Team – K. Noyan Göksu

K. Noyan Göksu Founding Partner

Noyan Göksu is a leading arbitration and litigation specialist of Turkey, with numerous high stakes cases argued before a wide spectrum of tribunals. As a member of the Istanbul Bar and a registered foreign attorney of the English Bar, he has worked for close to two decades in Turkey, the US and France with global law firms and an international court. Before establishing Göksu, Noyan was an arbitration associate at White & Case LLP, Head of Arbitration at Turkey’s largest national firm, and more recently Head of the Istanbul office of Pinsent Masons LLP.

Noyan Göksu is currently serving as arbitrator in 5 commercial arbitrations, one as the president.

Since 2009, he has also been teaching at law schools and other academic and professional institutions as a part time arbitration professor. He was recently instructed by the US Department of State as one of the three Middle East arbitration experts as part of a weeklong training program for Iraqi and Afghan officials. He also lectured high ranking Turkish Transportation Ministry officials on construction law and disputes, intricacies of FIDIC forms, and legal aspects of contract management.

Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners recognize Noyan as an advocate who “has an impressive track record in international arbitrations and before international courts, including the ECHR”. He is described as someone who has the “ability to bring completely different perspectives to complex questions without losing touch with common sense and practical solutions” and who “has strong experience in infrastructure, engineering and energy litigation, and also has substantial experience representing Turkish and foreign companies in arbitration and enforcement proceedings”.

Noyan Göksu has been consistently recognized among the few leading arbitration specialists in Turkey (2020, 2021 and 2022) by Who’s Who Legal and Global Arbitration Review. Only 7 experts are listed from Turkey.

Noyan Göksu is also recognized as one of the few leading construction law experts in Turkey by Who’s Who Legal (2019, 2020 and 2021). Only 5 experts are listed from Turkey.

Finally, Noyan Göksu is listed among the top 10 dispute resolution lawyers in Turkey by Legal500.

Recent Appointments
- Appointed as sole arbitrator in an ICC arbitration between a UAE company and a Turkish company pertaining to an international trade dispute.
- Appointed as co-arbitrator in an ISTAC arbitration between a main contractor and a sub-contractor resulting from structural steel works in a major airport terminal project in the Middle East.
- Appointed as co-arbitrator in an ISTAC arbitration between an Italian industrial plant manufacturer and a Turkish project owner.
- Appointed as co-arbitrator in a TOBB arbitration between two Turkish contractors pertaining to a major construction dispute.
- Appointed as co-arbitrator in a TOBB arbitration between a main contractor JV and an electricity works sub-contractor.
- Appointed as co-arbitrator in a TOBB arbitration filed by a sub-contractor against the main contractor resulting from mechanical & electrical works.
- Appointed as co-arbitrator in another TOBB arbitration between a main contractor JV and another electricity works sub-contractor.
Recent Matters
- Representing a British private equity investment company in relation to its claims against a sovereign State before ICSID.
- Representing a global shipping company in its maritime law and shipping related disputes before multiple domestic courts and international arbitral tribunals.
- Representing two Turkish construction companies against a US construction company in a California arbitration resulting from a joint venture contract, under the American Arbitration Association Rules.
- Representing two international insurance companies in a post-closing M&A dispute resulting from the seller’s breach of representations and warranties, under the ICC Rules of Arbitration.
- Representing a UK civil engineering consultancy in an ad hoc arbitration stemming from a service contract dispute against a multinational real estate developer.
- Representing a global IT/tech company in their dispute resulting from a joint venture contract under the ICC Rules of Arbitration.
Recent Inverviews
- Legal Industry, April 2023 Edition: https://thelegalindustry.com/turkiye/.
- Habertürk News Agency: https://m.haberturk.com/gundem/haber-amp/1035418-ticaretin-avukatlari-konustu
Publications

Turkey Chapter, Commercial Arbitration Annual Review 2015, Financier Worldwide publication

Turkey Chapter; The Dispute Resolution Review (5th edition), 2013

Turkey Chapter; The Dispute Resolution Review (4th edition), 2012

Arbitration in Turkey; CMS Guide to Arbitration (4th edition), 2012

Civil Procedure Reform in Turkey; American Lawyer Magazine (v. 33, no. 9), 2011

Agency and Distribution Agreements in Turkey, Matthew Bender publication, (2nd edition)
Teaching

Visiting Lecturer on “Receptum Arbitri (Arbitrator’s Contract)” at Bilgi University, LL.B. Program (2022)

Visiting Lecturer on “Parallel Proceedings in International Arbitration” at Galatasaray University, Private Law LL.M. Program (2021)

