Firm Profile > S. Horowitz & Co > Tel Aviv, Israel

Banking and finance Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co has close relationships with major local and foreign financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies and credit card companies. The breadth of its client roster is matched by the depth of its practice, which spans syndicated lending, export finance, structured finance and regulatory work — it also continues to grow its profile in the developing area of factoring transactions. On the borrower side, the firm is a top choice for seasoned acquirers in leveraged finance deals, including recent work for Pathfinder Strategic Fund and Francisco Partners. Anthony Bloch chairs the group and is sought after for his senior experience in the area. Other key names are Clifford Davis, who had a busy year on the export financing and LBO fronts, and Michelle Liberman.

Competition/antitrust Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co's antitrust team handles a high volume of class actions and abuse of dominance cases concerning alleged anti-competitive behaviour, including price fixing and excessive pricing, for clients from across a broad range of sectors, including aviation, technology and banking. The group also has a strong standing in M&A requiring regulatory approval from the Competition Authority, and in acting for clients facing administrative orders imposed by the ICA. Hagai Doron successfully represented Sharp Corporation in a precedent-setting class action relating to allegations of conspiracy to fix prices for LCD panels. He is also defending Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in a case concerning the Competition Authority's declaration that the company is functioning as an oligopoly in the baby formula market. Associate Adi Amar advises large international and domestic corporates on M&A, joint ventures, abuse of dominance claims and many other critical regulatory matters. Gitit Levin Grinberg is another key name.

Dispute resolution: class actions (including derivative actions) Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co is considered throughout the market to be a standout litigation firm, and is one of the first points of contact for large multinationals facing class actions in Israel. In addition to its top-notch multinational client base, the team also represents major domestic corporates, and has extensive experience of a huge variety of product liability and consumer class actions, competition-related litigation, banking and market manipulation claims, environmental class actions, and insurance-related claims. It also represents clients including Teva in high-value derivative actions. Alex Hertman and Yehoshua Horesh are two of the team's senior figures; Hagai Doron and Uriel Prinz have been singled out as 'brilliant litigators'; and Asaf Rentsler is noted for his experience of class actions in the healthcare, retail, financial services and automotive sectors.

Dispute resolution: local litigation and arbitration Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co has a long-standing reputation as one of the leading firms in Israel's litigation market. The firm has enviable strengths in nearly every area of litigation, and is consistently instructed by the largest and most high-profile domestic companies as well as multinational corporates such as Google, which the firm represents in a litany of libel disputes and commercial claims. Another key area of strength is tender-related litigation, where the team is representing a Chinese company in multiple NIS1bn+ tenders. Joint practice heads Alex Hertman and Yehoshua Horesh are widely considered to be two of the country's best litigators; Ehud Arzi has expertise in banking and financial services litigation; Avi Ordo is best known for his work in IP litigation, but also handles tort claims; and Eliya Zunz Koller focuses on administrative law and environmental claims. Clients have also singled out partners Eran Bezalel and Ronen Brumer.

Healthcare and life sciences Tier 1

A force in the life sciences field, S. Horowitz & Co advises major industry participants on a diverse mix of commercial, regulatory and contentious matters. In particular, the firm leverages its strong IP offering to provide expertise in licensing and distribution agreements, as well as IP litigation. The ‘professional, attentive and accurate’ team also leans on other departments in the firm to provide supplementary expertise in product liability, class actions and technology transfers. The multi-disciplinary practice is led jointly by Dovev Apel, who specialises in advising life sciences companies on IP issues, and IP chair Tal Band. Litigator Asaf Rentsler is also recommended.

Insurance Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co's 'top-class group of litigation specialists' represents major international and domestic insurance companies in corporate and commercial disputes, major class actions, subrogation claims and claims relating to professional negligence, medical negligence and personal injury. The group also has experience handling transactional and regulatory work in the insurance space. In recent work. Avi Ordo, whose particular areas of expertise include product liability and professional liability, is defending HDI-Gerling Industries Verischerung in various damages claims arising from major accidents at work. Alex Hertman and Ehud Arzi are other key names.

