Firm Profile > Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates > Tel Aviv, Israel

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates
DISCOUNT TOWER
23 YEHUDA HALEVY STREET
TEL AVIV 65136
Israel

Email firm Visit website 972 3 511 9393 972 3 511 9394

Planning and zoning Tier 1

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates handles contentious and non-contentious matters for many of Israel's largest construction and real estate groups, but has particular strength in planning disputes. Acting alongside the firm's real estate and litigation teams, department head Taly Salton-Yeshua represents private rights owners and developers in a litany of planning objection proceedings and claims concerning betterment levies and depreciation compensation. Among the team's recent significant highlights, Salton-Yeshua represented the plaintiffs in an objection to the general outline plan of Herzliya, which is a comprehensive plan promoting city-wide growth across an area of almost 23,000 acres. In the non-contentious space, the team is acting for Israel Canada Group in relation to certain planning aspects for the construction of a new neighbourhood in Ramat HaSharon, which will include 240,000 sqm of commercial space and 1,500 residential units. The department also advises entrepreneurs and residents on the planning aspects of pinui binui (evacuation and reconstruction) and Tama 38 projects, including objection procedures. Additional clients include Africa Israel Group, Tidhar Real Estate Development and Investments, and Cargal Group.

Restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates acts for secured and unsecured creditors and distressed companies, and is particularly sought after for insolvencies involving banks and financial institutions. Uri Bregman is engaged by The Office of the Official Receiver in connection with the liquidations of Bank of North America and Israel Trade Bank; in both instances, Bregman was appointed as special administrator of the insolvent banks. Ofer Yankovich and Eran Shuster have advised AFI Group throughout the entirety of its restructuring process, which is the largest debt arrangement in Israel's history; recently the team assisted the client with its second debt settlement. Another key figure in the team is Doron Dan, who acted for the bondholders and the trustee of Gmul Investment Company in relation to a court-affirmed creditor arrangement. Other significant clients include Negev Ceramics and HSBC, the latter of which the team has represented in proceedings associated with insolvencies within the Eurocom Group.

Banking and finance Tier 2

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates advises the majority of Israel's largest banks, as well as the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and both Israeli clearinghouses, on a full range of banking and securities regulation and corporate governance. Under Ora Dvir's leadership, the team is among the market's best known for banking regulation. Dvir also handles financing transactions, particularly in the real estate development sector, and has been involved in certain divestment transactions arising out of legislative initiatives concerning decentralisation in the banking sector. Avi Ben-Yaacov has acted for Israeli lenders in connection with a slew of real estate finance mandates, while on the borrower side, Yossi Falach advises one of the country's largest real estate companies on the financing aspects of its real estate development projects. The team also handles banking disputes, including insolvency and debt restructuring and recovery.

Leading individuals

Ora Dvir - Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates

Dispute resolution: class actions Tier 2

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates has considerable expertise in banking litigation and is often involved in class actions concerning fiduciary duties and good faith, antitrust matters in the banking sector, and other bank regulations. Yael Moshkovich and Oren Pechthold are acting for Israel Discount Bank, U-Bank and Mercantile Discount Bank in a number of class action claims. In one matter, the team is representing Israel Discount Bank in a high-value class action concerning its minimum-rate commission policies. Further, Moshkovich and Doron Dan are acting for several major retailers in class actions regarding the Accessibility Act. The team is also representing Negev Ceramics in a NIS290m class action alleging that the company's price tags are effectively fictitious. Hila Goldfeld was promoted to partner.

Real estate and construction Tier 2

In terms of client service, Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates is 'second-to-none in the Israeli market'. The department has considerable strength acting for real estate companies in large development and investment mandates, as it does acting for major Israeli banks in real estate finance transactions. The department is led by Avi Ben-Yaacov, who handles a range of real estate matters for AFI Group, including property sale and purchase transactions, development and construction projects, and dozens of financing transactions. In particular, the team advised Africa Israel Hotels on the NIS950m sale of its business, which was primarily eight large-scale hotel assets, to the Dayan family; following the transaction, the team was retained by the purchaser to provide ongoing legal advice with regard to the acquired hotel chain. Further, Ben-Yaacov assisted an asset manager with a lease transaction in the highly sought after Sarona Tower. In the finance space, the practice group acts for many of the country's major bank lenders on a litany of real estate finance transactions. Another key contact is Taly Salton-Yeshua.