Visiting Lecturer on “International Construction Contracts” at Galatasaray University, Private Law LL.M. Program (2020)

Trainer on “FIDIC Contracts” at Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication (2017)

Visiting Lecturer on “International Construction Contracts” at Galatasaray University, Private Law LL.M. Program (2015)

Lecturer at Washington College of Law of Program in Turkey on “The Legal Framework for Arbitration – Contractual Foundations; Laws, Treaties and Rules” (2015)

Lecturer at Washington College of Law of Program in Turkey on “Investment Treaty Arbitration” (2015)

Adjunct Professor of “International Commercial Arbitration” at Istanbul Yeditepe University Law School (2011-2012)

Lecturer on “International Commercial Arbitration” at Istanbul Bahçeşehir University Law School (2009-2010)

Lecturer on “Alternative Dispute Resolution in M&A and JV projects” at Istanbul Bilgi University as part of the ELSA M&A School (2009)

Trainer at the Commercial Law Development Program of the US Department of State for the Iraqi Officials, on “Arbitration and Other Forms of ADR in Concession Contracts”
Speaking

Speaker at Özyeğin University Arbitration Certificate Program on “Significant Anecdotes from Arbitration in Turkey” (2021)

Speaker at Advanced Arbitration Course for Lawyers (organized by ITOTAM Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre and Istanbul Bar Association) on “Hearings and Cross-Examination in International Arbitration” (2021)

Commentator at Marmara University Arbitration School on “Evidence in International Arbitration: The Role of Fact and Expert Witnesses” (2021)

Speaker at Istanbul Arbitration Days “Turkish Swiss Arbitration Forum” (organized by ITOTAM Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre) on “Evidence in Arbitration and Production of Documents: Turkish Perspective” (2019)

Commentator at Marmara University Arbitration School on “Arbitrability” (2019)

Speaker at Galatasaray University Emerging Technologies and Law Conference on “Artificial Intelligence and Dispute Resolution” (2019)

Speaker at Galatasaray University Arbitration Day on “Pathological and Asymmetrical Arbitration Agreements” (2019)

Speaker at the 6^th Annual Kluwer Arbitration Summit in Istanbul on “The Future of Arbitration: Rules, Techniques, Legal-tech and AI” (2019)

Speaker at “Turkish Arbitration Talks” held in London for dispute resolution professionals (2018)

Speaker at the 5^th Annual Kluwer Arbitration Summit in Istanbul on “Why arbitration is a failure in Turkey so far and what can we do to change that?” (2018)

Speaker at GAR Live Istanbul on “Construction Arbitration” (2018)

Moderator at an “Expert Talk” hosted by the Turkish Contractors Association on “Doing Construction and Energy Projects in India, Malaysia and Indonesia & Resolving Disputes” (2017)

Speaker at the 4^th Annual Kluwer Arbitration Summit in Istanbul on “Construction and Infrastructure Disputes in Turkey” (available at https://vimeo.com/237270394) and “Managing an Effective Arbitration and the Use of Expert Witnesses” (2017)

Speaker at 5^th GAR Live Istanbul on “Third-Party Funding in International Arbitration” (2017)

Speaker at the Union of Aegean Exporters Association “The Art of Losing in Arbitration and Litigation” (2017)

Speaker at ITOTAM Istanbul Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Centre on “Interference of State Courts in Arbitration – A Comparative Law Analysis” (2016)

Speaker at ICC-FIDIC Conference on “Effective management and settlement of construction disputes prior to and during the arbitration” (2016)

Speaker at Turkish Contractors Association on “Claims for Delay and Time-Related Costs” (2016)

Speaker at Turkish Contractors Association on “Notices and Claims Procedure under FIDIC” (2016)

Speaker at Turkish Contractors Association on “Taking-over and post-completion liability – Suspension and Termination” (2016)

Speaker at Turkish Contractors Association on “Introduction to the FIDIC Contracts and Design Obligations under FIDIC” (2015)

Speaker at Turkish Contractors Association on “FIDIC Design Obligations and Payment issues” (2015)

Speaker at Turkish Contractors Association on “Payment Issues under FIDIC” (2015)

Speaker at Turkey and Middle East 2nd Annual International Arbitration Summit (by Kluwer Law) on “Turkey and International Construction Disputes” (2015)

Presentation of “Legal Framework for Construction in Turkey” given in China and S. Korea (2015)

Speaker at ICC YAF Conference on “Cross-examination in Arbitration” (2014)
Education
Memberships
Languages