Lex Lata is a boutique, full-service international law firm advising foreign investors, companies and private clients across Türkiye — with a particular focus on corporate and commercial law, in English and Turkish.
We read the fine print so our clients can think in bigger pictures.
Full-service counsel, with a particular focus on corporate and commercial law.
The firm's core focus: structuring, growing and transacting Turkish and cross-border businesses.
9 practice areasProtecting, enforcing and monetising ideas, brands and inventions.
9 practice areasRegulated finance, fintech and tax matters for companies operating in Türkiye.
2 practice areasCustoms, import-export and trade compliance for companies trading across Türkiye's borders.
4 practice areasHiring, contracts, working time, termination and workplace disputes for companies employing staff in Türkiye.
4 practice areasRecovering what you are owed and enforcing rights before Turkish courts.
2 practice areasCitizenship by investment, residence permits and relocation to Türkiye.
2 practice areasData, AI, health and criminal-defence advice for a regulated world.
4 practice areasThe firm's core focus: structuring, growing and transacting Turkish and cross-border businesses.
View areasProtecting, enforcing and monetising ideas, brands and inventions.
View areasRegulated finance, fintech and tax matters for companies operating in Türkiye.
View areasCustoms, import-export and trade compliance for companies trading across Türkiye's borders.
View areasHiring, contracts, working time, termination and workplace disputes for companies employing staff in Türkiye.
View areasRecovering what you are owed and enforcing rights before Turkish courts.
View areasCitizenship by investment, residence permits and relocation to Türkiye.
View areasData, AI, health and criminal-defence advice for a regulated world.
View areasTürkiye sits where Europe meets Asia — and so does the work. Investment, brands, trade and disputes cross into the Turkish market through one hub, with direct partner access at every step.
Illustrative diagram — the firm's cross-border corridors converging on Istanbul. Not live data.
We are small enough that a partner knows your matter by name, and connected enough to handle it wherever it leads. Latin for "the law as it is," lex lata is our promise: grounded advice, no theatrics — just the clear path forward.
A short, confidential conversation. We listen first.
Your options, the risks and a clear scope of work.
Partner-led execution, with plain-language updates at every milestone.
No surprises: you approve each step, and every document is explained.
A foreign investor's tax position turns on one distinction — full liability on worldwide income, or limited liability on Türkiye-source income only. The rates, the 15% dividend and branch-remittance withholding, the filing calendar and the treaty layer.
Read moreA company already compliant with the GDPR is not compliant with Turkish law. KVKK and the GDPR compared on lawful bases, cross-border transfer, registration, breach notification and fines — plus the Turkish obligations with no European equivalent.
Read moreYou do not need a judgment — or even a written contract — to start enforcement in Türkiye, but you do need to survive a seven-day objection window. The three enforcement routes, the deadlines that kill a file, and what a foreign judgment is worth here.
Read moreBefore it forms a company, a foreign investor chooses a vehicle: a liaison office that cannot trade, a branch of the parent, or a Turkish subsidiary. This guide compares the three on legal status, tax and cost.
Read moreThe complete guide for a foreign company employing staff in Türkiye — contracts, working time and leave, termination and severance, the job-security regime, mandatory mediation and SGK.
Read moreJust cause versus valid reason, the job-security regime, and the reinstatement route through mandatory mediation and the labour courts.
Read moreA practical guide for foreign investors forming a company in Türkiye — entity choice, minimum capital, the incorporation process and the points that most often catch newcomers.
Read moreA practical guide to registering a trademark in Türkiye as a foreign owner — the first-to-file rule, the TÜRKPATENT and Madrid routes, the process, and the duty to actually use the mark.
Read moreA step-by-step guide for foreign buyers: who may acquire property under Article 35, the mandatory valuation report, title due diligence, taxes and the closing process.
Read moreHow importing into Türkiye works — customs valuation and classification, duties and VAT, the documents you need, and the pitfalls that delay or cost importers.
Read moreWhy terminating a Turkish distributor or agent can trigger a portfolio (goodwill) indemnity under Article 122 of the Commercial Code.
Read moreHow TÜRKPATENT's new administrative cancellation mechanism and the 2025 regulation reshape trademark strategy.
Read moreGrounds for removal, entry bans under Law No. 6458, and how to challenge a deportation decision.
Read moreRecognition and enforcement under MÖHUK (Law No. 5718) — reciprocity, requirements and pitfalls.
Read moreYes. Under the Foreign Direct Investment Law No. 4875, foreign investors are treated equally with Turkish investors and may own 100% of a Turkish company in most sectors, without a local partner. A limited number of regulated sectors — banking, insurance, energy, media and aviation — carry licensing or shareholding conditions.
Since 1 January 2024 the minimum capital is 250,000 TL for a joint stock company (A.Ş.) and 50,000 TL for a limited company (Ltd.). For a joint stock company, a quarter of the cash capital is paid before registration and the balance within 24 months; a limited company has no pre-registration payment requirement.
No. A company can be formed in your absence through a notarised and apostilled power of attorney granted to a local representative. Founders do need a Turkish tax number, and a Turkish bank account is required for the company.
Yes, foreign individuals and companies can generally buy real estate in Türkiye, subject to some limits — such as restrictions near military and security zones and country-based reciprocity rules. Title and due-diligence checks before purchase are essential.
Yes. Citizenship by investment has several routes, including a real-estate purchase (currently from USD 400,000, held for three years), a fixed-capital contribution or bank deposit (from USD 500,000), or creating employment for a set number of people. The thresholds change over time, so they should be confirmed before you commit.
Tell us what you're building or protecting. We will get back to you with a clear next step — in English or Turkish.
