Goldfarb Gross Seligman & Co. has longstanding experience in the structuring, formation, operation, and management of venture capital, private equity, real estate, hedge, and debt funds. The practice also regularly handles public and listed funds. Firm chair Ayal Shenhav acts for several major venture capital and private equity funds; Oren Wolpin ‘stands out as a true market leader in Israel’s alternative investment funds sector’; and Layla Chertow advises private equity and venture capital funds on transactions. The practice also includes Eli (Robert) Barasch, Ido Gonen, Aviad Feldman, and Eylon Szatmary.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
International and Hi-Tech Department
Position
Chairman, Head of the International and Hi-Tech Department
Career
Dr. Ayal Shenhav is one of Israel’s leading attorneys with over 30 years of experience. Dr. Shenhav’s practice includes representation of investment funds and investors, start-ups, multinational corporations and high net worth individuals. Dr. Shenhav is consistently ranked as a leading (Tier 1) practitioner by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and other legal directories.
Dr. Shenhav represents many of Israel’s leading venture capital and private equity funds, advising them on their formation, tax efficient structuring, investments and operations.
Dr. Shenhav has been involved in dozens of complex financing transactions, representing the investors, companies and founders. He has also been involved in numerous M&A transactions, representing target companies, acquiring companies, investors and more.
Dr. Shenhav advises high net worth individuals on tax matters, asset protection and transfer of assets to next generation.
Dr. Shenhav is a well-known international tax expert with significant expertise in the interaction of the Israeli and US tax systems.
Dr. Shenhav practiced law for several years at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York, and has served as Vice Dean of the Radzyner School of Law at the Reichman University. Dr. Shenhav founded Shenhav & Co. Law Offices, a leading Israeli law firm which merged with Gross & Co, in 2018. He was Managing Partner of Gross & Co. prior to the formation of Goldfarb Gross Seligman.
Dr. Shenhav is an Adjunct Professor at the Tel Aviv University and the Reichman University (teaching the course Start Up Law). Dr. Shenhav was the head of the Law Firm and Accounting Firm Committee of IATI (Israel’s leading Hi-Tech Organization). He is also a frequent lecturer at seminars and conferences relating to innovation, venture capital and tax in Israel and abroad. Dr. Shenhav was a board member of the Alliance High School in Tel Aviv.
Languages
English and Hebrew.
Memberships
New York State Bar Association, 1992
Israel Bar Association, 1991
Education
J.S.D, New York University School of Law, 1995
LL.M., New York University School of Law, 1992
LL.B. (Magna Cum Laude), Tel Aviv University, 1990
Content supplied by Goldfarb Gross Seligman & Co.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘The alternative investment and venture capital funds practice stands out through its exceptional combination of profound legal expertise and genuine partnership approach.’ ‘Distinguishes itself through a rare combination of sharp legal expertise and strong business acumen, particularly in the venture capital space. They excel at translating complex legal matters into clear, actionable guidance, which makes decision-making far more efficient.’ ‘Clients benefit from their responsiveness, practical mindset, and ability to balance legal standards with commercial realities.’ ‘Compared to other firms, their approach is notably pragmatic and solution oriented. The team also embraces collaboration and innovation, ensuring that advice is not only technically sound but also strategically aligned with clients’ goals.’ ‘Ayal Shenhav, as a lawyer and a firm leader, exemplifies sophistication and practicality in his counsel. He brings extensive experience and insight, especially when it comes to deal structuring. ‘Oren Wolpin stands out as a true market leader in Israel's alternative investment funds sector. His exceptional professionalism is matched by his ability to make complex matters feel manageable through his reassuring presence and genuine partnership approach.’ ‘Oren Wolpin’s reputation speaks for itself - he's not just legally brilliant and remarkably skilled, but possesses the rare quality of making clients feel they have someone truly reliable in their corner.’ ‘Aviad Feldman really stands out. He’s smart, creative and strategic, and with a great ability to look at both the big picture and the small details that matter. He’s always available, very practical, and quick to spot both risks and opportunities.’
