How to Hire a Lawyer in Turkey from Abroad

If you live outside Turkey but have a legal matter connected to the country — an inheritance, a property, a company, a court decision or a dispute — you do not need to travel to Turkey to engage a Turkish lawyer. The process can begin, and in many cases continue, entirely by remote contact.

Step 1: Describe Your Matter

The first step is a short written or spoken description of what you need help with: what the matter concerns, where in Turkey it is located or pending, and what you are trying to achieve. You do not need to prepare a full legal analysis — a plain description is enough for a lawyer to assess whether and how they can assist.

Step 2: Initial Review

A lawyer reviews what you have shared and lets you know whether the matter falls within their practice, what the likely next steps are, and what it would involve to proceed. This first review can be done by email, video call or WhatsApp, in English or French where the lawyer offers those languages.

Step 3: Engagement

If you decide to proceed, the lawyer will explain what is required from your side before any work begins in Turkey. This commonly includes:

• A clear description of the matter and your objective
• Any documents already in your possession (a deed, a contract, a court decision, correspondence)
• In many cases, a power of attorney authorizing the lawyer to act on your behalf in Turkey

Step 4: Power of Attorney, If Needed

Many procedures in Turkey — filing a case, representing you in an administrative process, managing a property, or handling paperwork with a public authority — require the lawyer to hold a power of attorney from you. If you are outside Turkey, this is typically issued at a Turkish consulate or embassy, or before a local notary with the document then apostilled and, where required, officially translated into Turkish. The exact form and required content of the power of attorney depend on what it is being used for, so your lawyer will confirm the precise requirements for your specific matter rather than a general template.

Step 5: The Lawyer Acts in Turkey, You Stay Informed Remotely

Once engaged, the lawyer proceeds with the matter in Turkey — filing documents, attending hearings or administrative appointments, and communicating with counterparties or authorities — while keeping you updated remotely. Whether every step can be handled without your presence depends on the matter: some procedures may still call for your input, and in limited cases, your physical presence.

What Legalwise Does Not Do

Legalwise is a law firm based in Ankara, Turkey, and our lawyers are admitted to Turkish bar associations. We do not have offices outside Turkey, and we do not provide legal services under the law of another country. Where a matter also involves the law of the country you live in, you will typically need locally qualified counsel there as well — we can coordinate with them on the Turkish side of the matter, but we do not replace them.

Documents That Are Often Useful Early On

Having the following ready, where they exist, can speed up the initial review:

• Identity documents
• Any deed, title, contract or court decision related to the matter
• Correspondence with the other party or with a Turkish authority
• A short timeline of what has happened so far

You do not need to send sensitive originals at this stage — a description and, where relevant, copies are enough for the initial review.