History

It was three generations ago when Celal Dervis Deris opened his general practice law office in Istanbul in 1912. The office principally operated in trade-related matters, including trademarks. However, over the years the office became more active within the IP field and played a leading role in the development of IP in Turkey. Celal’s son, Etem Dervis Deris, who specialized in unfair competition and industrial property fields, further expanded the practice after World War II. While the law office continued to provide all legal services including litigation and contractual matters, Mr. Etem Dervis Deris established Deris Patents and Trademarks Agency in 1959 to provide a full range of agency and representation services for Industrial Property.

Etem’s son, M.N.Aydın Deris graduated from the University of Geneva, Faculty of Law in June 1968 and joined the firm in July 1971. Since the early 1980’s, he has been an active member of many commissions engaged in the preparation of the legislation for patents, trademarks designs and geographical indications entered into force on June 27, 1995, and January 10, 2017, namely. He has also worked on the establishment of new bodies to improve the IP field in Turkey, such as the AIPPI National Group. 

N. Serra Coral and E. Kerim Yardımcı, the niece and nephew of M.N. Aydın Deris continue the family tradition of commitment to IP into a fourth generation.     

Over the years, Deris evolved from a small practice of five employees and two lawyers into an international awards winning firm with more than 90 IP litigators, chartered trademark/patent attorneys, European patent attorneys, and paralegals. 

Today, Deris is one of the largest IP firms in Turkey and is internationally recognized among the top-tier legal service providers which plays a leading role in the development of IP landscape in Turkey.