The Legal 500

S. Horowitz & Co is ‘an institution in Israel that really does "set the gold standard", and should be instructed on any major or complex case’. Recent highlights include acting for the municipality of Tel Aviv in one of the country’s largest-ever disputes, in which Yehoshua Horesh is arguing that the Israel Lands Association owes money to municipalities in Israel. Horesh is ‘formidable in court and knows exactly when and how to negotiate a settlement’, and Alex Hertman is also extremely highly regarded.

Litigation has always been an integral part of Caspi & Co’s activities, and this very highly respected dispute resolution practice acts for domestic and international clients in a range of civil and commercial cases, while the firm also has a white-collar crime team. Ram Caspi is ‘one of a kind’.

Erdinast, Ben Nathan & Co has expertise in representing plaintiffs and defendants in commercial litigation, class actions and alternative dispute resolution. Recent cases include acting for Metropolitan Transportation Solution in arbitration proceedings with the Israeli government, and defending clients such as Bezeq and YES in class actions. Giora Erdinast heads the team.

Reuven Behar and Gil Orion jointly head Fischer Behar Chen Well Orion & Co’s dispute resolution department, which acts for clients such as EMC, Clal Finance and First International Bank of Israel. It is representing the state of Israel in arbitration proceedings against Dead Sea Works, which failed to pay NIS1bn in royalties to the state, and the team also has experience in class actions, where it recently defended Groupon in a case relating to anti-spam laws.

Goldfarb Seligman & Co.’s dispute resolution department has gone from strength to strength following the 2011 merger. The firm handles class actions, commercial litigation and white-collar crime matters, as well as cases in niche areas such as libel, private wealth and administrative law. Clients include Google Israel, EL AL and Israel Aerospace Industries. Zvi Bar-Nathan is ‘an outstanding litigator and a true strategist in complex worldwide litigation cases’, and Eli Zohar has 45 years’ dispute resolution experience.

Ofer Tzur leads Gornitzky & Co.’s dispute resolution team, which clients praise for its high level of service, professionalism and responsiveness. The broad scope of the practice covers commercial, capital markets and tax litigation, derivative and class actions, and white-collar criminal cases. In 2012, the firm defended Bank Hapoalim in several class actions alleging violations of banking and securities laws.

The ‘world-class’ Herzog Fox & Neeman provides ‘the best service you could hope for’; ‘immediate response times, outstanding teamwork and very clear lines of thought’. The firm handles commercial litigation, torts and consumer class actions and administrative petitions for clients such as Makteshim Chemical Works, Bank Leumi and HP Israel. Yaacov Sharvit and Joseph Ashkenazi show ‘excellent courtroom skills’, and practice head Tuvia Erlich is also recommended.

Meitar Liquornik Geva Leshem Tal Law Offices’ ‘very dedicated and extremely reliable’ team is led by Israel Leshem, who is ‘no doubt, one of the country’s most experienced litigators’. He and Nadav Weisman recently represented Alstom in arbitration proceedings with the Israeli government concerning prolongation and disruption of the Jerusalem Light Rail project. Bank Hapoalim is also a client. Yaron Elhanani is another key contact.

Yigal Arnon & Co provides ‘excellent service’ in litigation, and is ‘one of the leading class action firms in Israel’. Recent work for the practice includes several cases for Google, EL AL and Israel Discount Bank. Barak Tal has a fantastic reputation, and Dror Vigdor and Amnon Lorch are also recommended. Hanital Belinson Navon was promoted to the partnership in 2012.

According to some, Yuval Levy & Co’s practice head Yechiel Kasher is ‘the best litigation lawyer in Israel’, showing ‘profound legal knowledge and indisputable integrity’. Kasher’s team is adept at handling a range of commercial and environmental litigation and class actions, and recently defended Unilever Israel Food against an indictment filed by the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection relating to pollution charges.

‘The level of service is excellent’ at Dr A. Klagsbald & Co. Law Office, which handles an array of disputes, spanning commercial and civil cases, white-collar crime, antitrust and administrative litigation. The ‘very talented’ Avigdor Klagsbald is considered by some client to be ‘the best commercial litigator in Israel’. Clients include KIA Corporation and Nammax Oil & Gas.

Agmon & Co., Rosenberg, Hacohen & Co’s ‘professional and efficient’ lawyers are ‘capable of grasping, analysing and coping with unique situations’. Recent instructions include acting for EL AL in a derivative action and handling a class action for Bank Hapoalim. Practice head Zvi Agmon is ‘very well connected and appreciated’.

Dr. J. Weinroth & Co. specialises in commercial litigation, class actions and arbitration, and criminal cases. The firm acts for individuals including leading figures in Israeli politics; and domestic and international businesses, such as insurers, pension funds, manufacturers, and governmental corporations. Jacob Weinroth and Avraham Weinroth are recommended.

M. Firon & Co Advocates and Notaries’ dispute resolution department provides an ‘absolutely first-class service’ and ‘unparalleled responsiveness’. It includes a strong class action practice, an area in which it handles cases for clients in the telecoms, insurance and hotel industries, among others. Zvi Firon is ‘very strong in court’, and David Hamou is ‘a true expert in construction and real estate cases’.

Naschitz, Brandes & Co. ‘performs very well’ in insurance litigation, tort law and commercial disputes. The firm acted for the Israel Airports Authority in two class action cases relating to the delay and cancellation of flights caused by aircraft fuel contamination, and the recent workload also includes banking disputes and large fire claims. Peter Gad Naschitz heads the practice, which includes ‘well-rounded litigator’ Tamar Arad-Kareth.

