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Döne Yalçın

Partner
Managing Partner Türkiye, Partner Austria, Member of the CMS ESG and Sustainability Leadership

Contact
Yalçın Babalıoğlu Kemahlı Law Firm
Süzer Plaza
Askerocağı Caddesi No:6 Kat:15 D:1502
34367 Elmadağ/Şişli - Istanbul
Turkiye
CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz
Rechtsanwälte GmbH
Gauermanngasse 2
1010 Vienna
Austria
Languages English, German, Turkish
ESG

Dr Döne Yalçın is Managing Partner of CMS Türkiye and Partner of CMS Austria. She is also a driving force behind CMS' sustainability agenda and a member of the international leadership team responsible for the sustainable direction of our advice and CMS as an organization. With over 20 years of legal experience, she specializes in ESG compliance as well as corporate law/M&A (inbound investments in Türkiye and outbound investments in the CEE region and globally), contract law and litigation. With a focus on sustainability and innovation, she advises clients on issues such as supply chain management, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and ESG reporting.

As a strategic advisor, she assists clients with ESG governance and ESG risk and gap analysis. She conducts training sessions for clients on ESG issues and provides support in implementing ESG programs. She also assists institutions with the development of sustainability policies. Her clients value her understanding and experience in implementing ESG transformation across all areas of the business and in supporting clients in their sustainability transformation.

In addition to her role as Chair of the International Committee of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), she is Vice President of the Association of Austrian and Turkish Entrepreneurs and Industrialists (ATIS). Dr. Yalçın also heads the LegalTech and Knowledge Management areas in Vienna and CEE.

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Her clients appreciate her and her team: “They proactively advised us on key issues and gave us the advice we needed to make good decisions and resolve the issues in a positive manner.”

Legal 500

"Their team is highly responsive and client-oriented," and add that it offers "creative and practical solutions."

Chambers Europe

“Fast and professional response – good structure of legal opinions – friendly and polite communication.”

Legal 500

Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the Global Sustainability/ESG Steering Committee at CMS Legal
  • Chair of the International Committee of the International Association of Defence Counsel (IADC)
  • Member of the Steering Committee of the Campaign for Greener Arbitration
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of DenizBank AG
  • Member of the Women Leaders Network
  • Vice-President of the Association of Austrian and Turkish Entrepreneurs and Industrialists (ATIS)
  • Vice President of the Austrian-Turkish Business Cooperation Council (ATBCC)
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Corporate/M&A

Döne Yalçın heads the Corporate/M&A team at CMS Turkiye. She covers a variety of industries in her advisory work in this area. One of her main focuses is highly regulated sectors such as banking, manufacturing, energy, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications.

Yalçın advises on inbound investments in Turkiye and outbound investments in the CEE region and globally. Her clients include high-profile national and international market leaders, investors, decision makers and stakeholders involved in projects and strategic investments.

Prior to joining CMS, she worked at several leading law firms in Turkiye and Austria, where she gained valuable experience assisting numerous foreign investors expand into Turkiye and Turkish investors start businesses especially in the EU. 

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Her clients appreciate her and her team: “They proactively advised us on key issues and gave us the advice we needed to make good decisions and resolve the issues in a positive manner.”

Legal 500

"Their team is highly responsive and client-oriented," and add that it offers "creative and practical solutions."

Chambers Europe

“Fast and professional response – good structure of legal opinions – friendly and polite communication.”

Legal 500

Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the Global Sustainability/ESG Steering Committee at CMS Legal
  • Chair of the International Committee of the International Association of Defence Counsel (IADC)
  • Member of the Steering Committee of the Campaign for Greener Arbitration
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of DenizBank AG
  • Member of the Women Leaders Network
  • Vice-President of the Association of Austrian and Turkish Entrepreneurs and Industrialists (ATIS)
  • Vice President of the Austrian-Turkish Business Cooperation Council (ATBCC)
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Dispute Resolution

In addition to heading the Corporate/M&A team in Istanbul, Yalçin heads the Litigation & Arbitration department. As a dual qualified lawyer, she is active in this area in both Austria and Turkiye. Infrastructure disputes form her area of expertise, where she advises on ad hoc and formal proceedings.

Her clients include companies from the industrial manufacturing, technology, energy, construction and financial services sectors.

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Her clients appreciate her and her team: “They proactively advised us on key issues and gave us the advice we needed to make good decisions and resolve the issues in a positive manner.”

Legal 500

"Their team is highly responsive and client-oriented," and add that it offers "creative and practical solutions."

Chambers Europe

“Fast and professional response – good structure of legal opinions – friendly and polite communication.”

