The Legal 500

Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co’s technology practice is one of the largest in Israel, with over 50 lawyers in the department, of which more than 20 are also licensed in the US. The team recently acted for YMax Corporation in the $245m reverse triangular merger involving VocalTec, and served as Israeli counsel to CSR on transactions totalling $500m. Other clients include Bessemer, Harmonic, Yahoo!, and Kaltura. Amir Halevy serves on the board of directors at Israel’s High Tech Industry Association and heads its standards and ethics committee. The firm also provides pro bono legal services to Tmura, the Israeli public service venture fund.

Herzog Fox & Neeman’s two teams provide corporate and transactional support, from seed investments in start-ups to major cross border private equity and M&A work, and secures and monetises the primary assets of technology companies. The firm recently advised MediWound and Polyheal, pharmaceuticals portfolio companies of Clal Biotechnology Industries, in a complex strategic triangular biotech transaction with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. Gilad Majerowicz recently joined the team, having previously worked in New York for several years at Kirkland & Ellis LLP and as in-house counsel for a New York based telecommunications company.

Meitar Liquornik Geva & Leshem Brandwein’s hi-tech, start-ups, and venture capital team represented VocalTec Communications – considered to be the inventor of VoIP – in its $200m stock merger with YMax Corporation. It also advised Conduit on its $45m acquisition of Modular Patterns, and tech investor Silver Lake on its first investment in Israel. Other clients include Lumenis, Objet Geometries, Evergreen, and Zeigler Meditech Fund. Practice head David Chertok is ‘very commercial, focuses on what matters, and is very responsive’.

Naschitz, Brandes & Co. has been particularly active in cross-border M&A in the sector. The firm recently represented Wintegra in its acquisition by PMC-Sierra; the stockholders of MediaMind on its sale to DG Fast Channel; and Provigent on its acquisition by Broadcom. The firm also represents many early-stage companies heading towards an exit or developing into independent market players. Strategic investor clients include Giza Venture Capital, Vertex, BRM Capital, Benchmark, Canaan Partners, Carmel, and Plenus Venture Lending.

Shibolet & Co’s hi-tech and venture capital practice group, headed by Lior Aviram, is among the largest in Israel. It has ‘an ability to apply excellent business judgement to legal and commercial issues’, and is ‘extremely efficient in staffing the deals’. The team advised Priortech on a $30m investment from First Israel Mezzanine Investors Fund, as well as DFJ Tamir Fishman Ventures and several leading venture capital funds including KPCB Holdings on a $20m investment transaction in the Israeli seed and breeding technology company Kaiima Bio Agritech.

Yigal Arnon & Co’s highly developed hi-tech practice brings its ‘vast knowledge and experience’ to bear representing global technology and medical devices companies, including Medtronic, Boston Scientific, IBM and Oracle as well as start-ups in various fields. The team – which is noted for its ‘positive business attitude’ – advises on financing, M&A and other exit transactions, research and development, technology transfer, internet and e-commerce agreements. It acted for Lightech Electronic Industries in selling out to General Electric, and for TowerJazz in an agreement to sell its holdings in Hua Hong Semiconductor, one of China’s leaders in the field.

Senior partner Yonathan Altman heads the ‘extremely professional’ team at Amit, Pollak, Matalon & Co Advocates and Notary. The firm advised Cyhawk Ventures LP on a $6m investment by Vintage Funds, and on the transfer of six portfolio companies into the investment vehicle. Other clients include Aeronautics, Novartis, ClickSoftware Technologies, and Israel Cleantech Ventures.

Erdinast, Ben Nathan & Co acts for foreign and domestic hi-tech companies ranging from start-ups to established corporations, as well as entrepreneurs and investors including venture capital funds and investment firms.

Eyal Khayat, Zolty, Neiger & Co. – Law Offices’ personable team has ‘deep understanding of the industry and is great value for money’. It has broadened the scope of its cross-border practice, representing Swiss and Israeli companies in South American homeland securities projects, and forming an Israeli-French joint venture focusing on West Africa. Eyal Khayat is ‘very creative and proactive’.

Fischer Behar Chen Well Orion & Co’s practice spans hi-tech, technology and life sciences, with clients including start-ups, mature companies, angel investors and venture capital funds. It acts on investment transactions, M&A and asset transactions, private placements and public offerings on securities exchanges in Israel and abroad.

