Biography
Serap Zuvin leads the Aviation Practice at Cakmak Attorney Partnership (Cakmak Avukatlik Ortakligi), specializing in representing numerous international corporate clients in corporate finance deals, particularly focusing on equipment finance. With over 36 years of legal experience, Serap specialized in aviation law and represented prominent international airlines, aircraft manufacturers, lessors, lenders, and international financing institutions in numerous deals. Serap is widely acknowledged for her expertise in aviation, particularly in aircraft financing. Also, her involvement in various cross-border joint venture establishments and M&A transactions highlights her extensive experience in this field. Furthermore, she has played an active role in drafting several pieces of legislation in Türkiye, including the financial leasing law and secondary legislation related to the Cape Town Convention.
In recognition of her expertise, Serap served as the Chair of the International Bar Association’s Aviation Committee from 2020 to 2022 and holds a position on its Advisory Board. Furthermore, she has been invited to lead legal panels, present papers and serve as a visiting professor at renowned institutions on international aircraft leasing and financing, such as the University of Leiden, McGill University, University of Rome, University of Bologna, New York City Bar, Legal Advisory Panel (LAP) of AWG, IBA, IAWA, ISTAT, EBAA and AWE. Serap currently serves as an Advisory Board Member at the Centre for Research in Air and Space Law at Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) Mumbai and as an Editorial Board Member at the Aviation & Space Journal. She is among the founding members of Türkiye chapter of Women in Aviation International (WAI).
Serap's legal expertise extends beyond her professional endeavors. Serap has made contributions to reputable academic studies, including recent publications such as the Elgar Concise Encyclopedia of Aviation Law, Indian Review of Air and Space Law, Handbook on International Aviation Law by Thomson Reuters and Aviation & Space Journal. Additionally, under her guidance, Cakmak Aviation Team launched an e-book titled “AeroJuris 2023” in 2023, compiling of articles discussing various topics such as the licensing regime of aviation operations, sustainable aviation fuels, and passenger rights, offering legal insights into current sector developments.
Serap continues to contribute regularly to the Aviation section of Legal Industry Reviews Türkiye chapter and provides insights into the current developments in the Turkish aviation sector.Serap continues to maintain her standing as a prominent figure in aviation, earning consistent recognition as a leading individual for numerous consecutive years. Notably, she has been acknowledged in publications such as Legal 500 and Chambers, receiving recognition in both 2023 and 2024.
