Insights
When Overall Perception Speaks Louder Than Words: Conceptual Similarity
In the cosmetics sector, logos play a crucial role considering that consumers pay close attention to brand image, but they act quickly when buying products. Visual appearance often shapes purchasing decisions more than the verbal elements of a trademark. Decisions of Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (“the Office”) accepting the similarity between the trademarks discussed below provide a compelling case study of how overall perception and conceptual similarity between the… »
Turkish Court of Cassation Underlines Key Factors in Establishing Trademark Bad Faith
In a decision dated March 18 2025 (No. 2024/3844 E. (Merits), 2025/1879 K), the 11th Civil Chamber of the Turkish Court of Cassation upheld a Regional Court of Appeal finding that a trademark application had been filed in bad faith – reversing a ruling that dismissed the claim. Background to the case and the first-instance ruling On April 11 2019, an application was filed for the registration of the trademark ‘Stayer+’ in classes 7 and 35 of the Nice Classification. The… »
Turkish Patent and Trademark Office’s 2024 Revisions: Updates to the Trademark Classification System
At the end of 2024, Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (“the Office”) made a significant move by publishing a revised communiqué on the classification of goods and services for trade mark registration applications. The changes, which came into effect following their publication in the Official Gazette on 20 December 2024, align the Turkish classification system with the latest updates made to the Nice Classification. These revisions aim to make the trade mark application… »
Similarity Assessment in Trademark Applications Containing Low Distinctive Elements in the Light of the Court of Cassation Decisions
In trademark law, the existence of distinctive character is one of the main criteria for the registration of a trademark, and the overall impression of the trademarks and the elements they contain should be examined in detail when evaluating the likelihood of confusion between trademarks. In cases conducted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”), it is mentioned that, in addition to the distinctive elements of a trademark, the low distinctive elements… »
Does the Covid-19 Pandemic Constitute a Justified Reason for non-use?
The defendant in a non-use revocation action argued that the pandemic was a force majeure event which had compelled it to cease using its trademark temporarily The court disagreed, holding that the mark at issue, registered for personal care goods in Class 3, should have been used even more intensively during the pandemic The pandemic will not, in itself, be accepted as a justified reason for non-use in revocation actions After the covid-19 pandemic was declared globally… »
Approaches to Trademark Similarity in the Food Supplement Sector
A recent decision by the Court of Cassation regarding trademark similarity in the food supplements and vitamins sector offers a different perspective on the criteria for assessing trademark similarity. This decision provides valuable guidance for launching these products in compliance with both trademark law and sector-specific conditions. Background The decision of the 11th Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation (“CoC”) dated May 28, 2024 (case no. E. 2023/911, K.… »
Changes to Administrative Trade Mark Revocation in Türkiye
For the first time in Turkey, the IP law enacted in 2017 introduced an administrative revocation procedure before the Turkish Patent and Trade Mark Office. However, to ensure a smooth transition, its implementation was delayed until 10 January 2024. Previously, actions for revocation of trade marks based on non-use were filed as a court action before the specialized IP courts. As of 10 January 10 2024, the Office has become responsible for handling revocation requests.… »
Navigating Türkiye’s Legal Landscape on Parallel Imports and Grey Market Goods
Parallel imports and grey market goods (ie, genuine products that have been imported into a country without the trademark owner's consent, after being legitimately placed on the market elsewhere] have long been a subject of legal and commercial tension worldwide, and a main topic for discussions around trademark rights. Most countries apply a national or regional exhaustion of trademark rights. However, Article 7 of the Turkish Industrial Property Code 6769 (IP Code]. which… »
Applying Presumption of Patent Infringement Against Biosimilars
Before filing lawsuits to assert patent rights against generics or biosimilars, the patent holder essentially operates in the dark. This is because, particularly in cases where the summary of product characteristics (“SmPC”) of the biosimilar/generic drug has not yet been published, or when it is not clear from the limited information in the SmPC whether the patent has been infringed, the relevant sections of the biosimilar/generic product's dossier must be examined to assess… »
Regulations Regarding Direct Sales Models
With the Regulation on Direct Sales (“Regulation”) published in the Official Gazette dated 8 August 2025 and numbered 32980, direct sale systems have been re-regulated, which are sales systems established by a direct sale company and in which direct sellers (who are not employed by the relevant direct sale company under an employment contract but rather act as independent representatives, distributors, consultants or under similar titles, and engage in return for benefits… »
Türkiye’s Healthcare System Undergoes Major Legal Reforms
On July 24, 2025, Türkiye introduced the Law Amending Certain Laws Related to Health (“the Law No. 7557), a wide-ranging reform aimed at modernizing and improving its healthcare industry. This legislation comes at a time when rapid social and economic changes, advancing technology, and growing healthcare demands require continuous adaptation and improvement of the healthcare system. Over the years, Türkiye has made significant progress in expanding healthcare access… »
Implementation of Discovery of Evidence in Patent Law
