News

We warmly congratulate Yasemin Çetinel on her appointment as Director representing the Middle East & North Africa on the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation Region 2 Board of Directors. It's her second appointment in the Board in the last three years. We also congratulate the newly appointed Board members and wish them a successful and productive term ahead: • Gerard Monaghan – President-elect • Svetlana Borisova LLM, FCIArb – Director, Representing Europe • Yasemin Çeti

Cetinel Law Firm is proud to announce the establishment of A&C International Law through a joint venture with Aglionby ADR, creating an integrated international practice focused on construction, infrastructure and dispute resolution. A&C International Law has been established to provide international clients with a clear and consistent platform for complex cross-border matters, grounded in senior-level legal thinking, strategic advisory capability and long-term partnership. T

On 29–30 September 2025, the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF) hosted its Nordic Regional Conference in Oslo, Norway, bringing together international experts, contractors, project owners, legal professionals, and Dispute Board members to discuss the evolving role of Dispute Boards in managing complex construction and infrastructure projects. Our senior associate Selcen Ozcan has successfully completed the “Leading with Insight: Advanced Practice in Dispute Boards” pr

We are delighted to share that Başak Kayrancıoğlu (Junior Associate) attended the 25th Annual Construction Law Summer School, organized by Informa Connect Law and hosted at the University of Cambridge. The program brought together practitioners and industry experts to explore key aspects of international construction and engineering law, as well as recent legal developments shaping the sector. Participation in such programs reflects our team’s dedication to continuous learnin

We are pleased to announce that Yasemin Çetinel (Founding Partner), Ayşe Selcen Özcan (Senior Associate), and Muhammet Bembeyaz (Senior Associate) have co-authored the Türkiye Chapter of Investment Treaty Arbitration, published on Lexology. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the legal and procedural frameworks governing investor-state disputes in Türkiye. It addresses treaty protections, jurisdictional questions, and recent case law—offering valuable insights fo

In June 2025, the Arbitration: Law Over Borders Comparative Guide 2025 was officially launched at the Luxury Law Summit London, held at the British Museum on 10 June. Our Senior Attorney, Selcen Özcan, attended the event, engaging with international leaders in legal practice and contributing to conversations around the evolving role of arbitration in high-value, cross-border contexts.

We are delighted to announce that our colleagues Ayşe Selcen Özcan (Senior Associate), Muhammet Bembeyaz (Senior Associate), and Aybüke Sezer (Junior Associate) have co-authored the Turkey Chapter of the Law Over Borders Comparative Arbitration Guide, published by The Global Legal Post. This comprehensive guide offers insights into arbitration practices across multiple jurisdictions, and our team’s contribution reflects both Çetinel’s expertise and ongoing commitment to advan

On 19 June 2025, Çetinel proudly contributed to the 12th SCL International Construction Law Conference, organized by SCL Turkey at the Le Meridien Hotel in Etiler, Istanbul. Our founding partner, Yasemin Çetinel, delivered the opening speech, while she and senior associate Muhammet Bembeyaz both played key roles in organizing the event in their roles as President and Board Member in SCL Turkey. A large part of our team also joined the conference, highlighting our firm’s stron

In May 2025, industry leaders gathered in Washington, DC for the second Industry Stakeholders Roundtable, co-hosted by the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF) and the Confederation of International Contractors’ Associations (CICA). The event convened more than 30 representatives from 16 leading institutions, with a shared mission: to advance the effectiveness and adoption of Dispute Boards in international construction and infrastructure projects. Our Founding Partner,

In May 2025, during the International Construction Contracts and Dispute Resolution Certificate Programme held at İstanbul Bilgi University, our Founding Partner, Yasemin Çetinel, took on the distinguished role of session moderator, guiding conversations among top legal and industry professionals. The programme, spanning numerous days of intensive training, gathered practitioners, academics, and construction stakeholders to delve into the legal, contractual, and dispute resol

On 9 April 2025 our Founding Partner, Yasemin Çetinel, joined leading academics and practitioners as a guest lecturer at the prestigious “International Construction Contracts and Claims Management Certificate Program” organized by Istanbul Technical University (ITU). Held at the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel, the program brought together professionals from across the construction sector to deepen their understanding of international contracts and dispute management. The pro

We are proud to announce that Yasemin Çetinel (Founding Partner), Ayşe Selcen Özcan (Senior Associate), and Muhammet Bembeyaz (Senior Associate) have co-authored the Turkey chapter of the Construction Arbitration Know How Guide, published by Global Arbitration Review (GAR). Their contribution provides a practical and comprehensive overview of key legal and procedural aspects of construction arbitration in Turkey. Topics covered include FIDIC contracts, delay claims, concurren

We are pleased to share that Aybüke Sezer (Junior Associate) participated in the Basel Winter Arbitration School 2025, hosted by the University of Basel between 3 – 7 Februray 2025. The program offered a unique opportunity to engage with leading scholars and practitioners in the field, focusing on contemporary methods and academic approaches to international arbitration. Participation in such initiatives highlights our team’s commitment to continuous professional development

On 27 February 2025, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) European Branch and the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (ISTAC) jointly hosted the international conference “The Application of Law in Turkish International Arbitration” at the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus Hotel. The event brought together leading experts to explore how international standards interact with Turkish law in arbitration practice. Our Senior Associate, Selcen Özcan, played a central role as both a membe

20-21 November 2024: Our Senior Associate Selcen Özcan participated in the Hague 2024 Dispute Resolution Board Foundation Regional Conference. The Conference was held in the historic The King's Ballroom in The Hague and gathered several topics of importance on dispute board practices. The conference focused on “The Power of Dispute Avoidance,” Participants discussed the value of DABs. The general consensus was that well-functioning DABs play a crucial role in steering parties

On 17–18 October 2024, construction law leaders from around the world gathered in Seoul for the ICC–FIDIC International Construction Conference, one of the sector’s most influential events. Representing our firm, Founding Partner Yasemin Çetinel took the stage to chair Session 2: Variations vs. Claims, guiding a high-level discussion on one of the most critical and often complex issues in international construction contracts. The session brought together experienced practitio

On 26 September 2024, Çetinel was proud to participate in the 2nd Annual Construction Law Conference, organized by SCL Turkey and held in Istanbul. Our Founding Partner, Yasemin Çetinel, who also serves as the President of SCL Turkey, delivered the opening speech and played a leading role in organizing the event. Senior Associate Muhammet Bembeyaz, a Board Member of SCL Turkey, also contributed significantly and moderated the session on Dispute Avoidance, which focused on pro

What does a dispute board look like in action? On 25 May 2024, our Senior Associate Selcen Özcan spoke in the “Mock Dispute Board” session of the ITU International Construction Contracts and Dispute Resolution Certificate Programme – The Example of the FIDIC Conditions of Contract (FIDIC Standard Contracts Certificate Program). In the session where Özcan took part in the role of the contractor, the focus was on the question “How does a Dispute Board work in practice?” and on

On 24–25 October 2023 in Istanbul, our Senior Associate Selcen Özcan was proud to serve on the organizing team for the DRBF MENA Regional Conference 2023. Conference was held over two days at the Wyndham Grand Levent Hotel in Istanbul. The gathering brought together leading practitioners, contractors, and owners from across the region to exchange perspectives on how Dispute Boards are shaping project delivery and dispute resolution in the construction sector. Ms. Özcan partic