Begum DURUKAN OZAYDIN

Begum is the founding and managing partner of Durukan + Partners.

Prior to founding Durukan + Partners in 2017, she spent nearly 20 years at Birsel Law Offices, then a top ranked Turkish law firm in Istanbul, where she served as partner for 10 years supervising almost all the legal work produced, and holding key managerial responsibilities. 

With over 25 years of experience, Begum brings broad and in-depth expertise across multiple legal disciplines, allowing her to deliver multidimensional legal support to a diverse clientele.

Her practice focuses primarily on banking and finance, M&A and corporate law, capital markets, project finance, and restructuring. She has advised financial institutions, sponsors, and project companies in the financing of acquisitions and large-scale projects, and has been involved in numerous structured finance transactions and corporate reorganizations.

Begum regularly represents strategic and private equity investors as well as sellers in mergers, acquisitions, and privatizations, and provides regulatory, corporate, and governance advice across a range of industries. Her sectoral expertise includes banking, energy, capital markets, real estate, and insurance.

She has led complex negotiations with public and private stakeholders, supported the structuring and restructuring of deals and businesses, advised on insolvency and enforcement proceedings, and provided strategic legal counsel to market-leading companies.

Rankings:

• Chambers and Partners’ Global and Europe Guide, Ranked individual in Banking/Finance (Band 2) and Corporate/M&A (Highly Regarded: Band 1)

• Legal 500, Listed as (i) Hall of Fame in Project Finance/Projects, (ii) Leading Individual in Banking, Finance and Capital Markets, and (iii) Recommended Lawyer in Commercial, Corporate and M&A and Restructuring and Insolvency sections

• Who's Who Lexology, Recommended in Projects & Procurement: Project Finance, Banking: Finance and Regulatory, Foreign Investment Control

• IFLR1000, Ranked as Highly Regarded in Banking, Capital Markets, Competition, Project Finance

• Ranked in Best Lawyers, Banking Law, Finance Law, Arbitration and Mediation, Litigation

• Recommended by Global Law Experts as expert lawyer in the practice areas of Banking, Finance and Transactional, Project Finance and Women in Business Law

Memberships:

• IR Global, Banking and Finance Adviser for Turkey

• Istanbul International Law Association, Vice Chairman of the Board

• Georgetown University Alumni Association, Member

• American Collegiate Institute Alumni Association, Member

• Friends of Jessup, Member

“She is a dedicated and strategic lawyer with an excellent ability to communicate and lead.”

(CHAMBERS & PARTNERS, EUROPE 2025)

“Begum Durukan Ozaydin is a pioneer in her field, who understands what we are seeking and

the way we do business. We have worked with her in matters relating to the financing and

operation of our power projects for decades and she has always provided consistent, reliable,

solid, timely and practical advice. She has an hands on approach in transactions and

proactively takes over the responsibility of completing the legal side of the transactions

without need for specific instructions.” (CHAMBERS & PARTNERS, EUROPE 2023)