sessions during the preparatory trainings organized by PEM in Ankara and Istanbul for the Patent and Trademark Attorney Qualifying Exams held on May 11, 2024.…
Zeynep Çağla Üstün Spoke at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University
On May 18, 2024, our managing associate, Zeynep Çağla Üstün, participated in the Career Summit organized by the Free Ideas Club at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University. She introduced the operational areas of Gün + Partners and discussed career opportunities in institutional law firms and intellectual property law.
Hande Hançar Spoke at the IAA Webinar
Hande Hançar spoke as part of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance panel during the "Artificial Intelligence & Marketing – A Global Legal Perspective Europe" webinar, hosted by the International Advertising Association on April 10th.
Our Lawyers Recognized in the Who's Who Legal: Life Sciences 2024
We are proud to announce that Mehmet Gün, Özge Atılgan Karakulak, Selin Sinem Erciyas, and Aysel Korkmaz Yatkın have been named among the world’s leading practitioners in Who's Who Legal: Life Sciences 2024. WWL: Life Sciences provides a comprehensive analysis of the leading lawyers around the world currently handling sophisticated patent litigation and product liability proceedings as well as regulatory and transactional matters for high-profile clients across the sector.