Berin Simge Hikmet

Berin Simge Hikmet

Barrister

Overseas Tenant
Call: 2000

Experience

Berin was called to the bar of England and Wales in the year 2000. After her pupillage at 2 Paper Buildings, Chambers of Sir Desmond de Silva QC she practiced at the English criminal bar for several years. In her early years of practice, she gained considerable advocacy experience defending and prosecuting serious criminal cases ranging from offences of dishonesty and fraud to drug trafficking and sexual offences. She appeared regularly at the Crown Courts all over England and has marked success at the English Court of Appeal.

In recent years she has developed an extensive practice in complex international disputes acting for and against states and state entities.

She was instructed in a multimillion US dollar commercial fraud matter representing a Turkish Government entity as second junior. After completion of her Masters of Laws (LL.M.) at University of London in ‘international business law’ mainly specialising in international dispute resolution she was instructed in a series of major investment disputes involving a Central Asian State. She has since been instructed regularly in matters involving public international law, acting as counsel in investor-state disputes arising out of investment treaties and foreign investment laws acting for and against host states and investors in international arbitrations conducted under ICSID, ICC and UNCITRAL rules; and international commercial/ contractual disputes conducted under ICC, UNCITRAL, LMAA and regional rules of arbitration. Berin is certified and admitted as an arbitrator by Dubai International Arbitration Center and Energy Disputes Arbitration Center.

Berin is currently lecturing undergraduate law students at Kadir Has University, Istanbul, Turkey teaching Investment Treaty Disputes and Investment Law.

Some of the noteworthy international disputes are:

  • Kılıç Inşaat İthalat İhracat Sanayi ve Tic A.Ş. v Turkmenistan (ICSID Case No ARB/10/1)– acted as counsel in jurisdictional proceedings on behalf of the respondent state, in a dispute arising out of Turkey – Turkmenistan BIT.
  • İçkale İnşaat Limited Şirketi v. Turkmenistan, (ICSID Case No. ARB/10/24) acted as counsel in proceedings on behalf of the respondent state, in a dispute arising out of Turkey – Turkmenistan BIT.
  • Muhammet Çap & Sehil Inşaat Endüstri ve Ticaret Ltd. Şti. v. Turkmenistan, (ICSID Case No. ARB/12/6) – acted as counsel in jurisdictional proceedings on behalf of the respondent state, in a dispute arising out of Turkey – Turkmenistan BIT.
  • Garanti Koza LLP v. Turkmenistan, (ICSID Case No. ARB/11/20) acted as counsel in proceedings on behalf of the respondent state, in a dispute arising out of United Kingdom – Turkmenistan BIT.
  • Adem Doğan v. Turkmenistan, (ICSID Case No. ARB/09/9) – acted as counsel in proceedings on behalf of the respondent state, in a dispute arising out of Germany – Turkmenistan BIT.

Other unreported disputes:

  • Acted on behalf of respondent Central Asian State in an international dispute arising out of a BIT conducted under UNCITAL rules of arbitration.
  • Acted on behalf of claimant in an energy dispute against a Middle Eastern State, in proceedings conducted under ICC rules of arbitration.
  • Acted on behalf of claimant in a commercial dispute involving charter-party agreement, in proceedings conducted under LMAA rules of arbitration.
  • Acted on behalf of respondent in a commercial dispute (M&A dispute) involving petrochemical companies, in proceedings conducted under regional arbitration rules.
  • Acted on behalf of claimant investor against a Central Asian State and successfully secured third party funding in an investment dispute arising out of a BIT.

Memberships

  • Middle Temple Inn
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
  • Young Arbitrators Forum of ICC
  • Criminal Bar Association

Education

  • Rugby School
  • University of Bristol (B.Sc. in Economic and Accounting)
  • BPP Law School (Diploma in Law)
  • Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Vocational Course)
  • University of London (LL.M in International Business Law)

Languages

  • Bilingual in Turkish and English
  • Knowledge and Understanding of French