A Conversation with Dr. Arzu Ongur on International Arbitration, Cross-Border Disputes, Foreign Investment and Türkiye’s Evolving Place in Global Business
International commerce is no longer confined by national borders. Businesses routinely enter into agreements with foreign partners, invest in overseas markets and manage commercial relationships involving several legal systems.
As international transactions become more sophisticated, disputes arising from these relationships can also become increasingly complicated. Companies therefore need dispute resolution mechanisms that can provide a reliable framework for resolving disagreements involving different countries, legal systems and commercial interests.
In this environment, international arbitration in Turkey is attracting growing attention from international businesses and investors.
Türkiye’s geographical position between Europe, Asia and the Middle East gives it a distinctive role in international commerce. Its economic and commercial relationships also extend throughout the Caucasus and Central Asia, placing the country at the intersection of several important markets.
Istanbul is particularly significant in this context. The city has long been an important centre for international trade and investment, and its position has created increasing interest in its potential as a regional centre for international arbitration and cross-border dispute resolution.
To explore this subject, we spoke with Dr. Arzu Ongur, Founder and Managing Partner of ONGUR & PARTNERS International Law Office. In this interview, Dr. Ongur discusses her academic and professional background, the strategic importance of arbitration, Istanbul’s potential as an arbitration centre and the evolving role of lawyers in international commercial disputes.
Dr. Arzu Ongur on International Law and Arbitration
Dr. Ongur, could you begin by telling us about your professional and academic background?
My professional journey has been shaped, from its earliest stages, by international law, cross-border commercial relations, foreign investment and international dispute resolution.
I have always viewed law as more than a collection of rules. It is also an institutional framework through which investments, commercial relationships and interactions between states, corporations and private parties are structured.
This perspective has influenced both my academic work and my approach to legal practice.
I have never considered academic scholarship and professional legal practice to be completely separate disciplines. In my view, they complement one another. Academic research provides a deeper understanding of legal principles, while professional practice demonstrates how those principles operate within real commercial relationships.
Following my graduation from Ankara University Faculty of Law, I pursued postgraduate studies in Italy, including at the University of Bologna, and undertook further studies in European Union law at the Collegio Europeo di Parma. I subsequently completed my Ph.D. at Ankara University, with a particular academic focus on competition law.
My interest in international dispute resolution also led me to undertake specialised training in alternative dispute resolution, international arbitration and arbitral decision-making in the United States and the United Kingdom.
These experiences reinforced an important principle in my approach to arbitration: a lawyer should be capable of examining a dispute from several perspectives.
Counsel must understand the client’s commercial objectives and develop a persuasive legal position, but it is equally important to consider how an arbitral tribunal may evaluate the evidence, contractual provisions, procedural submissions and competing legal arguments.
The Strategic Nature of International Arbitration
International arbitration is not simply about presenting substantive legal arguments.
A successful case can also depend on procedural planning, evidence management, expert analysis and the ability to explain complicated commercial circumstances in a clear and structured way.
Cross-border disputes can involve multiple contracts, parties from different jurisdictions, substantial financial documentation and legal systems that approach similar issues differently.
For an international arbitration lawyer, one of the central challenges is therefore to transform this complexity into a coherent legal and factual case.
The objective is not merely to identify the relevant rules. It is also to demonstrate how those rules apply to the commercial reality of the dispute.
This is why dispute resolution planning should begin before a disagreement develops.
When negotiating international contracts, businesses should pay close attention to their arbitration clauses. The selected seat of arbitration, governing law, procedural rules, language and institutional framework can all become important if the commercial relationship later results in a dispute.
International Experience and Turkey–Italy Commercial Relations
Italy has also occupied an important place in my academic and professional life.
My education there, together with the professional relationships I have developed over the years, has enabled me to understand different legal systems as well as the commercial cultures in which international investments take place.
Today, Turkey–Italy commercial relations, international investments and the legal structuring of cross-border transactions remain important aspects of my professional work.
International legal practice requires an appreciation of these differences.
A lawyer advising an international client must consider not only legislation, but also commercial expectations, negotiation practices and the legal traditions that influence the parties’ relationship.
International arbitration and alternative dispute resolution constitute a substantial part of my practice. My institutional involvement in the field, including my work within the Turkish Bar Association and its arbitration framework, complements the international dispute resolution matters undertaken in private practice.
Establishing an Internationally Focused Law Firm
When establishing ONGUR & PARTNERS ankara law firm, my objective was to develop a practice firmly grounded in Turkish law while also being capable of serving clients involved in international transactions and cross-border disputes.
For an istanbul law firm working with international clients, knowledge of Turkish law is fundamental, but international legal work requires a broader perspective.
A foreign investor may need advice concerning corporate structures, investment arrangements, commercial contracts, regulatory matters and dispute resolution.