Intellectual property: disputes Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co is known throughout the market for its formidable litigation practice, and that reputation extends to IP litigation, where the team handles high-profile patent, trade mark, and copyright disputes across a range of key sectors including defence, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, media and telecoms. The department is headed by Tal Band, who is highly rated by clients and peers, and represents Teva in myriad patent oppositions and service invention cases. Avi Ordo is most active in trade mark litigation, and has been identified as 'second to none' by his international clients. Ran Vogel and Dovev Apel are also recommended, and Yair Ziv has been identified as a standout younger partner.

Telecoms and media Tier 1

S. Horowitz & Co is a popular choice for large media and digital media companies to defend them in class actions. The group's broader offering includes handling major M&A deals and corporate agreements, advising media and telecoms clients seeking to obtain permits and licensing rights from regulatory bodies and assisting companies with bids for major commercial tenders. Hagai Doron represents television and radio broadcasters, cable franchisees, internet content providers and newspapers, among others, with notable expertise advising on tenders issued by the Ministry of Communications for broadcasting licences. Associate Nir Ogolnik specialises in advising media and telecoms clients on regulatory matters, including alleged breach of privacy.

Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co is hailed for its ‘stunning ability to get the deal done’. The firm houses a broad corporate and M&A practice, which draws on its wider full-service offering to provide complementary sector expertise in financial services, life sciences and communications. It is also well known for its experience in cross-border transactions, particularly involving the US and UK. Clifford Davis co-chairs the international corporate group and is ‘exceptionally imaginative and articulate’. Amit Steinman and Shlomi Delgo are highlighted together for their ‘many years of experience’ and Keith Shaw is ‘highly talented’.

Employment Tier 2

The ‘very loyal and dedicated’ team at S. Horowitz & Co leverages the wider firm’s first-class dispute resolution offering to shine in contentious employment matters, with strong experience before Israeli labour courts, arbitration tribunals and mediation boards. The group also advises on non-contentious matters, including regulatory compliance, corporate advisory work and immigration. Department head Shoshana Gavish is held up as ‘one of the best in Israel’ and has a strong track record in advising clients in the healthcare, education and hi-tech sectors. Ofir Pozner is ‘very experienced’.

Energy Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co has a deep-seated reputation for 'professional excellence' and 'prudent advice' on large-scale project finance and development, energy-related government tenders and corporate energy transactions. Of particular note, the team is a key adviser to the Israel Electric Corporation, which it is advising on the tender sales of several state-owned power plants as part of the privatisation of the country's energy market. The firm also distinguishes itself by its market-leading dispute resolution team, which represents major energy companies such as Paz Oil Company. Yehoshua Horesh and Eran Bezalel are key contacts for energy and infrastructure disputes; Aharon Bloch advises bank lenders on project finance transactions; Shlomi Delgo has experience corporate transactions in the energy space; and Benny Sheffer specialises in infrastructure development projects.

Infrastructure Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co has considerable strengths in banking and finance, litigation, construction, and administrative law, skill sets that all contribute to the firm's ability to handle mega-project financing and development matters. Key names on the lender side include Clifford Davis, who specialises in international transactions and has experience in export credit financing, and Aharon Bloch and Michelle Liberman, who acted for the lenders in relation to the Jerusalem LRT BOT, Israel's only operating light railway project. Names to note for bidders and project companies include Benjamin Sheffer, who is acting for an international bidder in  tender for the design and construction of an additional line on the Tel Aviv LRT, and Eran Bezalel, who is involved in a number of large projects related to the Cross-Israel Highway.

Intellectual property: commercial/transactions Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co has strengths across the spectrum of IP work including litigation, trade mark portfolio management and development, and commercial licensing and transactional matters. The team advises major rights holders such as Teva on various trade mark licensing deals, and has particular specialism in acting for academic commercialisation bodies and research and development institutions. Practice head Aharon Bloch handles a litany of licensing matters for the commercialisation arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, and Keith Shaw also has expertise in acting for TTOs and academic institutions. Also recommended are Avi Ordo and Dovev Apel, who advise on a range of contentious and non-contentious IP matters.

