Insights
Startup Legal Playbook - Fourth Edition 2026
Begüm Yavuzdoğan Okumuş and Uğur Erkırlı have contributed to Startup Legal Playbook - Fourth Edition 2026, which is published by ITechLaw. Startup Legal Playbook: A Quick Reference Guide to International Market Entry for Startups (and Their Lawyers) provides startup founders and lawyers with a practical, quick-reference guide to key legal issues startups may face when entering foreign jurisdictions. The Fourth Edition was created to help readers triage important local… »
On the Court of Cassation’s “My Sweet Orange Tree” Decision
The legal nature of translations represents an important issue under copyright law. Indeed, a translation is often not simply a technical transfer between languages; particularly in the context of literary works, it constitutes the product of intensive intellectual labor whereby the translator reconstructs the work by drawing on the culture of the target language, its expressive possibilities, and the translator’s own interpretation. In this respect, a translation may in… »
Goal Celebrations and Other Distinctive Elements
Recent reports in the Turkish press claiming that Warner Bros. has filed a lawsuit against Fenerbahçe footballer Kerem Aktürkoğlu for using the nickname “Harry Potter” on the pitch and in social media content, as well as for performing a goal celebration allegedly referring to the fictional universe created by J.K. Rowling, have once again brought to the forefront the intersection between intellectual property law, popular culture, and sports. These developments have reopened… »
Article 138(3) of the EPC: How Turkish Courts Treat Amended Patent Claims
A Turkish case highlights the importance of Article 138(3) when patent claims are amended during an invalidation action, say Selin Sinem Erciyas, Aysel Korkmaz Yatkın, and Bengü Şen Gürakan of Gün + Partners Pursuant to Article 138(3) of the European Patent Convention (EPC), a patent proprietor is entitled to limit the patent by amending the claims in proceedings before the competent court or authority relating to the validity of the European patent. According to the same… »
Compensation for Unjust Preliminary Injunctions in Pharmaceutical Patents and Critical Parameters
One of the most complex types of disputes encountered in the field of pharmaceutical patents is compensation lawsuits arising from unjust preliminary injunctions. These compensation lawsuits require meticulous assessment from the perspective of both procedural law and substantive law. Especially, because of the controversies over the nature of fault-based liability arising from the ambiguities in the wording of Article 399 of the Code of Civil Procedure (“CCP”), and where… »
Prohibition of Double Patenting: Assessment within the Framework of the Turkish Patent Office Practice
The prohibition of double patenting is a fundamental principle in patent law that aims to prevent obtaining multiple patent protection for the same invention. This prohibition is intended to prevent both the granting of a second patent for the same invention (narrow sense of double patenting) and the effective extension of the protection period through applications that are not substantially different from each other and contain the same invention idea in terms of technical… »
Can the Exercise of Patent Rights Be Limited by Allegations of Unfair Competition?
Undoubtedly, the initiation of patent infringement actions by patent holders for the purpose of protecting their exclusive rights, as well as the notification of third parties outside the proceedings who are suspected of involvement in infringing activities, fall within the scope of the rights conferred by patent law. Nevertheless, particularly in disputes between originator and generic pharmaceutical companies, the boundary between the exercise of patent rights and the… »
Turkish Court of Cassation’s Stance on Short-Word Trademarks: Analysis
According to the Trademark Examination Guideline of the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, which is aligned with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) guidelines, the comparison of trademarks should be based on the overall impression created by the marks. In this assessment, the length of a trademark can be an important factor. In general, the shorter a sign is, the easier it is for the public to perceive each of its elements. Conversely, in longer signs… »
Artificial Intelligence and Trademark Law
The impact of artificial intelligence (“AI”) technologies on trademark law has been among the frequently debated topics over the past year. As also discussed in our article published last year, while these technologies accelerate processes in terms of trademark registration procedures, they simultaneously necessitate a re-assessment of the human-centered criteria traditionally applied in trademark law. Indeed, Intellectual Property (“IP”) offices worldwide continue to… »
Recent Amendments to the Internet Law numbered 5651 Concerning Social Media and Game Platforms
Implementing legal limitations on the use of social media by children has been the topic of ongoing debate around the world for some time now. Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Internet Broadcasts and Prevention of Crimes Committed through Such Broadcasts (the “Law No: 5651/ Internet Law”) contains many provisions regulating online services used by millions every day. The main objective of the Law was to stipulate quick and effective provisional measures against illegal… »
Functional Equivalence Across Jurisdictions: Convergence Between Turkish Patent Law and the Unified Patent Court
Barely two years after its operational launch, the Unified Patent Court (“UPC”) has already begun shaping a transnational doctrine of patent infringement by equivalence. Between late 2024 and mid-2025, four landmark first-instance decisions — Plant-e v Bioo (The Hague LD), Brussels LD CFI 376/2023, Mannheim LD CFI 471/2023, and N.J. Diffusion v Gisela Mayer (Paris LD) — established, refined, and finally harmonised the analytical framework for assessing functional equivalence… »
An Important European Precedent: Legal Consequences of Statements Concerning Competitors and Its Implications for Türkiye
In today’s business world, competition among companies is shaped not only by the quality of their products and services, but also by their communication strategies with the public. However, the legal boundaries of such statements should be carefully determined. Statements made about competitors, particularly in Europe, may constitute “defamation” which are evaluated within the scope of competition law and provisions concerning unfair competition and may lead to serious legal… »
News and Events
We Attended the INTA 2025 Policy Dialogue Panel
“INTA 2025 Policy Dialogue: Intellectual Property Rights and the Protection of Public Health: From Counterfeit/Falsified Medicines to Data Exclusivity” panel was held on 24 November 2025, hosted by the International Trademark Association (INTA) and the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (AİFD). The opening remarks were delivered by Uğur Aktekin, our partner and a member of INTA’s Famous and Well-Known Marks Committee. The session “Combating…
Our 2025-2026 Legal Trainees Joined Us
We are pleased to announce that our 2025–2026 legal trainee associates have just commenced their traineeship following successful completion of their exams. We wholeheartedly congratulate and welcome them on board!
