The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Israel > Intellectual property: filing/prosecution

A highly regarded full-service IP group, Ehrlich Group has a particularly strong reputation for patent prosecution and portfolio management, and steadily developed into a market leader in the field of trade marks as well. The firm is one of Israel's most active in terms of number of patent applications filed, and with several partners licensed to practice at the USPTO, the team directly drafts and prosecutes US patents on a regular basis. Managed by firm founder Gal Ehrlich, the team is made up of experts in a range of sectors: Maier Fenster leads the medical devices department; Hadassa Waterman heads the biotech practice; Roy Melzer specialises in software and internet systems; Revital Green heads the chemistry and pharmaceuticals department; Eran Naftali heads the physics practice; and Yehuda Neubauer leads the trade marks and designs practice.

Eitan Mehulal Sadot, Advocates & Patent Attorneys handles patent and trade mark prosecution, portfolio management, and rights protection for major multinationals and Israeli corporates across a range of industry sectors. Jointly headed by Sally Gillis, who leads on patent and copyright matters, and Shirley Gal, who specialises in trade marks and designs, the practice group is recognised for its work on every aspect of IP prosecution, from drafting to oppositions. Of particular note in 2019, the firm merged with boutique patent prosecution firm Propats, which brought five new professionals to the team, including Vladimir Sherman, a US-qualified patent attorney with particular expertise in the development of portfolios involving physics-related technologies.

Fischer Behar Chen Well Orion & Co regularly advises clients on trade mark filing and opposition proceedings before the Israeli PTO and also handles international trade mark management for clients in a range of industry sectors. The firm has a strong hi-tech and growth companies practice and represents a litany of Israeli clients in trade mark filing and opposition procedures in Israel and abroad. Amit Dat heads the IP and information technologies practice, and Yael Riemer is a key contact for opposition and litigation proceedings.

Herzog Fox & Neeman provides comprehensive advice on strategic trade mark management, acting both for international clients with IP rights in Israel and for Israeli corporates in their global trade mark strategies. The team handles trade mark strategy and prosecution in a variety of industry sectors including agriculture, cyber security, and aviation, though the practice group had particular expertise in online gaming. Practice head Karen Elburg has extensive experience of all matters related to the development and protection of trade mark, design and domain-name rights. Recently promoted partner Jenia Melkhior is also recommended.

Liad Whatstein & Co. Law Office is best known for its expertise in IP litigation, though the team has also handled trade mark and patent portfolio management and prosecution matters. The firm is particularly sought out by clients in the life sciences industry. Liad Whatstein is among the leading litigators in the Israeli IP market, and Amira Mangelus is another key contact.

M. Firon & Co Advocates and Notaries has an impressive roster of international clients, which the IP team represents in the registration of trade marks and patents in Israel. Moreover, the team is instructed by large domestic companies and Israeli subsidiaries in relation to the development and protection of their marks and designs. The practice group is headed by Eran Presenti, who has broad expertise in IP, defamation, and computer law, and serves as co-head of the IP committee of the Israel Bar Association.

Meitar Law Offices handles Israeli trade mark prosecution and protection for an enviable roster of multinational clients, and also advises large Israeli corporates on trade mark registration and portfolio development worldwide. Headed by Yoav Oestreicher, the IP, technology and privacy team works across a huge variety of industry sectors, and is particularly skilled at managing and coordinating trade mark registrations globally. Other key contacts in the group include David Mirchin, who is most active in IP transactions involving software, but also advises clients on trade mark filing and prosecution, and Ariel Rakover, who advises international clients on Israeli trade mark and design applications.

Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer Baratz's IP team has an exceptional reputation in the areas of medical devices, biotech and pharmaceuticals, and also handles patent prosecution and portfolio management for clients in the aerospace and defence sector. Founder and managing partner Zeev Pearl has wide-ranging experience of worldwide IP strategy, including proceedings before the USPTO. In addition to the firm's patent work, Dor Cohen Zedek leads the firm's trade mark, designs and enforcement practice and is instructed by a huge variety of multinationals, Israeli IP-based companies, and tech-transfer offices, which she advises on trade mark prosecution, filing, and strategy. Another contact in the team is senior partner Mark Cohen, who heads the life sciences department.

Reches Patents is a boutique patent firm headed by Oren Reches, who has a background in electrical engineering and specialises in semiconductors, robotics, autonomous driving and software. The firm also has dedicated consultants focusing on patent mandates in the areas of chemistry and medical devices. Reches' core area of practice is developing worldwide patent portfolios for established Israeli corporates, growth companies, and universities and R&D institutions.

Widely considered to be one of the top full-service IP firms in the market, Reinhold Cohn & Partners provides comprehensive filing, prosecution and portfolio management support to major international and domestic corporates. The team has dedicated expertise in a number of core areas: Ilan Cohn heads the firm's life sciences and chemistry department; Ehud Hausman heads the hi-tech team; David de Vries and Ena Pugatsch jointly lead the firm's technology department; Svetlana Stadler heads the physics group; Tamar Morag-Sela specialises in plant breeders' rights; and Ronit Barzik-Soffer is among the market's leading trade mark attorneys. Another key contact for life sciences and chemistry is Ronnie Benshafrut, who is in charge of patent term extensions. Also of note, the firm has partnered with platforms to provide digital solutions for IP enforcement and funding options for patent registration.

In Israel's market of large full-service firms, S. Horowitz & Co has one of the leading IP teams. Known throughout the market for its expertise in IP disputes, including proceedings before the registrar, the team also handles the non-contentious side of trade mark management and prosecution for international corporates developing their IP rights in Israel. The team is managed by Avi Ordo, 'a very strong critical thinker', who is instructed by multinationals including DreamWorks and Anheuser-Busch, and also handles global trade mark strategy for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries. IP litigator Tal Band heads the wider IP practice. Other key figures include Dovev Apel and Moran Katz, who is most active in IP enforcement.

Seligsohn Gabrieli & Co is 'a high-quality IP firm' with core strengths in patent and trade mark strategy and portfolio management. The firm is jointly headed by Nahum Gabrieli and Ehud Gabrieli, who handle trade mark prosecution for a variety of international fashion and clothing brands, consumer goods companies, and technology companies, among others. Senior lawyer Alfred Thee leads the firm's patents practice and handles Israeli patent filing and prosecution work for clients including Colgate Palmolive, General Electric, and IMI Systems (formerly Israel Military Industries). The firm is also rated for its work in opposition actions before the registrar.

Patent boutique Shalev, Jencmen & Co was founded just a few years ago and has already built up a client base of well-known, prolific patent filers, thanks in part to the industry experience of its founding partners, and the team's proven ability to fully develop its clients' patent portfolios. Jointly headed by Avi Jencmen and Asaf Shalev, (both of whom have experience practicing at some of Israel's most prominent IP firms), the practice group specialises broadly in software-related IP, and has particular expertise in the defence and cyber security, autonomous vehicles, e-commerce, and medical devices sectors. In addition to its Israel-focused work, the team also employs multiple US-qualified patent agents, and is thus able to prosecute patent applications before the Israeli Patent Office as well as the USPTO. Of particular note in 2019, the firm handled over half of new patent filings made by Elbit Systems - one of Israel's top-ten patent filers according to the Israeli Patent Office.