Key clients
- 83 North 91 Ventures Abu Family REIT Accelmed Partners II Almeda Ventures Alternative-Delta Fund Alternative Investment House Alto Real Estate Funds Altshuler Shaham Properties Aluma Infrastructure Fund (2020) Amiti Amitim AMoon Arava Power Arbor Ventures Aristagora Ventures Aviv Venture Capital Balderton Capital (UK) Battery Ventures BayernLB Capital Partner Bessemer Venture Partners BIT Enterprises Blumberg Capital Bullet Ventures Canaan Partners Cardumen Capital SGEIC Catalyst-CEL China-Israel Fund Cedar Ventures Clear Future Compit Now Copia Global Markets Fund Cyberstarts Delta Capital Deutsche Telekom Dynamics Ventures E44 Earlyview Access eHealth Ventures Electra Real Estate Elements LP Emerge Employee Liquidity Fund (Cyberstarts) Exigent HP Fund F2 Finance Differently Long 1 Finance Differently Long 2 Finance Differently Long Creative (Debt) Finance Differently Hedging Finance Differently Tech (VC investments) Finance Differently Cayman (Evergreen) FinTLV Fortissimo FXP Gsharim Fund Giza Glilot Capital Partners Glilot Growth Fund Goldman Investments Hanaco Venture Capital Hasso Plattner Ventures I Squared Capital iArgento IBI Investment House Ltd. IBI Investment House Ltd. – Atlantis IBI Investment House Ltd. – COMRIT IBI Investment House Ltd. – CCF IBI Investment House Ltd. – CCF2 IBI Investment House Ltd. – CLO Strategies Fund IBI Investment House Ltd. – Datacom IBI Investment House Ltd. – DataCom 2 LP IBI Investment House Ltd. – Falcon IBI Investment House Ltd. – Lex Credit IBI Investment House Ltd. – Quality (QCF) IBI Investment House Ltd. – Quality Long IBI Investment House Ltd. – Quality Long 2 IBI Investment House Ltd. – Re’em Equity IBI Investment House Ltd. – Re’em Opportunities IBI Investment House Ltd. – Re’em Global IBI Investment House Ltd. – SBL IBI Investment House Ltd. – Tevel IBI Investment House Ltd. – Total Return IBI Investment House Ltd. – Volcano IBI PILLAR (International Real Estate) Insight Partners Israel Secondary Fund Israeli SFR Opportunity Fund IWI K Fund K1 Fund Kedem Ventures Khosla Ventures Koch Disruptive Technologies Lenovo Capital Lightspeed Ma’ayan Fund Magenta Magma Makers Fund Manor Evergreen Investments Fund Medica Venture Partners Mehadrin Meitav Investments House Menivim the New REIT Fund Menora Mivtachim Holdings Munich Venture Partners Next Gear Nili Capital Partners North Sky Capital Norwest Venture Partners Oleh Ogen Financial Solutions Oryzn Pagaya Technologies Poalim Capital Markets Prizma Investments Profits for Growth Protego Ventures Partners Limited Partnership Psagot Value Properties Rainbow Debt Capital RentIt Resilience Fund REV (Reed Elsevier Ventures) Rimonin Real Estate Fund Rio Ventures RUNI Ventures Ruby Capital Rysy Properties Saban Ventures Savyon Ventures Scale Venture Partners S-Capital Selah Ventures Sequoia Capital Israel Shaked Partners Shamrock Shasta Ventures Shemaria Family Real Estate Investment Activity Sheva Ventures Fund Silver Lake Sorenson Ventures Stage One Starfund Ventures State of Mind I State of Mind II State of Mind III State of Mind Momentum Storm Ventures Strips Swish Ventures Symbol Fund Tadiran Technology Crossover Ventures Temasek Holdings Private Tenaya The Crossroads FCP-FIS Fund The Phoenix Insurance Company Phoenix Anchor Fund Phoenix Leap NAIF SICAV Phoenix Real Estate Debt Fund TEClub VC Thoma Bravo Titan Capital Partners TLV Partners TPG Growth TPY Capital Triventures Series SPV Tulip Fund Unorthodox Ventures UP West Ventures Value Fund for Non-Bank Financing Limited Partnership Verizon Vertex Vintage Walden International Weizmann Institute WRVI Global Capital Managers WTI YL Ventures York Capital
Work highlights
Advising Cyberstarts on the formation of an innovative $300m employee liquidity fund.