2025 Policy Dialogue: Safeguarding Intellectual Property Rights & Public Health
Explore the intersection of intellectual property (IP) and the pharmaceutical sector at the upcoming 2025 Policy Dialogue: Safeguarding Intellectual Property Rights & Public Health: From Falsified/Counterfeit Medicines to Data Exclusivity, taking place in Istanbul on November 24, 2025. This in-person event, hosted by INTA and the Association of Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (AIFD), brings together industry leaders, government officials, and legal experts for…
Uğur Aktekin Moderated the Panel on Well-Known Marks, and Pınar Arıkan Moderated the Panel on Nontraditional Marks at the INTA Policy Dialogue in Istanbul
The 2024 Policy Dialogue: Well-Known Marks and Nontraditional Trademarks in Türkiye, organized by the International Trademark Association (INTA), was successfully hosted at İstanbul Bilgi University. The event featured a series of insightful discussions focused on critical issues in trademark protection. The event started with the opening remarks of Tat Louembe and Gül Okutan Nilsson and followed by the keynote speech of Güler Ayyıldız Dalma. The first panel, titled…
Dicle Doğan to Speak at ARTED’s “Anti-Corruption and Interactions with Healthcare Professionals” Training
Our Managing Associate Dicle Doğan, who spoke at the first session of the “Anti-Corruption and Interactions with Healthcare Professionals” training held on November 11, 2025, will once again take part as a speaker on December 2, 2025. The training will serve as an important platform for strengthening ethical standards and fostering transparent and trustworthy relationships across the sector. Participants will gain valuable insights into practical strategies and ethical…
Mehmet Gün, Özge Atılgan Karakulak and Selin Sinem Erciyas are Listed in IAM Global Leaders 2026
We are pleased to announce that our founding partner Mehmet Gün and partners Özge Atılgan Karakulak and Selin Sinem Erciyas, have been recognized as IAM Global Leaders for the year 2026. This prestigious distinction is reserved for individuals who attain the gold tier ranking in the IAM Patent 1000, an authoritative directory that identifies the foremost law firms and attorneys in key patent jurisdictions around the world. This recognition reflects our firm’s commitment to…
Our Lawyers Have Been Recognised as Mondaq Thought Leading Authors Autumn 2025
We are delighted our lawyers have been recognised as Mondaq Thought Leading Authors for the below categories at the Mondaq Autumn 2025 awards. Environmental Law - Eco-Friendly Or Eco-Fiction?Finance & Banking - Amendments to the Insurance Agencies RegulationFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences - Notification Obligation in Case of Supply Interruption of Medical DevicesIntellectual Property - The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Trademark EnforcementMedia, Telecoms…
Begüm Yavuzdoğan Okumuş and Yalçın Umut Talay Will Be Attending IAPP Europe Data Protection Congress 2025
We are pleased to announce our participation at the IAPP Europe Data Protection Congress 2025, which will be held in Brussels on 19-20 November 2025 and extend an invitation for a potential meeting during the event. Representing our TMT and Data Protection & Privacy practices, Begüm Yavuzdoğan Okumuş, partner, and Yalçın Umut Talay, managing associate, will be attending the conference. If you are interested in exploring collaboration opportunities or simply reconnecting…
Mehmet Gün and Selin Sinem Erciyas Will Speak in the “Frontier Technologies, Innovation, and Intellectual Property” Conference in Ankara
We are pleased to announce that our Senior Partner Mehmet Gün and Partner Selin Sinem Erciyas will be speaking in the Conference on “Frontier Technologies, Innovation, and Intellectual Property,” held at the METU Culture and Convention Center in Ankara, Türkiye, on November 3–4, 2025. Mehmet Gün will moderate the session “The Future of Intellectual and Industrial Property: The Post-Patent World,” where Selin Sinem Erciyas will join as a speaker. This international gathering…
Beril Yayla Sapan Delivered a Training Session at TEİD Academy
Our Partner and TEID Board Member, Beril Yayla Sapan, delivered a training session titled “Mobbing, Labor Law Practices, and Ethics” as part of the 18th Term of TEID Academy’s “Corporate Ethics and Compliance Management” Program.
Direnç Bada, Atahan Erkul and Atacan Yılmaz Delivered a Training at the Customs General Directorate Event in Mersin
We had the privilege of participating in the Customs General Directorate event in Mersin, representing more than two dozen clients with the contributions of our Managing Associate Direnç Bada, Senior Associate Atahan Erkul, and Associate Atacan Yılmaz. Following the opening remarks by the Directorate, our Managing Associate Direnc Bada delivered the opening speech on behalf of all right holders, underlining the importance of intellectual property protection — not just for…
We Have Been Selected as the “Trademark Firm of the Year” in Turkey by Global IP Awards 2022
We are delighted to have been named the winner of the Trademark Firm of the Year for Turkey in the Global IP Awards 2022, that recognise the outstanding achievements of law and attorney firms in litigation, prosecution and transactional work during 2021/2022.