One of the most important temporary protection measures regulated by Turkish law is the determination of evidence. The implementation of determination of evidence, which is regulated in Articles 400 et seq. of the Code of Civil Procedure No. 6100 and is subject to simple legal procedure, may be requested for the purpose of making a discovery, obtaining an expert examination or taking witness statements in order to determine facts that have yet to be examined in a pending… »
News and Events
We Ran The 45th Istanbul Marathon for Raising Awareness for The Tohum Autism Foundation
On Sunday, November 5, 2023, we ran the 45th Istanbul Marathon for raising awareness for the Tohum Autism Foundation. We supported “Be the Sunshine for Children with Autism,” project with the goal of providing children with autism the special education they need and ensuring that both children and their families can benefit from educational and healthcare services under equal conditions and opportunities. We thank all our colleagues for their support.…
Direnç Bada, was Recently Featured in the CNBC Documentary, "Ozempic Underworld - The Black Market of Weight Loss Drugs"
We are pleased to announce that our Managing Associate, Direnç Bada, was recently featured in the CNBC documentary, "Ozempic Underworld — The Black Market of Weight Loss Drugs." In his interview, Direnç, highlighted the growing concerns over counterfeit and diverted weight loss medications circulating in the market. "Despite the strict prohibition on selling these products online in Turkey, we are seeing a troubling rise in both online platforms and broader market channels…
We are Attending the IBA Annual Conference in Mexico City
We are excited to announce our participation in the International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference 2024 in Mexico City and warmly invite you to meet with us during the event. Representing Gün + Partners at the conference will be Görkem Bilgin, Özge Atılgan Karakulak, Advisory Board Member of the IP and Entertainment Law Committee, and Uğur Aktekin. As an independent law firm recognized internationally among the top-tier legal services providers, we pride ourselves on…
Özge Atılgan Karakulak Has Been Elected to the Board of Directors of Transparency International Turkey
We are proud to announce that Özge Atılgan Karakulak has been elected to the Board of Directors of Transparency International Turkey (TI Turkey). TI Turkey plays a vital role in promoting transparency, integrity, and accountability across all sectors of society, contributing to the country’s democratic, social, and economic development. We extend our best wishes to TI Turkey for continued success in its important work during the new term.
Mehmet Gün has been listed in IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists 2024
Mehmet Gün, our founding partner, is listed in IAM Strategy 300: The World’s Leading IP Strategists 2024. IAM Strategy 300 is an annual research project that identifies top practitioners who are taking IP portfolio management to the next level. These individuals are leading the way in developing and implementing strategies that maximize the value of IP portfolios.
Our Anti-Counterfeiting Team Delivered Presentations at Sessions Organized by the General Directorate of Customs
Our Anti-Counterfeiting team delivered presentations at the in-service training sessions organized by the General Directorate of Customs on July 9-10, 2024, in Istanbul. These sessions, attended by customs officers from Istanbul Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Directorate, focused on the protection of intellectual and industrial property rights at customs. Our lawyers represented clients from the pharmaceutical, food, luxury consumer goods, automotive and spare…
Güldeniz Doğan Alkan Spoke at the MARQUES IP Challenges in the Age of GenAI Webinar
Güldeniz Doğan Alkan, partner in our Trademarks and Designs practice, spoke at the Webinar on IP Challenges in the Age of GenAI organised by MARQUES on June 26. The speakers looked at generative AI models and their impact on trade mark, design, and copyright law, including the latest developments concerning liability for infringement under the EU AI Act. The webinar was organised by the MARQUES Cyberspace Team and covered the following topics: Ownership issues from…
We are Attending the 8th Global Entrepreneurship Conference in Madrid
We are pleased to announce our participation at the 8th Global Entrepreneurship Conference, which will be held in Madrid on 13-14 May 2024 and extend an invitation for a potential meeting during the event. Görkem Bilgin, partner, will be representing Gün + Partners at the conference. If you are interested in exploring collaboration opportunities or simply reconnecting, please feel free to get in touch with him. We eagerly anticipate the prospect of meeting you face-to-face…
Beril Yayla Sapan Spoke at the Annual Meeting Organized by Legalink
Our partner Beril Yayla Sapan, participated as a speaker at the annual meeting organized by Legalink, an organization of which we are members, held in Stockholm.
We Are the "Top Tier Firm" by Managing IP STARS 2024 Copyright Rankings
We are thrilled to announce that Gün + Partners has been top-ranked by Managing IP’s IP STARS 2024! Our team has been recognized as a top-tier firm in Copyright & related rights. IP STARS is the leading specialist guide for companies or individuals looking for experienced legal practitioners to deal with contentious and non-contentious intellectual property issues.
Our Electricity Turned "Green"!
Dear Friends and Colleagues, We have great news for you! As of June 2024, we have started using renewable energy sources for the electricity we consume at our headquarters. Prioritizing sustainable environmental policies in our firm’s operations is a part of our action plan that we created to combat climate change. To reduce our offices’ greenhouse gas emissions, we switched the electricity used in our main building in Istanbul to YEK-G certified renewable energy, provided…
Gün + Partners Top Ranked by IP STARS - Patent 2024
We are thrilled to announce that Gün + Partners has been top-ranked by Managing IP’s IP STARS 2024! Our team has been recognized as a top-tier firm in patent disputes and a tier 2 firm in patent prosecution. Additionally, three of our practitioners have been listed among the patent stars by IP STARS 2024. IP STARS is the leading specialist guide for companies or individuals looking for experienced legal practitioners to deal with contentious and non-contentious intellectual…