Litigation boutique Nir Cohen, Leshem & Co handles antitrust, corporate, commercial and financial services litigation and class actions. Recent work includes representing Bezeq in a derivative action regarding dividends, and acting for Israel Discount Bank in a case relating to information exchange between Israeli banks.

Ze’ev Scharf & Co Law Offices’ exclusively handles commercial litigation. The number of lawyers in this ‘top-notch’ practice has grown by 50% since 2011. Founder Ze’ev Scharf is ‘always well briefed on the facts and conversant with the relevant points of law’; his team is particularly strong in class actions, contractual disputes and real estate litigation.

Zellermayer Pelossof Rosovsky Tsafrir Toledano & Co.’s ‘outstanding’ practice acts for large domestic corporations as well as private clients, and recently represented a telecoms company in a class action relating to cellular antennas. Practice head Eyal Rosovsky is ‘a top litigator’, and Tamir Kahanov and Dan Sella are also recommended.

Asserson Law Offices almost exclusively acts in London-based disputes for international companies owned by Israel-based businesspeople. It also acts for Israeli high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs in international cases. It fields ‘a group of well-qualified, bright lawyers, who are motivated by the work they do’. Trevor Asserson is ‘a shrewd and experienced litigator’, and Elliot Lister ‘combines hard work with an ability to get good results’. The firm recently handled cases against the UK government and the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Berkman Wechsler Bloom & Co’s ‘smart, devoted and professional’ team exclusively focuses on commercial litigation and non-contentious and contentious real estate, and recently acted for IKEA in the first class action filed against the company in Israel. Ron Berkman is ‘a great litigator’, and Ofir Bloom is also highly regarded.

Exhibiting strong expertise in insurance disputes, Chaim Zelichov & Co., Advocates and Notaries is ‘a very well organised and highly qualified legal practice, which never fails to deliver an excellent service’. Name partner Chaim Zelichov has experience as an arbitrator and a mediator.

Raved, Magriso, Benkel & Co’s ‘excellent’ dispute resolution team is ‘very responsive and extremely dedicated to its clients’ interests’. The firm recently fought an arbitration case for the state of Israel and represented IDB in a class action. Practice head Joseph Benkel delivers ‘an incomparable service’.

Shibolet & Co’s ‘real professionals’ act for clients such as Migdal Insurance, Bezeq and Samsung Electronics. Ofer Shapira is ‘knowledgeable, accessible and a pleasure to work with’, Hillel Ish-Shalom heads the practice, and Roy Kubovsky made partner in 2012.

Tadmor & Co. mainly handles commercial and administrative disputes, but is also skilled in white-collar crime cases. Ittai Paldor now leads the team, following the recent departure of David Gideoni, who became a judge in the Israeli Local Court.

Yehuda Raveh & Co.’s dispute resolution department is complemented by the firm’s top reputation in project development, an area in which it continues to handle a number of disputes. Other recent cases include a number of insolvency cases and administrative petitions. Hagai Ulman, Noa Solomon and Mattan Ben-Shaul are highly regarded.

Shai Granot’s team at Aaronsohn Aboulafia & Co. Law Offices handles litigation, arbitration and mediation. The department includes a sub-division that specialises in class actions.

Amit, Pollak, Matalon & Co Advocates and Notary’s clients include Tidhar Group, Novartis and the Ofer Group. The firm has particular expertise in commercial litigation, class actions and environmental disputes.

Zohar Lande leads Barnea & Co’s dispute resolution department, which deals with a broad spectrum of cases, and represents clients in all Israeli courts and judicial tribunals.

Charcon, Ben Ami, Asher & Co. Law Offices is highly regarded for its experience in representing municipalities, such as Tel Aviv and Be’er Sheva. Yoav Kook leads the litigation department.

Eitan, Mehulal & Sadot and Co., Advocates, Patent Attorneys‘ clients include Procter & Gamble, Dor Alon Energy and Strauss Group. Refael Liba is recommended.

Eli Schulman Law Offices has niche expertise in US commercial litigation, but it also handles disputes in Israel and before international arbitral bodies. Eli Schulman is ‘a valuable and dedicated resource, who leaves no stone unturned’.

Gideon Koren & Co. Law Offices & Notary’s clients include FedEx, Playboy (Israel) and Endemol Group. Practice head Gideon Koren specialises in litigation and administrative law.

Glusman & Co. is representing Mirs Communications in an administrative case as well as acting for plaintiffs in a class action against the state of Israel. Zvi Chowers leads the team.

Gross, Orad, Schlimoff & Co. is well known for its contentious and non-contentious expertise in insurance law, and handles subrogation claims, professional malpractice matters, aviation insurance litigation, jewellers’ block policy disputes, and banking embezzlement cases. Sigal Schlimoff-Rechtman is recommended.

Ron Gazit, Rotenberg & Co’s lawyers combine ‘in-depth knowledge of regulation with great litigation skills’. Ron Gazit is recommended, as are class action expert Moti Arad and commercial litigator Yigal Kava.

S. Friedman & Co. Advocates & Notaries S. Friedman & Co. Advocates & Notaries' bright, talented and experienced lawyers 'fight tirelessly for their clients'. In particular Itamar Anaby is recommended for his ability in court. The team recently represented senior management of Israel Railways Corporation in a case pertaining to the shutdown of train services.

Shenhav, Konforti, Shavit & Co.’s litigation practice is led by Yaron Shavit, who has extensive experience in commercial disputes. The firm is also well respected for Einat Carmi-Barak’s labour litigation practice.

Yossifoff, Cohen, Koren, Grodberg & Co Law Office represents businesses and private clients in civil and commercial litigation and arbitration.