Capital markets Tier 3

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates, a trusted adviser to Israel's capital markets infrastructure, handles debt and equity transactions for some of the markets largest corporates. Ora Dvir is a key figure in the banking and capital markets team; she is recognised throughout the market as an expert in banking and securities regulation, and provides ongoing regulatory advice to the TASE and both Israeli clearinghouses. The firm's corporate client base includes AFI Group and its many subsidiaries. Recently, Ofer Yankovich advised Africa Israel Properties on a public debt offering of NIS170m and an additional private issuance of NIS162m. Yankovich also advised Africa Israel Residences on a NIS200m public bond issuance. In the equity market, the team acted for El-Mor Electric Installation & Services in relation to its 2017 IPO.

Employment Tier 3

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates is well known for its involvement is high-profile insolvencies and debt arrangements, as well as major transactions in the real estate sector, which involve large-scale employee transfers, terminations, and collective negotiations. The department is jointly headed by Igal Kolof and Limor Argov-Shenhav, who advise clients such as Africa Israel Investments and H&O on issues such as terminations, HR management, compliance, and various employment litigation. Of particular note, Kolof and Argov-Shenhav acted for Negev Ceramics throughout the process of shutting down its factory in Yeruham. Other key clients include Gottex-Zara Israel Group, Safra Bank, and Packer Steel.

Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates has an active M&A group with experience in the retail, real estate, technology and banking industries. Moreover, given the firm's strength in restructuring and insolvency, the team has expertise in M&A involving distressed companies. Two key figures in the team are Dror Toren and Igal Kolof, who together acted for Africa Israel Hotels in relation to its NIS950m sale of nine large-scale hotel assets to the Dayan family. Additionally, having assisted Negev Group with numerous widely publicised debt and creditors arrangements, the team advised the company on an agreement with Viola Group, whereby the Israeli private equity investor will acquire Negev Group in exchange for debt relief. Toren and Sagee Feldman have also handled high-value mandates for a prominent international fashion retailer. Eran Shuster is another key contact.

Dispute resolution: local litigation and arbitration Tier 5

The team at Weksler, Bregman & Co., Advocates has particular strengths in tender litigation and banking disputes, and, given the firm's expertise in insolvency matters, also handles a variety of insolvency and bankruptcy-related litigation. Headed by Doron Dan, the team represents AFI Group, its subsidiaries and its controlling shareholder in a wide variety of claims, including land disputes, contractor disputes and various litigation arising out of AFI Industries' insolvency. Dan is also acting for a construction company in relation to multiple administrative claims concerning government tender offers, and Oren Pechthold represented Orpak Systems in a cross-border dispute with a Mexican company regarding a distribution agreement. Additionally, the team provides insolvency and litigation services to HSBC, Israel Trade Bank, U-Bank, Mercantile Discount Bank and Israel Discount Bank, among others.

The firm: Established in 1936, the firm of Weksler, Bregman & Co is one of the most prominent corporate and commercial law firms in Israel. The firm, with over 60 attorneys, has a general, full-service business practice, with specialisation in real estate, securities, banking and commercial transactions. Weksler, Bregman & Co’s clientele encompasses both international and local large-scale corporations and public bodies in these sectors.

Areas of practice: The firm provides services to its corporate clients in a broad and diversified range of legal matters. These include: the establishment and ongoing representation of corporations, partnerships, branches of foreign corporations in Israel and joint venture entities; negotiation, counseling and other services relating to assets/shares purchase transactions, and mergers and acquisitions; the drafting of R&D, technology and licensing agreements, franchise, marketing, agency and distributorship agreements, stock option schemes, and a variety of other types of commercial agreements and documents. The firm has vast experience in representing some of Israel’s top retail fashion corporations. In recent years, the firm also handled the merger of two of the largest accounting firms in Israel.

