Speaker details

Biography

Senior Lawyer at Gard (North America) Inc. as of September 2023. Before that for seventeen years she was at Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc. (“SCB”), Managers of the American P&I Club. As the VP and Global Head of FD&D for ten years she oversaw handling of FD&D matters worldwide and represented the American Club in the Global FD&D Insurers’ Industry Forum, while she also handled a wide variety of complex P&I cases globally involving litigation, arbitration, mediation for ship owners and charterers. She regularly met with arbitrators of London, Singapore and NY for improvement of services that would benefit the Cubs and maritime industry. Prior to joining P&I/FD&D world, she practiced at prominent maritime law firms in Istanbul and New York. She presented at numerous international and domestic legal/maritime conferences and organizations. A graduate of Marmara University Law School, Istanbul (LL.B., 2001) and studied Masters of International Transportation Management at State University of NY Maritime College (MSc, 2004) where she also attained Graduate Certificate in Chartering Operations. She studied at Hofstra University School of Law, New York (LL.M., 2007). She obtained a Certificate in Commercial Mediation (NYC Bar Association/ Society of Maritime Arbitrators, Inc., 2017). Served at IBA's Maritime & Transport Law Committee as Corporate Counsel Industry Liaison Officer (2018-2019), Committee Liaison Officer to collaborate with Comité Maritime International (2020-2021), Diversity and Inclusion Officer (2022-2023), and Newsletter Officer – Editor (2024-2025). She represented the IBA at the United Nations during the UNCITRAL’s meetings on United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sale of Ships. Admitted to practice law in Turkiye and New York. She is an arbitrator, mediator affiliated with the Society of Maritime Arbitrators, Inc., where she also chairs Friends & Supporters Committee and a member of the Board of Governors. She is also a member of the US Maritime Law Association, WISTA USA, Association of Average Adjusters of the U.S. and Canada (resident associate).