Legal 500

Memberships & Roles

  • Member of the Global Sustainability/ESG Steering Committee at CMS Legal
  • Chair of the International Committee of the International Association of Defence Counsel (IADC)
  • Member of the Steering Committee of the Campaign for Greener Arbitration
  • Member of the Supervisory Board of DenizBank AG
  • Member of the Women Leaders Network
  • Vice-President of the Association of Austrian and Turkish Entrepreneurs and Industrialists (ATIS)
  • Vice President of the Austrian-Turkish Business Cooperation Council (ATBCC)
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12/05/2022
10 key aspects of the revised EU competition law in the field of distribution...
The new Vertical Block Exemption Regulation (VBER) and the new accompanying Vertical Guidelines (VGL) were published on 10 May 2022. The new VBER will enter into force on 1 June 2022 and apply for the next twelve years. The new VBER/VGL introduce sev

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15/04/2024
Green/sus­tain­ab­il­ity claims and advertising and consumer greenwashing
In the era of increased environmental awareness, the spotlight on green claims has never been more intense. As consumers are concerned about global heating and ecological sustainability, they are scrutinizing products like never before, seeking eco-friendly options that align with their values. In response, businesses have responded to this concern and consumers’ purchase interest, with brand-owners increasingly highlighting the benign or even beneficial effects their products and services have on the environment fostering a surge in green marketing initiatives. Yet, amidst this push for sustainability, the risk of being accused of greenwashing is omnipresent. As environmental characteristics of products and services are highly technical and the understanding of the various concepts involved is continuously changing, en­vir­on­ment­al/sus­tain­ab­il­ity claims raise a significant risk of confusing and misleading consumers. Many companies have fallen foul of advertising standards in this area recently. Given the high sensitivity of environmental claims and the reputational damage that can result from allegations of greenwashing, it is particularly important to make sure environmental claims are compliant. By ensuring truthful, accurate and unambiguous information is always given to the consumers, companies can avoid the risks and build a reputation for authenticity in their sustainability advertising and communications. CMS guides companies through the maze of regulations and case law and advise on the steps a company can take to ensure their advertising is not only compliant but also authentic and impactful. The priority questions we address are: Which green claims are likely to raise litigation or regulatory enforcement risks?What can businesses do to mitigate these risks?What are the likely claims/en­force­ment that could arise?Who is likely to make a claim?What are the risks in the event of a violation or a complaint? What future regulatory measures are expected and what companies have to do now to be prepared? We offer various solutions to help you be compliant and avoid accusations of greenwashing: Sustainability claim checks including regulatory risk matrix as well as litigation: evaluating the planned claims and mapping their risk as well as developing compliant marketing strategies and claims custom-tailored to your business's unique pro­file;Sus­tain­ab­il­ity-re­lated litigation: providing comprehensive support in legal disputes in the area of advertising with environmental claims;Training sessions: to empower your legal, compliance and sustainability as well as advertising teams with in-depth knowledge of sustainability risks and mitigation strategies; andBoard packs: to equip your directors/board members with actionable insights into greenwashing risks, ensuring they steer the company toward sustainable strategies with confidence and integrity.  For an initial conversation on how we can support you on greenwashing risk, please reach out to the lawyers listed on this page or to your usual CMS contact.
09/04/2024
Plastics and packaging laws in Turkey
1. What is the general legislative framework regulating packaging and plastics waste? The general legal framework for the regulation of packaging and plastic waste is defined by: Environmental Act No...
Comparable
02/04/2024
Green Claim and Green Litigation in Türkiye
I.      Green Claim1.     DefinitionA ‘green claim’ is a claim that a product or service is environmentally friendly or sustainable. Such claims highlight environmental benefits, such as...
27/03/2024
Inflation Reduction Act
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27/03/2024
Another step towards green transition: EU’s Deforestation Regulation
As global concerns about environmental sustainability and climate change escalate, regulators around the world are adopting increasingly stringent measures to address pressing issues such as deforestation...
26/03/2024
ESG Aspect of M&A Transactions: Best Practice or an Inevitable Requirement?
In the recent decade, environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have become an integral part of corporate decision-making processes and have evolved into a critical framework for stakeholders...
25/03/2024
EU Member States reach compromise on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence...
In a significant development for corporate sustainability and accountability, EU member states have reached a compromise on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive ("CSDDD"), signaling progress...
11/03/2024
Data protection reform in Türkiye: a step towards alignment with EU’s GDPR
In a major step towards compliance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), on February 16, 2024, lawmakers in Türkiye submitted a Draft Law to the General Assembly of the Turkish Grand...
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Renewable energy in Turkey
1. Introduction  Türkiye is deeply committed to the pursuit of a sustainable future, placing a strong emphasis on renewable energy and energy efficiency. In recent years, the country has made remarkable...
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A new era in Sustainability Reporting in Türkiye
Türkiye has recently taken a major step towards mandatory corporate sustainability reporting. The Turkish Sustainability Reporting Standards (“TSRS”) were published in the official gazette on 29...
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Driving the change Exploring the electric vehicle revolution in Türkiye
Electric vehicles ("EVs") offer a tangible opportunity to decarbonize transport and create a more efficient mobility ecosystem that complements the EU's green transformation policy goals. By investing...
14/02/2024
Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in Turkey
1. Is there an exequatur procedure? Yes, judgments rendered by a foreign arbitral tribunal or a court are recognized and enforced in Turkiye via a judgment of a competent Turkish court provided that such...