About

Dr. Omer Kesikli, Esq., is the esteemed founding partner of Kesikli Law Firm ("the Firm"). With a proven track record as a trusted and recognized business lawyer in Turkey, Dr. Kesikli brings his clients a wealth of expertise and experience. His comprehensive background as a legal advisor to investors and contracting companies, combined with his exceptional legal education, equips him with a deep understanding of his clients' concerns and enables him to provide strategic advice on effectively allocating relevant risks in their businesses.

Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Kesikli has successfully advised numerous local and foreign corporations on a wide range of corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters, both domestically and internationally. His areas of specialization encompass various aspects of Turkish law, including consortium and joint ventures, the structuring of share purchase agreements, shareholders agreements, guarantee arrangements, strategic alliances, project development agreements, and providing legal counsel on corporate transactions, competition law, project finance, privatizations, energy law, regulatory matters, public tenders, construction law, EPC Projects, labor law, tax law, and foreign investments.

Furthermore, Dr. Kesikli is an expert mediator renowned for his expertise in resolving disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration. His commitment to efficient and cost-effective dispute resolution enables his clients to navigate contentious matters with optimal outcomes, both in terms of time and resources.

He is an accredited Expert Mediator in Commercial and Corporate Law Disputes as well as Energy Law Disputes.

Dr. Kesikli's skills and dedication to his profession have been consistently recognized by independent ranking organizations. He has been ranked as a leading individual by the prestigious Legal500 for the past ten consecutive years, a testament to his outstanding legal acumen and client-focused approach.

Recognition

• Legal500 EMEA – 2024 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2024 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Energy Law.
• Legal500 EMEA - 2024 remarks, "Ömer Kesikli’s expertise in the energy sector is outstanding. He consistently stays ahead of regulatory changes and has an intimate understanding of market dynamics and challenges. What sets him apart from competitors is his proactive approach, multidisciplinary grasping power and knowledge. He also combines his energy expertise with other disciplines like construction, commercial contracts and dispute resolution.’ " legal500.com
• Legal500 EMEA - 2023 remarks, "Omer Kesikli is one of the best lawyers in the market, who leads a team of bright lawyers. The hallmarks of the firm are a solid market reputation, adaptation ability to changes, quick and to-the-point responses, attention to details, and exceptionally good quality legal service."
• Legal500 EMEA - 2023 remarks, "Omer Kesikli is a great business lawyer who regularly helps with complex transactions and disputes. His great personality, high integrity, and sector knowledge make him an ideal lawyer for any business. I highly recommend working with Omer and his team."
• Legal500 EMEA - 2023 remarks, "Omer Kesikli’s profound knowledge and experience in construction projects helped us a lot in closing our commercial deals. His communication skills, solution-oriented mindset and practical solutions make him indispensable to our business."
• Legal500 EMEA – 2023 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2023 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Energy Law.
• Legal500 EMEA - 2022 remarks "the ‘exceptional’ Omer Kesikli, who is highlighted for his strength in energy and construction projects, heads the practice at Kesikli Law Firm, which is also skilled in handling contentious matters arising out of the associated project contracts."
• Legal500 EMEA - 2022 remarks, "Omer Kesikli is a top-quality legal expert who is always ready to help in making deals and resolving disputes. He is reliable, knowledgeable and results-oriented.’"
• Legal500 EMEA - 2022 remarks, "considered by one client as ‘the go-to person for any energy-related transactional and dispute matters‘, practice head Omer Kesikli is experienced in the structuring and construction of energy projects, as well as acting in related disputes."
• Legal500 EMEA - 2022 remarks, ‘Omer Kesikli has incredible contract management skills, which eases the process from start to finish.’
• Legal500 EMEA - 2022 remarks, ‘Omer Kesikli is a true deal-maker. He seeks out many options to find a mutually acceptable solution. He has great stamina and never-ending energy. He never gives up until the deal is concluded.'
• Legal500 EMEA - 2021 remarks, ‘Omer Kesikli has always been great to work with. Besides his legal expertise on commercial, construction and energy legal issues, he is a great listener and is very understanding. He always goes through the extra mile to find anything that could help with our projects or cases.’
• Legal500 EMEA 2021 remarks, ‘Omer is exceptionally great. He consistently shows great skill and know-how with a friendly approach that is solutions-oriented, commercially minded and practical. He knows the law and energy matters inside out, translating his insights into practical advice.’
• Legal500 EMEA – 2020 remarks that he has a strong knowledge of the law as well as good communication and negotiation skills.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2020 remarks ‘The leader of the team, Omer, is always accessible, responsive and helpful’.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2020 remarks that ‘Omer is exceptionally great; he consistently shows great skill and know-how with a friendly approach that is solution-oriented, commercially minded and practical’.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2020 remarks that ‘Omer Kesikli is well qualified and experienced in renewable and fossil fuel powered power projects’.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2019 remarks that “the ‘highly skilled, well-prepared, excellent lawyer’ Ömer Kesikli heads the team, which is ‘always responsive, detail-oriented, business-minded and creative’.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2019 remarks that “Omer Kesikli is noted for its ‘quality work, sophisticated legal knowledge and good pricing’.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2019 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2019 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a recommended lawyer in Energy Law, Projects & Project Finance, Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2018 remarks that Omer Kesikli has ‘vast experience and know-how in the energy business’ and advises on inbound and outbound investment into energy projects.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2018 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2017 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2016 remarks that Omer Kesikli ‘has extensive knowledge and experience of power projects, both in Turkey and abroad’.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2016 recognition: Led by founding partner Omer Kesikli, Kesikli Law Firm specialises in domestic and international construction and engineering projects, including power and energy projects, factories and industrial facilities.
• Legal500 EMEA – 2015 recognizes Omer Kesikli as a leading individual in Real Estate & Construction practices.
• Legal 500 EMEA – 2015 describes Mr. Kesikli as a ‘first-class’ partner attracting high praise as having ‘keen knowledge of the power industry’, ‘commerciality’ and ‘dedication to his clients’.

