Çağdaş Umut Vardar

Çağdaş is the Managing Partner of Vardar Şanlı, an independent law firm based in Istanbul.

Çağdaş has notable expertise in banking & finance, competition, corporate and FinTech matters, covering both regulatory and transactional aspects thereof. Given his solid experience across a wide range of elite jurisdictions, he is regularly retained by private clients for mandates of cross-border wealth management.

He has a demonstrated track record in representation of reputable corporations and private clients in complex financial crimes, asset recovery, insolvency, restructuring and commercial arbitration matters. Çağdaş also regularly acts as a Turkish law expert in foreign proceedings involving Turkish elements before arbitral tribunals and courts.

Çağdaş further advises his clients on AML, data protection, ESG and sanctions-related compliance issues and represents them in international trade proceedings such as anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations across multiple jurisdictions.

Prior to joining Vardar Şanlı (formerly known as Şanlı & Partners) as a Name Partner in early 2022, Çağdaş gained senior-level experience in reputable law firms, where he advised international and national clients on cross-border M&A and finance projects, with a particular focus on the aviation, energy, healthcare, insurance and shipping sectors.

Çağdaş was ranked as a Rising Star by The Legal 500 in both 2022 and 2023 editions. He regularly gives lectures and training courses in his specialized practice areas, including antitrust and e-commerce law.

He is a graduate of Galatasaray High School and obtained his law degree from Galatasaray University Law School. He serves as a mediator registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Türkiye and also as the National Representative for Türkiye of AIJA (International Association of Young Lawyers).

Çağdaş is a native Turkish speaker and is fluent in English and French.