Planning and zoning Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co's planning and zoning practice is a key name for land expropriation disputes. The team's expertise also extends to disputes with regulators in the field in addition to advisory planning and zoning work. Amir Caspari, whose expertise encompasses all aspects of planning, regeneration and development of land and construction law, is part of a larger team acting for 150 rights holders on the joint development of the Kikar HaMedina square, consisting of 345 units in three luxury towers. Associate Moshe Ashkenazi frequently represents major companies in disputes regarding land use and planning, construction and infrastructure.

Tax Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co's tax practice is particularly dominant in the field of real estate and infrastructure, where it represent clients in VAT disputes, tax assessments and municipal tax liability claims, as well as providing general tax structuring advice. Other work includes assisting with cross-border tax structuring during corporate transactions; acting for individuals in voluntary disclosure cases; and advising fintech clients on the tax aspects of ICOs. Leor Nouman, who serves as co-chairman of the Real Estate Taxation Committee and as chairman of the Tax Committee of the Israel Bar Association, and Ophir Kaplan are key names. Associate Zmira Arbel is also of note due to her work for multinational and domestic companies in relation to corporate tax, M&A, real estate transactions and many other areas.

Transport Tier 2

S. Horowitz & Co’s transport practice spans the aviation, rail and auto industries, with clients including airlines, satellite operators, suppliers of rolling stock, and suppliers of travel-related services. Department co-head Hugh Kowarsky is noted for his aviation expertise and, alongside fellow co-head Eyal Doron, recently represented British Airways and Ryanair in contentious matters. The group also advises on market regulation, corporate finance transactions and infrastructure development.

Capital markets Tier 3

S. Horowitz & Co has particular strength handling bond offerings on the Tase for clients in the real estate sector, and M&A for publicly listed companies across a range of industries, including those active in the pharmaceutical and medical cannabis fields. The group's broader caseload consists of private placements of shares, where it acts for issuers, and advising companies on a long-running basis on all aspects of their securities and corporate law matters, from liaising with the Israel Securities Authority to complying with disclosure requirements. Guy Firer and Amir Assali jointly head the practice.

Dispute resolution: white-collar crime, investigation and fraud Tier 3

Hi-tech and start-ups Tier 3

The team at S. Horowitz & Co provides 'clear and concise advice' to venture capital funds and corporate investors, academic institutions, entrepreneurs and tech companies involved in a variety of industries, including fintech, cyber security, healthcare, food-tech and sports-tech. The practice group is led by Mordehay Malca, who acts for every type of tech-sector participant, from company founders to international technology companies; he also has experience in offshore and onshore fund formation. Amit Steinman specialises in equity deals and other investment transactions, acting for VCs, private equity investors and financing institutions; and Clifford Davis and Keith Shaw are rated for achieving 'perfect outcomes' that are 'beyond expectation'.

Real estate and construction Tier 3

S. Horowitz & Co's sizeable team acts for developers and rights holders on commercial and residential projects in Israel, including purchasing agreements concerning land and property holdings, financing arrangements and investments in real estate companies. Avigail Kastiel has broad expertise in urban renewals, infrastructure, power and energy projects. He is part of a team advising the rights holders on the joint development of a residential project that will include over 450 units in three luxury towards in Tel Aviv. Noa Glazer-Becher focuses on real estate joint ventures and the various corporate aspects of construction projects. Leor Nouman is also noted.

Restructuring and insolvency Tier 3

S. Horowitz & Co has particular expertise acting for major banks as creditors in insolvency proceedings but also represents distressed companies in voluntary liquidation proceedings, advises clients on rehabilitation and refinancing arrangements, and handles high-value receiverships. Ran Feldman represents creditors and debtors in insolvency cases, often through appointments to act as a liquidator. Ran, together with Ehud Arzi and Shlomi Delgo, is acting for Bank Hapoalim in several proceedings relating to the recovery of loans with an accumulative value of $250m. Michelle Liberman is also noted.

Intellectual property: filing/prosecution

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.