These areas can be closely connected.
A transaction may begin as a straightforward investment or commercial agreement and later develop into a contractual or corporate dispute involving parties, assets or obligations in several countries.
International counsel must therefore understand both the domestic legal framework and the international commercial environment surrounding the client.
Istanbul’s Growing Importance for Arbitration
Istanbul’s geographical and commercial position makes the city increasingly relevant to discussions about international arbitration in Turkey.
For centuries, Istanbul has connected commercial routes between Europe and Asia. Today, it continues to function as a major centre for international trade, finance, investment and business.
Its connections with Europe, Asia and the Middle East make the city particularly relevant to businesses engaged in cross-border transactions.
For companies considering arbitration in Istanbul, however, geographical location is only one factor.
The parties should also consider the applicable legal framework, procedural rules, enforceability of awards, institutional alternatives, arbitrator expertise and the specific circumstances of the dispute.
The selection of an arbitration seat should therefore form part of a wider legal and commercial strategy.
Institutional Arbitration and Procedural Structure
Institutional arbitration can provide parties with an established procedural framework and administrative assistance during the arbitration process.
These features can be particularly useful when a dispute involves multiple parties, extensive documentation or technically complex evidence.
However, choosing an arbitration institution is only one part of an effective dispute resolution strategy.
The arbitration agreement, appointment of arbitrators, procedural planning, evidence management and presentation of legal arguments can all influence the conduct and outcome of proceedings.
For international businesses, arbitration clauses should therefore not be treated as routine contractual language.
They should instead be considered as an important part of broader commercial risk management.
What Modern International Arbitration Lawyers Need to Know
The nature of international commercial disputes is changing rapidly.
Arbitration proceedings may now involve complex financial arrangements, foreign investment structures, technical evidence, digital records and substantial volumes of commercial documentation.
The next generation of international arbitration lawyers will therefore need capabilities extending beyond traditional legal research.
They will need to understand international commerce, investment structures, finance, technology and the commercial priorities of their clients.
Communication is equally important.
An arbitration lawyer may need to explain complicated legal and commercial questions to clients, arbitrators, experts and other participants in a proceeding.
The ability to organise and communicate complex information clearly can be just as important as identifying the applicable legal principles.
From my perspective, effective international arbitration practice requires rigorous legal analysis, strategic thinking and commercial awareness.
A strong legal strategy should ultimately support the client’s wider commercial objectives.
Foreign Investment and Cross-Border Disputes in Türkiye
Türkiye’s growing participation in international trade and foreign investment is creating an increasingly sophisticated commercial environment.
International investors may encounter disputes concerning commercial agreements, construction projects, financing arrangements, corporate relationships, investment structures or regulatory matters.
Understanding the available dispute resolution mechanisms in Turkey is therefore an important component of managing commercial and legal risk.
Ideally, these issues should be considered during the negotiation and structuring of a transaction.
When an international agreement is being prepared, the parties have an opportunity to assess potential risks and establish an appropriate mechanism for resolving disputes should they arise.
This becomes particularly important where assets, contractual obligations or business operations extend across multiple jurisdictions.
Early legal planning can provide businesses with greater certainty about how a future dispute may be addressed.
Türkiye’s Potential as a Regional Arbitration Hub
Türkiye’s location and expanding role in international commerce create significant potential for the continued development of international arbitration in Turkey.
Istanbul is particularly important because of its commercial relationships with Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
As foreign companies continue to invest in Türkiye and Turkish businesses expand internationally, demand for legal professionals experienced in cross-border transactions and international dispute resolution is likely to continue growing.
The development of arbitration in Türkiye should therefore be considered within the broader context of the country’s participation in the global economy.
International arbitration is not merely a specialised legal service. A predictable dispute resolution environment can also support confidence in international commercial relationships.
The Future of International Arbitration in Istanbul
The future of Istanbul arbitration will depend on several factors, including the development of legal expertise, institutional capacity, international confidence and Türkiye’s continuing integration into global commerce.
As cross-border transactions become more sophisticated, businesses will increasingly seek dispute resolution mechanisms that provide clarity, predictability and procedural efficiency.
Istanbul has several characteristics that could support further development in this field.
Its geographical position, commercial infrastructure and connections with major economic regions provide a strong foundation for a larger role in regional dispute resolution.
For international investors and companies operating in Türkiye, understanding arbitration and other dispute resolution mechanisms should therefore be part of broader commercial planning and legal risk management.
The development of international arbitration in Turkey ultimately reflects Türkiye’s expanding role in international investment and global trade.
As cross-border commercial relationships continue to develop, Istanbul has the potential to strengthen its position as a regional centre for international dispute resolution and become increasingly relevant to businesses seeking effective solutions to complex international disputes.