Selected Publications & Speeches

• Insights From & Thoughts on FIDIC's Practice Note on Dispute Avoidance
• Arbitrator's Application of Law in International Arbitration
• Urban Transformation Projects in Risky Areas
• Electricity Storage and Support Mechanisms Under Turkish Law
• General Aspects of Foreign Work Permits under Turkish Law
• The Concept of Investment Under The ICSID Convention
• Assessment of Evidence in International Commercial Arbitration
• The Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Turkey Series No.2
• International Carriage of Goods by Road and the Liability of the Carrier under CMR
• Enforcement of ICSID Awards in Turkey
• Energy Charter Treaty and Turkey: Turkey’s Standing for the Evaluation of the Investment Environment under the Energy Charter Treaty
• Liabilities of the Board Members in a Joint Stock Company
• Third-Party Funding in International Commercial Arbitration
• A New Era in Turkey's Healthcare Sector: Remote Healthcare Services Officially Allowed and Regulated
• Economic Weakness of a Party&Validity Concerns in International Commercial Arbitration
• Applicable Law to Marine (Cargo) Insurance Contracts
• Entry and Residency of Foreigners in Turkey
• Principles Encouraging Foreign Direct Investments in Turkey
• Letters of Credit: UCP 600 and Turkish Law Aspects
• Violation of Public Order - International Private Law Aspects
• INCOTERMS 2020 – What is new?
• Foreign Direct Investment” and “Foreign Direct Investor” Concepts
• Letters of Credit - UCP 600 and Turkish Law Aspects
• International Jurisdiction Agreements - Authorizing Foreign Courts (in Turkish language)
• The Legal 500 Oil and Gas Guide 2019 Turkey Chapter written by Kesikli Law Firm, Co-Author
• The Legal 500 Construction Guide 2019 (2nd edition), Turkey Chapter written by Kesikli Law Firm, Co-Author
• Enforcement of Foreign Judgements in Turkey, Co-Author
• Corporate Authority to Sign Arbitration Agreements, Co-Author
• Popular Apps and Websites in Potential Breach of GDPR, Co-Author
• Portfolio Compensation under Turkish Law, Co-Author
• 2016 Edition of Energy Book, Global Legal Insights, Turkey Chapter, (published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London)
• 2016 Edition of International Comparative Legal Guides to Construction and Engineering (published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London)
• Perspectives on the Energy Sector
• Consequences of Termination of Public Procurement Contracts
• 2015 Edition of Energy Book, Global Legal Insights, Turkey Chapter, (published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London)
• 2015 Edition of International Comparative Legal Guides to Construction and Engineering (published by Global Legal Group Ltd, London)
• Turkey Tax Guide 2015
• EPC Contracts and Limitation of Liability, (presented at the International Conference on Energy and Management 2014)
• Essential Legal Aspects of Acquisitions under Turkish Law (presented at the International Legal and Accountancy Solutions Conference in Istanbul, 2014)
• Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Turkey
• Power Plant Construction Contract (EPC Contract) and Some of Its Essential Provisions From a Perspective of Risk Allocation and Financing Requirements (presented at the ICCI International Energy & Environment Fair and Conference in 2012)
• International Arbitration and Arbitrability from the United States Perspective
• W. Scott Simpson & Omer Kesikli, The Contours of Arbitration Discovery, 67 Alabama Lawyer 280 (2006).