Cagri CEM

Çağrı is a practicing attorney and the founding partner of Tahan | Cem Attorney Partnership in Istanbul.
His practice focuses on high-stakes infrastructure and energy projects, international arbitration, and cross-border transactions. With over 15 years of experience in the construction sector, Çağrı has played a key role in numerous large-scale infrastructure projects across multiple jurisdictions. He regularly advises international contractors on project execution, contract administration, and claims management in regions including the MENA region, Sub-Saharan Africa, Turkic countries, and Europe. He has advised leading global contractors on projects with a combined value exceeding USD 40 billion.
In addition to his transactional and project advisory work, Çağrı has substantial experience as counsel in international arbitration, representing clients in a broad range of commercial disputes, including construction, energy, distributorship, sale of goods, and M&A matters. He has acted as counsel in more than 40 arbitration proceedings under various institutional rules, including ICC, LCIA, SIAC, GIAC, DIAC, CEPANI, ISTAC, UNCITRAL, Swiss Arbitration, and VIAC. He has also served as both party-appointed and court-appointed arbitrator in several proceedings. The total value of disputes he has handled—across arbitration, dispute adjudication boards (DABs), and court litigation—exceeds USD 6 billion.
Çağrı holds an LL.M. in Private Law and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the same field. Alongside his legal practice, he has been actively involved in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot since 2012, coaching multiple teams and regularly serving as an arbitrator during the Vienna rounds of the competition.
He is a native Turkish speaker, fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of French.