Amit, Pollak, Matalon & Co. Advocates and Notary houses one of the most active restructuring practices in the market, acting on a huge volume of insolvency, bankruptcy and receivership cases. The firm advises debtors, creditors, investors and other stakeholders on all aspects bankruptcy-related matters, including recovery processes, insolvency proceedings, debt collection and banking litigation. Department head Erez Haver is recognised for his broad banking and commercial litigation expertise and is frequently appointed to manage insolvency proceedings. Moran Mordechay is also well versed in contentious and non-contentious insolvency matters.

Arnon, Tadmor-Levy has an emphasis on creditor-side engagements and distressed M&A. In terms of the former, it leverages the wider firm’s strong finance credentials to specialise in advising banks and financial services companies in bankruptcy and debt matters, including recent work for Israel Discount Bank, Mizrahi-Tefahot Bank and Nomura International. On the M&A front, it advised Do-Tsach on the acquisition of shares of a company holding rights in Modiin Energy from the court-appointed trustee of IDB Development Corporation. Amnon Lorch‘s combination of corporate, banking and litigation expertise ensures he is well equipped to advise on the full range of bankruptcy matters. Gil Oren and Yuval Bargil are also noted.

FISCHER (FBC & Co.) fields a go-to group for complex, large-scale restructurings. Among its recent headline-grabbing cases, the group represented All Year Holdings Limited BVI in its $2.5bn cross-border restructuring. In addition to debtor representations, the group advises investors, creditors, administrators and receivers in the full range of restructuring and bankruptcy matters. Department head Amit Pines has an impressive track record in representing all stakeholders in contentious and non-contentious insolvency matters. Lihi Blumenfeld has extensive experience in liquidation and receivership procedures, including litigation. The key partners are supported by talented associate Tal Arazi.

Gornitzky & Co. is highly regarded for its management of insolvency proceedings on behalf of corporations, creditors, shareholders, financial institutions and private equity sponsors. The group’s ability to lean on other departments in the wider firm, particularly banking, securities and litigation, equips it to advise on complex, multi-layered, or cross-border insolvencies. Firm chairman Pinhas Rubin maintains a broad, interdisciplinary practice, which combines strength in restructuring with litigation, corporate and administrative law expertise. Restructuring expert Yaron Elhawi and litigation head Ofer Tzur are also noted.

Lipa Meir & Co is widely recognised for its premier debtor-side practice. The group is often the first port of call for major distressed companies looking for support on complex domestic and cross-border restructurings, such as its recent work for Mega Retail Group, Delek Group and Eurocom Group. The well-rounded practice also acts for creditors, investors and other stakeholders in high-profile cases. Additionally, its lawyers are frequently appointed as trustees, liquidators and receivers. Department head Zuriel Lavie has a hand in many of the largest restructurings in the market, with notable experience in cross-border cases. Shirley Ifrach-Azor represents both companies and creditors on the full range of restructuring and insolvency matters. Founding partner Lipa Meir is considered by many as a reference in the area.

Shibolet & Co. finds favour for being ‘very knowledgeable about claims which span multiple jurisdictions‘. Its adroit handling of cross-border bankruptcy cases is evidenced by its recent case list, which takes in matters involving Europe, Latin America and North America, with its New York office a useful asset in US-related work. The team is also distinguished by its partners’ frequent appointments as trustee, liquidator or receiver in insolvency proceedings. Joseph Benkel has a ‘master tactician’s brain' and is highly regarded for his experience in contentious cases. Amir Frankl and associate Omer Bar-Ilan are also noted.

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates‘ group is best known for its close links with financial institutions, and it is frequently called upon to act as creditor counsel to banks in major bankruptcy proceedings. It also represents corporates, both as debtors and creditors, in insolvency matters. Michal Leder Rosen specialises in corporate recovery, debt arrangements and contentious insolvency proceedings. Doron Dan is noted for his expertise in liquidation procedures. Ofer Yankovich has a focus on debt restructuring.

Erdinast Ben Nathan Toledano & Co. with Hamburger Evron‘s ‘vast experience in restructuring and insolvency‘ strikes the right note with clients, who also value its ability to ‘put pressure on the other side‘. The firm advises on the full range of bankruptcy matters, with particular expertise in acting for bondholders (including US bondholders) on debt restructurings — it notably represented bondholders in the restructurings of IDB Development, Israel Petrochemical Enterprises and of Delek Group. Distressed M&A is another practice strong suit. Raanan Kalir‘s comprehensive experience spans all insolvency matters, including receivership proceedings, creditors’ arrangements and stay of proceedings. Alon Binyamini co-heads the practice alongside Kalir.

