Dispute resolution
‘Supportive, knowledgeable and responsive’, Goldfarb Gross Seligman & Co. possesses a large dispute resolution practice that demonstrates significant experience in commercial litigation, administrative proceedings, tax disputes, class actions and arbitration cases, among other matters. Firm chairman Zvi Bar-Nathan fronts the commercial and international litigation department and is ’the best litigator in Israel’, according to some. Other key contacts include Hagit Blaiberg, who leads the corporate, administrative and class action area; Aaron Michaeli, who heads the commercial and class action litigation team; Yehuda Rosenthal, who has a focus on derivative actions and class actions; ‘strategic thinker’ Jeremy Benjamin; and commercial litigators Michael Ginsburg and Yori Nehushtan.
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Chairman, Head of the Commercial and International Litigation Department
Position
Adv. Zvi Bar-Nathan is a renowned expert in the various fields of commercial litigation and handles litigation in the civil-commercial field, including in the fields of corporate law, contract law, tax, banking law, communications, libel, tender law, and more.
Zvi is involved in a prominent share of the complex commercial disputes held in Israel, and possesses extensive experience in the representation of clients in international disputes. in this capacity, he represents foreign plaintiffs and respondents in legal proceedings in Israel, represents clients in enforcement proceedings of foreign verdicts and of international arbitration, assists foreign entities to receive temporary and permanent verdicts against Israeli entities, and represents Israeli plaintiffs and respondents in legal proceedings held abroad.
Zvi possesses unique expertise relating to alternative dispute resolution, including complex arbitration and mediation, with an emphasis on international commercial-business arbitration involving public figures and prominent businesspeople.
In 2012, Zvi was appointed as a member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris (ICC) and as the Head of the International Arbitration Committee of ICC Israel, positions he held until 2018. In July 2016, he was admitted as a member of the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) arbitration panel. Zvi serves as an arbitrator in numerous complex local and international arbitrations.
In addition, Zvi possesses significant reputation relating to sensitive proprietary disputes in the family law field which involve capital and assets. In this capacity, he represents high net worth individuals in complex personal status and inheritance disputes.
Zvi’s extensive experience and significant expertise in the international arbitration field is consistently recognized by international guides, including The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, which rank him as one of the leading attorneys in the field.
As part of his public activities, Zvi served as the Head of the Legislative Committee on Contract Law in the Israel Bar Association, as a judge at the Israel Bar Association’s Disciplinary Regional Tribunal and National Tribunal, and as the Chairman of the New Codification Committee of the Israel Bar Association, as well as a member of the International Court of Arbitration of the ICC in Paris (as stated above) and Head of the Arbitration Committee of the Israel Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he lectures at various academic institutions.
Zvi is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.
Languages
English and Hebrew.
Memberships
Israel Bar Association, 1990.
Education
LL.M. (cum laude), Cambridge University, England, 1990
LL.B. (cum laude), Tel Aviv University, 1988
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘A high-quality team that is very supportive, knowledgeable and responsive. It provides great guidance, both locally and globally as needed. It is also results oriented.’
‘Zvi Bar-Nathan is everything you want an arbitrator to be. He is fair, efficient, and practical. He has a great business mind and amazing knowledge of Israeli arbitration law and practice.’
‘Aaron Michaeli has remarkable case management skills, His sharp intellect combined with his in-depth understanding of the legal arena lead to innovative case strategies and legal arguments.’
‘Zvi Bar-Nathan is the best litigator in Israel, period. He is a true professional with a clear view of how to win any case, and he delivers the wins in the most elegant way. Having his name even brought up as a potential supreme judge, you feel that even the courts treat him in the most respectful way.’
‘The team undertakes high-quality work, both domestically and internationally, and it caters to a range of sectors, I have typically worked with it in tech disputes. The people in the disputes team are engaging, thoughtful and strategic.’
‘Jeremy Benjamin is a strategic thinker and creative with his arguments. He will go that extra mile for his clients. He is an extremely hard worker and very responsive. A pleasure to work with. ’
‘What makes the firm unique is its ability to identify with the client and pay attention to the little details. The team, and the partner that is in charge of our matter, are personally involved in the case and know all the small details.’
‘Lawyers are courteous, very accessible, and service-oriented. On a professional level, you feel that you are in good hands.’
Key clients
- Google, including YouTube.
- Various Credit Suisse companies: Credit Suisse(UK) Limited, Credit Suisse Fund Administration Limited, Credit Suisse Investment Services (Cayman Limited and Credit Suisse US Securities LLC
- Coca Cola Israel (The Central Bottling Company)
- Israel Railways
- Murchinson
- Fahn Kanne & Co Grant Thornton Israel
- Nestlé
- Stakehound
- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
- Goldman Sachs & Co
- Ziv Haft Trusts and Holdings 2003
- PJSC Aeroflot - Russian Airlines ("Aeroflot")
- Shufersal
- The Phoenix Group
- MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company
- Applied Materials
- AIG
- Netivei Ayalon Co (Ayalon Highways)
- Shapir Civil and Marine Engineering
- The El Al Company
- Alonyal, McDonald's Israel.
- Hamashbir 365 Holdings
- Keshet Broadcasting ("Keshet 12")
- Canada Israel Group
- Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company (EAPC)
- The Central Distribution Company
- VTB Bank / BM – Bank (Bank of Moscow)
- Fortissimo Capital
- Sint Maarten Telephone Company
- Tidhar Development and Investment
- Jafora Tabori
- Tempo Marketing (1981)
- Mey Eden Production (2007)
- IMI Systems
- Platinum A.A. Financial
- Tel Aviv - Yafo Municipality
- Rosario Capital
- U. Dori Group, and its senior executives
- Dorad Energy
- Dalia Power Energies
- NMC/ Hed Arzi Music
- Alon Israel Oil Company
- Tadiran Consumer and Technology Products
- Newpan
- Orbs
- IBBL Spirit
- Rotshtein Real Estate
- Alrov Real Estate and Hotels
- Mr. Ilan Katzens, CEO of Golden Arm Manpower
- Nassar Stone and General Contracting
- ELA Recycling Corporation
- Gutgold Gideon
- Eko Alfa
- Hallo 015
- W&S Technology Partners LLC / Exigent Total Return Master Fund / Executive Holdings LP
- Mr Ran Shtarkmanm, former CEO of Plaza Centers
- Forex Capital Markets
- ACUM
- Orasis Pharmaceuticals
- Exalink
- G-ILS Transportation
- Senso Optics
- Syneron candela
- Scisparc
- Horizon Gold Investments
- Shookit
- Olam International
- Mashcal
- Various Municipal Authorities in Israel
- Gree Electric Appliances Inc of Zhuhai
- Mr. Maor Lahav, Co-Founder & COO at Panda Trading Applications
Work highlights
Represented crypto company Stakehound in filing a $750m lawsuit against Fireblocks.
Represented Dalia Power Energies in a contentious legal process, following its win of a tender for the privatisation of Israel Electric Corporation’s Eshkol power station.
Successfully represented IDI Insurance Company (Direct Insurance) in a petition to the High Court of Justice filed by the Israel Garages Association regarding car insurance policies.