Insights
New Rules for Content Ratings in Television Programs
The Regulation on Broadcasting Services (“'Regulation”) was amended by the Radio and Television Supreme Council and these amendments were published in the Official Gazette No. 32575 on 13 June 2024. These recent amendments are particularly relevant for news programs and, in some cases, live broadcast programs. The amendments introduced the following new rules, which are also in concern with the content rating for television programs: The Content Rating requirement is now… »
Data Protection in Advertisements
The Advertisement Board (“Board”), during their meeting dated 12 March 2024 and numbered 343, examined websites that require membership as a pre-condition for making purchase on the website. As part of this examination, the Board assessed whether any additional personal data, beyond the mandatory and necessary information for the purchase process, was requested from consumers, whether the conditions for unsubscribing were more difficult compared to the methods specified for… »
Hidden Traps in Subscription Agreements: Dark Patterns
The Advertisement Board (“Board”) closely monitored dark patterns on online user interfaces that facilitate consumers to enter into subscription agreements, and which might deceive, coerce, manipulate consumers into making choices that may not be in their best interests. Dark patterns are broadly considered deceptive commercial practices under the Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices Regulation which defines “The use of guiding interface designs, options, or… »
Decisions of the Advertisement Board on the Use of Google Ads
During its meeting in March 2024, the Advertisement Board examined sponsored advertisements placed by certain companies via Google Adwords/Google Ads, in which registered trademarks of competitor firms were used as keywords. Accordingly, the Board imposed a suspension penalty on advertisements where a company's trade name and trademark used to identify its services were selected as keywords by other companies, on the grounds that such advertisements were misleading to… »
Is It Really Better?
Article 8 of the Regulation on Commercial Advertisement and Unfair Commercial Practices (“Regulation”) permits comparative advertisements under specific conditions. Subparagraph (a) of the paragraph 1 of the article requires that such advertisements “should not be misleading or deceptive”, while subparagraph (f) mandates that “claims based on objective, measurable, and numerical data must be substantiated by scientific tests, reports, or documents”. The Regulation also… »
The New Era in Administrative Sanctions of the Advertisement Board
In 2024, significant changes and developments occurred regarding the administrative sanctions of the Advertisement Board. The Law No. 7529 on Amendments to the Consumer Protection Law and Certain Other Laws, published in the Official Gazette No. 32707 dated 30 October 2024, introduced significant changes as of the date of publication, particularly concerning the administrative fines imposed by the Advertisement Board and the reconciliation against administrative fines. The… »
Turkish Regulation on the Implementation of the Administrative Revocation of Trade Marks Is Finally Published
With the entry into force of the Industrial Property Code no. 6769 (“IP Code”) on 10 January 2017, the administrative revocation of trade marks has been introduced into Turkish Trade Mark Law and revocation proceedings are entrusted to the Turkish Patent and Trade Mark Office (“the Office”) instead of Turkish Courts. However, the implementation of administrative revocation was postponed for 7 years, and during this transition period, revocation requests continued to be filed… »
The Concept of Loss of Rights due to Acquiescence in Trademark Infringement Actions
The acts deemed as infringement of a trademark are listed under Article 29 of the Industrial Property Code No. 6769 (“IP Code”), and the claims that the right holders whose trademark rights have been infringed may request from the courts and that they may assert against the infringing party are detailed in Article 149 of the same Code. Although it is possible for the right holder to assert the claims outlined in the Code against the infringing party as long as the… »
The Electrolux - BSH Decision of the CJEU: The Next Step for Jurisdiction in European and Global Patent Infringement Cases
On February 25, 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) rendered a groundbreaking judgment in the patent infringement case between BSH Hausgeräte GmbH and Electrolux AB, marking a significant ruling not only in Europe but worldwide. This decision is expected to pave the way for the expansion of jurisdiction in patent cases in EU member states and increase competition among courts in the international arena. The dispute was brought before the CJEU as a… »
New Regulation on Electronic Maintenance of Commercial Books Not Related to the Accounting of the Business
With the Communiqué on Maintenance of Commercial Books Not Related to the Accounting of the Business in Electronic Form (the “Communiqué”) published in the Official Gazette dated 14 February 2025, it has become mandatory for companies to keep their commercial books not related to the accounting of the business electronically as of July 1, 2025. Books and Enterprises within the Scope of the Communiqué The commercial books, which have been made mandatory to be kept… »
Developments Regarding the Implementation of Share Buyback Programs Initiated by the Board of Directors of Publicly Traded Companies
According to the first paragraph of Article 5 of the Communiqué on Share Buybacks No. II-22.1 (the “Communiqué”), a share buyback program can only be approved by a general assembly resolution. However, an exception to this rule is provided in the fourth paragraph of the same article, which states that a share buyback program may also be approved by a board of directors resolution without the need for a general assembly resolution, in order to avoid an imminent and serious… »
Significant Developments in the Implementation of the Turkish Commercial Code in 2025
Existing Facilitations for Capital Loss and Over-Indebtedness Calculations are Extended until 2026 Article 376 of the Turkish Commercial Code numbered 6102 (the “TCC”) regulates the measures to be taken and the precautions to be implemented by the board of directors of the company, and the procedures to be followed in cases where the company suffers capital loss or becomes over-indebted, to ensure the protection of the financial structure of the company and to secure the… »
News and Events
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.
We Are the "Firm of the Year" by Managing IP EMEA Awards 2024
We are honored to have been named 'Firm of the Year' in the 'Trademark Disputes' category at the Managing Intellectual Property EMEA Awards 2024. These awards recognize the firms, individuals, and companies that have conducted the most innovative and challenging IP work over the past year and have been instrumental in driving the international IP market. Over 600 participants attended the event to celebrate these achievements. Our partner, Zeynep Seda Alhas, represented our…
Hande Hançar to Speak at GALA Global Advertising Law Conference in New York
Hande Hançar, partner in our TMT practice, will speak at the upcoming 6th Annual GALA Global Advertising Law Conference in New York on March 13. Join Hande at the "Hot Topics in Global Advertising Law" session, where the speakers will delve into the latest challenges and trends in advertising law. The Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA) brings together experts from around the globe to share insights and strategies, helping brands and agencies navigate the complex…
The Legal 500 EMEA 2024 Results Announced
We are delighted to announce that we have been recognized as one of the leading law firms in Turkey by The Legal 500 EMEA 2024, achieving 'Top Tier' rankings in 3 out of the 9 practice areas in which we are ranked. We are proud to have 1 of our lawyers listed in the 'Hall of Fame' group, 3 in the 'Leading Individuals' group, 3 in the 'Next Generation Partners' group, and 2 in the 'Rising Stars' group. These results demonstrate our comprehensive expertise and commitment to…
We are Attending the 7th Mergers and Acquisitions in the Technology Sector Conference in Barcelona
We are pleased to announce our participation at the 7th Mergers and Acquisitions in the Technology Sector Conference, which will be held in Barcelona on 14-15 Mar 2024 and extend an invitation for a potential meeting during the event. Begüm Yavuzdoğan Okumuş, 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 her. We eagerly anticipate…