Gissin & Co., Advocates has a strong reputation for its bondholder work and recently secured bondholder roles in a series of high-profile restructurings, including Africa Investments, Starwood West BVI and Brookland Upreal BVI. The firm also routinely represents other creditors, banks, shareholders and debtors in corporate recovery, receivership and liquidation proceedings. Guy Gissin is sought after for his specialist bondholder expertise and acted as the foreign representative in Canada-based Urbancorp’s cross-border restructuring. Yael Hershkovitz is also noted for her experience in debt settlements and international restructuring and insolvency cases.

Gross Law Firm – GKH is well versed in all aspects of restructuring and insolvency work, including debt restructurings, distressed M&A and liquidations. The team is equally adept in representing creditors and debtors and is frequently involved in significant cases, such as its ongoing advice to Alon Israel Oil Company on the implementation of its debt arrangement, which involved debt of around ILS2.3bn. David Hahn  has an impressive track record in headline-grabbing insolvency matters and formerly served as the Guardian General and the Official Receiver of Israel. Capital markets head Aya Yoffe specialises in debt restructuring.

Herzog Fox & Neeman represents a diverse mix of creditors, debtors, investors and buyout funds in restructuring and insolvency matters. The group stands out for its experience in multi-jurisdictional cases, as well as its strong links with foreign financial institutions. Both strengths were recently on view in its advice to Citibank, London Branch in proceedings aimed at realising security provided by the Delek Group. Yaniv Dinovitch has an emphasis on insolvency litigation and has also acted as liquidator and trustee in corporate insolvency matters. Of counsel Alan Sacks leverages his finance expertise to focus on advising local and international banks. Seffy Zinger and Asher Dovev are also noted.

Meitar Law Offices‘ practice specialises in representing professional creditors in insolvency cases. The team routinely advises on receiverships, creditors’ arrangements and restructurings, with strong experience in large-scale and cross-border matters. It is also noted for its expertise in complex, contentious cases, where it is distinguished by its ability to draw support from the firm’s top-tier litigation group. Pinni Yaniv has a focus on representing Israeli and international creditors in bankruptcy-related cases. Amir Dolev handles commercial and banking litigation, with an emphasis on insolvency proceedings.

Capital markets specialist Shimonov & Co. – Law Firm has a focus on handling debt restructurings involving listed and traded companies. The group has acted on a slew of company-side mandates in recent months, including advising the debtor in the restructurings of Cal Auto Group and Fattal Holdings, among others. It also frequently represents investors in restructuring-related matters. Amir Bartov is highly regarded for his specialist expertise in debt restructuring.

Goldfarb Seligman & Co.‘s multidisciplinary department draws on litigators with strong skill sets in insolvency, commercial litigation, class actions and administrative law. The group is frequently engaged by creditors and debtors to advise on domestic and cross-border reorganisations, including receiverships and liquidations. Asher Engelman leads the corporate recovery and insolvency practice and is often appointed by the court to various roles in insolvency proceedings. Hagit Blaiberg, Zvi Bar-Nathan and insolvency litigation head Aaron Michaeli are also noted.

M. Firon & Co Advocates and Notaries handles a broad mix of bankruptcy-related proceedings, debt restructurings and distressed M&A. The firm stands out for its extensive experience in cross-border insolvencies. In particular, Ron Bar-Nir, who manages the Bucharest-based SCPA FIRON BAR-NIR side of the firm, is noted for restructuring and insolvency matters involving Eastern and Central Europe. Shay Bar-Nir is also a key contact and advises on the full scope of bankruptcies, liquidations, receiverships, reorganisations and debt settlements.

S. Horowitz & Co‘s banking and finance and dispute resolution teams frequently work hand-in-hand to advise on an array of restructurings, workouts and insolvencies. The multidisciplinary practice acts for debtors, creditors and officers in bankruptcy and reorganisation cases, with a strong recent record in representing banks. Ehud Arzi specialises in banking litigation, including insolvency-related matters. Ran Feldman has experience in liquidations, bankruptcies, receiverships and freezing orders.