Schoenherr merges with Turkish ally CTK Türkoğlu & Celepçi

The two firms have been in a formal cooperation since 2010, having worked together since 2007. At a partner meeting at the end of September Schoenherr partners voted unanimously in favour of the merger.

The tie-up will become effective on 1 February 2013, the start of Schoenherr’s business year.

Türkoğlu & Celepçi founding partner Levent Celepçi will become an equity partner in Schoenherr. The firm opened its equity to partners outside of Austria two years ago (4 November 2010).

A total of 19 fee-earners and eight support staff will join Schoenherr once the merger completes.

Schoenherr is the first Austrian firm to merge with a Turkish practice, but some of its rivals have associations in the country. Last year Dorda Brugger Jordis set up a Turkey desk to work with firms in Turkey (5 September 2011).

Türkoğlu & Celepçi was established in 2005 and specialises in corporate and M&A transactions, privatisations, financings and commercial litigation. Its disputes team was recently boosted by the hire of Murat Canyürek, a partner at Baker & McKenzie’s Turkish member firm Esin Attorney Partnership.