Yasemin is the founding partner of Cetinel Law Firm in Istanbul, specialized in international construction law, international investment and commercial arbitration, with a specific focus on construction disputes. She works as a counsel, and she also sits as board member or arbitrator in construction disputes both at dispute board and arbitration levels.

She is a graduate of Galatasaray University, Faculty of Law. She is a candidate on the MSc degree for quantity surveying at Heriot-Watt University; and she holds a postgraduate degree in international commercial arbitration from the Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London.

She represents and advises parties to construction contracts, of various nationalities in projects or cases worldwide. Jurisdictions include Australia Eastern Europe, Middle East, Turkic countries, Africa and Latin and South America. She worked with Turkish, Middle Eastern, European and African contractors and state entities.

She has extensive experience on FIDIC/ICE-based contracts, EPC contracts, ad hoc construction contracts, NEC contracts, project alliance models, tender strategies, procurement methods. Contract advisory work include drafting, negotiation and management services.

She has also been involved in numerous ICSID and/or other investment arbitrations arising out of construction projects, including cases against the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Turkmenistan and State of Libya.

Among other duties, she chairs the Society of Construction Law (endorsed for Turkiye) and she is the past president of Dispute Resolution Board Foundation Region 2 Board of Directors.

She is a member of the Standing Committee of ICC ADR Centre.
She is listed by Legal 500 and she is recognized by Who’s Who Legal as Global Leader in Construction Law.

Peers and Clients say:

"Yasemin is a very effective, capable and professional construction lawyer"

“Yasemin is an extremely strong construction lawyer"

"She has tremendous success in construction arbitration"

She is the recipient of the Clients’ Choice Award in 2024, in Construction Law in Turkey.

Practice Areas & Work Department

International Construction Law & Dispute Resolution

Languages

Turkish (Native)

English (Fluent)

French (Fluent)

Greek (Intermediate)

Memberships

Society of Construction Law Turkey

International Bar Association (IBA)

Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF)

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Arbitral Women

International Chamber of Commerce Young Arbitrators Forum (ICC YAF)

Turkish Public-Private Partnerships Association