Goldfarb Seligman & Co. was created in July 2011 from the merger of Goldfarb, Levy, Eran, Meiri, Tzafrir & Co. and M Seligman & Co.. It fields a hi-tech team headed by Ashok Chandrasekhar and Michael Heller.

Gornitzky & Co.’s lawyers display ‘professionalism, and broad and thorough knowledge of the material’. Its hi-tech clients include Israel Corporation, IC Green Energy, and Solel Solar Systems. In the biotech sector, the firm represents Rosetta Genomics, Evogene and Isracolor. New clients include NeoGames and dual-listed Retalix.

Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer has offices in Israel and the US, and enjoys a significant US client following. The firm advises funds, start-ups and established corporations on investments, commercial matters and transactions, and is particularly expert in biotech and cleantech.

S. Horowitz & Co recently received its first instructions from Teva to act for it on investments in biotech start-ups. It is advising General Motors on its Israeli research and development centre, and continues to act for Yeda Research. Moti Malca is recommended for his ‘professionalism and quick responses’, and Anthony Bloch for being ‘a real dealmaker’.

Sharir, Shiv, Kadouch & Co., Law Offices’ ‘knowledge is exceptionally high’. The team represented Kreos Capital in initial financing and on restructurings of problem credits, and Blumberg Capital in a Series A Israeli start-up investment. Galai Sharir is ‘thoughtful beyond the legal issues’.

Shenhav & Co’s ‘very responsive’ team provides ‘top-notch’ advice, and Ayal Shenhav is ‘very knowledgeable in his field’. The team recently represented Sequoia Capital in various seed capital, late-stage and follow-on investments.

Zellermayer Pelossof Rosovsky Tsafrir Toledano & Co.’s diverse practice spans technology, hi-tech and biotech businesses and investments, for purely domestic as well as inbound and outbound matters. The firm recently advised Permira Partners on its acquisition of Netafim, a world leader in smart drip and micro-irrigation solutions.

Ben-Dror, Stretiner, Baruch, Gavish Law Office was formed in 2010 by the merger of Y. Ben-Dror & Co with Stretiner, Baruch & Co, which bolted on the latter’s litigation capabilities to the former’s non-contentious expertise. The firm continues to act for EMC and recently represented AcceloWeb.

ES Shimron, I Molho, Persky & Co represents venture capital funds and start-ups in the hi-tech and biotech fields. It recently handled the formation of a new $100m venture capital fund focusing on technology and medical services.

Epstein Rosenblum Maoz (ERM) provides a ‘personal and professional response’ to start-ups and corporate investors on financing. Nimrod Rosenblum and practice head Simon Marks are recommended.

GSCB Glusman Shem-Tov Chowers Broid represents Arab start-ups seeking to take advantage of a new government initiative to encourage Arab hi-tech entrepreneurs, and handles legal aspects vis-à-vis the Chief Scientist including obtaining grants, royalty payment arrangements, disputes and technology transfer agreements in Israel and abroad.

M. Firon & Co Advocates and Notaries represents investors such as venture capitalists and incubator companies, and has broadened its expertise to include corporate clients in the fields of intellectual property and media, life sciences and renewable energy.

Raved, Magriso, Benkel & Co’s technology and life sciences group advised Medingo on its $200m acquisition by F. Hoffmann-La Roche. Other clients include Elbit Systems, 3DV Systems, Optimata, and Shlomo Ben Haim.

Rosenberg, Keren-Polak, Epelman, Advocates’ ‘attentive, accommodating and prompt’ team represents start-ups including NetBoost Media, as well as investors and acquirers.

Tulchinsky Stern Marciano Cohen Levitski & Co recently represented Orbotech in a $90m secondary stock issuance on NASDAQ, as well as in the sale of one of its subsidiaries in Denmark, and advised RedHill Biopharma on licensing and acquisitions.

Yehuda Raveh & Co. advises R&D clients on investments and transactions in the hardware and software sector. Clients include Hitachi, Integrated Process Equipment, and Cap Gemini Telecom France.

Shenhav, Konforti, Shavit & Co. is ‘very experienced in the relevant technological and legal aspects; up-to-date; and the accumulated know-how is always available’. Yaron Shavit is recommended.