Weksler, Bregman & Co is consistently ranked as one of the leading firms in Israel in the field of real estate. The firm has vast experience in commercial, residential and industrial real estate development and infrastructure projects, ranging from the construction of commercial centres, large residential areas, shopping malls and hotels and infrastructure projects. The firm represents a leading Israeli investment company, engaged in land development, construction, trade, hotels and tourism, including the regional franchise for a major international hotel chain.

The firm offers broad expertise in the securities field and has extensive experience in public offerings and private placements, representing both issuers and underwriters. It serves as legal counsel to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and has handled the public offerings of leading Israeli banks and investment and holding companies. The firm also provides corporate planning in the selection and design of business structures, and in the financing of corporate reorganisations and other transactions. The firm’s work also includes the preparation of documentation, the conducting of due diligence reviews, and complex negotiations with regulatory and securities and exchange authorities.

The firm provides services for a number of Israeli and international entrepreneurs, companies and venture funds in hi-tech, providing counselling in the areas of corporate structure, funding, securities, intellectual property and employment law.

The firm renders legal services to banking institutions in Israel, including several leading banks. Work performed includes counselling, negotiations, legal opinions, issuance of various types of governmental licenses and other related services.

The firm deals with governmental bodies and agencies and advises its clients on the establishment of incentive-based investments in industry and tourism.

In the field of commercial litigation, arbitration and labour disputes, the firm supervises foreign litigation on behalf of its Israeli clientele and represents foreign clients in Israeli courts.

The firm offers broad expertise in matters relating to liquidation and receivership procedures of corporations, and the firm’s lawyers act as liquidators or receivers of companies, especially on behalf of banks. Uri Bregman, the firm’s senior partner, serves as the special administrator of a bank which is in liquidation.

Department	Name	Email	Telephone
Corporate and commercial	Ofer Yankovich
Corporate and commercial	Dror Toren
Real estate and BOT projects	Avi Ben-Yaacov
Real estate and BOT projects	Taly Salton-Yeshua
Real estate and BOT projects	Yossi Fallach
Banking and finance	Ora Dvir
Banking and finance	Ofer Yankovich
Banking and finance	Eran Shuster
Commercial property	Taly Salton-Yeshua
Commercial property	Avi Ben-Yaacov
Securities and capital markets	Ora Dvir
Securities and capital markets	Ofer Yankovich
Securities and capital markets	Eran Shuster
Planning and zoning	Taly Salton-Yeshua
International transactions	Dror Toren
International transactions	Avi Ben-Yaacov
Mergers and acquisitions	Dror Toren
Mergers and acquisitions	Ofer Yankovich
Litigation and arbitration	Doron Dan
Litigation and arbitration	Yael Moshkovich
Liquidation and receivership	Uri Bregman
Liquidation and receivership	Doron Dan
Liquidation and receivership	Yael Moshkovich
Employment and labour	Doron Dan
Employment and labour	Yael Moshkovich
Hi-tech investments	Dror Toren
Antitrust; tender law	Ofer Yankovich
Antitrust; tender law	Eran Shuster

Photo	Name	Position	Profile
	Adv Uri Bregman		View Profile
	Adv Sharon Drori Wichelevski		View Profile
	Adv Ora Dvir		View Profile
	Adv Ronit Eshed Levy		View Profile
	Adv Yossi Fallach		View Profile
	Adv Sagee Feldman		View Profile
	Adv David Martin		View Profile
	Adv Oren Pechthold		View Profile
	Adv Amit Pines		View Profile
	Adv Taly Salton-Yeshua		View Profile
	Adv Eran Shuster		View Profile
	Adv Dana Shwartz-Ashtar		View Profile
	Adv Tomer Tzadok		View Profile
	Adv Ofer Yankovich		View Profile