Zihni Gönen

Zihni Gonen is the managing partner of Gonen Law Office, a full-service Turkish law firm based in Ankara. Under his leadership the firm has built a broad practice with a prominent focus on construction law, advising on the legal and contractual issues that shape one of Turkey's most significant economic sectors. That strength in construction and projects is reflected in the firm's recognition as Construction Law Firm of the Year in Turkey at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026.

A full-service firm rooted in Ankara

Gonen Law Office describes itself as providing strategic legal counsel that safeguards clients' interests and delivers measurable outcomes, and it offers this across a wide range of practice areas. Operating from offices in the Etimesgut district of Ankara, the Turkish capital, the firm advises domestic and international clients on both transactional and contentious matters. Its practice spans construction, projects, energy and natural resources, maritime, banking and finance, corporate and commercial law, dispute resolution and litigation, international arbitration, tax, intellectual property, real estate and many other fields. The firm also maintains dedicated Middle East and Russia desks, reflecting its orientation towards cross-border work.

Construction law in a major building market

Construction is central to Turkey's economy, and Turkish contractors are active not only at home but across the wider region. Construction law is a demanding, multi-disciplinary field: a single project can involve procurement, complex construction contracts, financing, regulatory approvals, and, when things go wrong, disputes that turn on the fine detail of the contract and the events on site. A firm that pairs a dedicated construction practice with strength in projects, energy and infrastructure, dispute resolution and international arbitration is well equipped to support clients through the whole life cycle of a project, from initial structuring to the resolution of any claims that arise.

In construction and projects work, clients are commonly supported with matters such as:

• Drafting and negotiating construction and engineering contracts
• Advice on project structuring, procurement and financing
• Regulatory and permitting issues affecting developments
• Management of construction claims and variations
• Representation in litigation and international arbitration of construction disputes

Strategic counsel for domestic and cross-border clients

The value of a full-service firm led by an experienced managing partner is the ability to bring several disciplines to bear on a single matter. Construction projects rarely raise construction-law questions alone; they touch on corporate, finance, real estate, regulatory and dispute-resolution issues at once. With its Middle East and Russia desks and its capability in international arbitration, Gonen Law Office is positioned to serve both Turkish clients working abroad and international clients investing in Turkey, giving them coordinated advice under one roof. Zihni Gonen's leadership of the firm, and his own engagement with construction-law topics, sit at the centre of this offering.

Recognition for construction expertise

Recognition as a leading construction law firm reflects the confidence that developers, contractors and financiers place in a practice to support their most significant projects. Construction work is demanding and multi-disciplinary, and disputes, when they arise, can be substantial, so clients look for advisers who understand both the contracts and the commercial realities of building. An award of this kind acknowledges a firm's depth in this specialised field and its ability to combine construction expertise with strength in projects, finance and dispute resolution. For a full-service firm with dedicated regional desks and a capability in international arbitration, it also reflects the breadth that allows a single project to be supported from structuring through to the resolution of any claims, and the trust that domestic and international clients place in that comprehensive, strategic approach.

For developers, contractors, financiers and other participants in Turkey's construction and infrastructure sector, Zihni Gonen and Gonen Law Office offer strategic, full-service support from Ankara with a genuine cross-border dimension. The firm's recognition as Construction Law Firm of the Year in Turkey at the Corporate INTL Global Awards 2026 underlines its standing as a leading adviser in construction and projects.