White & Case rejigs Turkey, Kazakhstan operations

The law firm has closed an office in Kazakhstan and has loosened ties with a local law firm in Turkey.

New York-headquartered law firm White & Case has closed an office in Kazakhstan and has loosened ties with a local law firm in Turkey, pfm understands.

The firm closed its office located in Almaty, Kazakhstan in June to concentrate on its other Kazakh practice located in Astana, which became the country’s capital in 1997 and is increasingly becoming Kazakhstan’s business and finance hub. The firm’s Almaty team, made up of two lawyers, has joined the team in Astana, pfm understands.

In addition, White & Case loosened ties with Turkish law firm Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu located in the country’s capital Ankara. White & Case has entered into a so-called “best friends” alliance with the local firm, which gives Çakmak Avukatlik Bürosu the flexibility to do more local legal work, but still enables White & Case’s clients to continue to benefit from local law advice.

The firm, which lists Turkey as a “key market” for its clients, also operates in Istanbul through local law firm Çakmak-Gökçe Avukatlik Bürosu.

White & Case has an established private equity practice, counting BC Partners, BlackRock and EQT among its clients.

The firm declined to comment on the changes. A source with knowledge of the firm’s operations said it was committed to its presence in these regions and is operating as usual, pfm understands.