Insights & News / Zvi Gabbay

Our firm hosted a webinar in collaboration with the GCS organization for legal advisors, focusing on the Payment Services Law. The webinar was designed for legal advisors in companies within the financial and service sectors. Presenting at the event were our lawyers, Zvi Gabbay and Anat Even-Chen, along with CPA Julie Raboy, who delivered a lecture on the technological adjustments required in light of the law.

Dr. Zvi Gabay, the head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, delivered an introductory lecture to a corporate secretariat course at BDO Academy. The lecture focused on topics such as defining the role of the corporate secretariat, its importance to the organization, getting to know board directors, case law analysis, and corporate governance.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Zvi Rabin led the workshop "Prohibition on Using Inside Information – Do's and Don'ts" for a group of El Al managers. The workshop was held as part of a compliance, enforcement, and cyber week for senior management at El Al.

Anat Even-Chen introduced the environmental law hackathon and assisted Bar-Ilan University students in formulating their project proposals, which were presented for judging today before Dr. Zvi Gabbay.

Our firm hosted a webinar on the new payment services law. The webinar was held as part of a forum for financial service providers that we launched together with Adv. Orit Yosef. During the webinar, Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Anat Even-Chen discussed the conditions for obtaining a license, the relationship between payment services and open banking services, and more.

We were pleased to host the Israel Investor Relations Forum’s conference on the future of stock market trading. A one-on-one conversation was held between Micah Stocks, a financial YouTuber who presents stock market news, and Rami Rozen, Director of Investor Relations at AppsFlyer and a member of the IIRF’s regulatory committee. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, also spoke.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, lectured at Reichman University. In this lecture, he offered insights into the convergence of regulatory frameworks and fintech verticals, shedding light on how to navigate and comply with evolving regulatory conditions.

Our firm was hosted on a webinar of the Hedge Funds Association in which Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured the Association members on the important points that should be included in agreements with brokers.

As an expert in regulatory affairs, Finance Magnates conducted a two-part interview with Dr. Zvi Gabbay. In the interview, Zvi expressed strong criticism of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's current strategy regarding the cryptocurrency market. This comes in the wake of the SEC's aggressive legal actions against major players such as Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance.

Zvi is among an exclusive list of lawyers nominated for the Lexology 2024 Client Choice Awards. Zvi is the only Israeli lawyer recognized in the Blockchain field.

Mako interviewed Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, after a US study revealed an unusual volume of transactions on the New York and Tel Aviv stock exchanges gambling on the collapse of the Israeli stock market a week before Hamas’s October 7th attack.

Our firm hosted a webinar in collaboration with the Association of Corporate Counsel in Israel on the issue of compliance during wartime. As part of the webinar, Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, emphasized the compliance actions required during wartime by offering comparisons to other recent global war zones.

We held, together with the Israeli Association of Corporate Counsel, a webinar focused on compliance. Dr. Zvi Gabbay gave a lecture entitled, “What Do Regulators Want to See? Training and Implementation of Compliance Procedures.” Anat Shubat from our firm, along with Ella Chertok from ICL Group, explained how to combine creative thinking with best practices in compliance trainings.

As an expert in the field, Globes interviewed Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, on PayPal’s decision to launch a stablecoin backed by the US dollar.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of the firm’s Capital Markets Department, was a guest speaker at the Association of Publicly Traded Companies’ annual economic conference. During his lecture, Zvi referred to the ruling in Inbar v. Ofir Naor (the liquidator of IDB Development Corp.) and to the lessons corporate counsel should take from the ruling with regard to providing legal representation to directors, especially those of a public company.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, was interviewed by TheMarker about how the regulation of crowdfunding can help investors.

Our firm hosted a morning workshop of experts from the ESG and sustainability field. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on the legal angle of ESG. Michal Weiss, the ESG manager at Doral, discussed how to undertake ESG activities within an organization. Hagit Genish Gil lectured on how to make ESG activity suitable for a large organization. Michal Gat, the CEO of Titan, closed the event with a lecture on how to build a branding story that is right for a company’s activities.

BlackRock, the world's biggest asset management company, has announced the launch of a bitcoin exchange-traded fund. This has led to Bitcoin hitting a more than one-year high. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of the firm’s Capital Markets Department, explains the rationale behind BlackRock's move in an interview with Globes.

The Arrangements Law for 2023-2024 makes extensive reference to expanding and creating a regulatory infrastructure in the digital assets field. Specifically, the Israeli government refers to regulation in a number of different areas, including the cryptocurrencies market. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, elaborates on the subject in an article for Calcalist.

Our firm held a webinar for members of the In-House Counsels for In-House Counsels Organization, in which Dr. Zvi Gabbay presented existing regulation in Israel in the field of ESG and the trends in the US and Europe. He also discussed ESG risk management in an environmental context.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Roy Engel, and Yana Zilbershtein lectured at a conference our firm hosted on the early years of hedge funds. The conference was held in collaboration with the Israel Hedge Funds Association. PWC and APEX Israel also took part.

We are honored to have guided Djed in its successful launch. Djed is a new stablecoin designed to maintain a stable value pegged to the US dollar. It provides its users with a decentralized and secure store of value and facilitates seamless transactions on the Cardano blockchain.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, participated in the Israeli compliance community’s annual conference for 2023. He spoke in a panel discussion with Hani Amar, a partner at BDO in the corporate governance and regulation division, and Adv. Ariel Sagi, a compliance officer and board member at Rafael.

Dr Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, guest starred on an episode of the podcast hosted by the Association of Corporate Counsels in Israel. The episode focused on tools for dealing with administrative enforcement.

Following the collapse of FTX, several lawsuits were filed against the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, which had entered into cooperation agreements with the now-defunct crypto company. According to Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the plaintiffs must provide at least preliminary indications that the basketball team was aware of or should have been aware of FTX’s wrongdoing. According to Zvi, he saw no hint of any such indications.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, was a guest on the accompanying forum webinar and lectured on the do's and don'ts of administrative enforcement procedures.

Zvi, an expert in the white-collar and criminal law field, was asked to participate in the Dun’s 100 forum for senior officials. He presented his thoughts on the legal system’s race to catch up to technology, crimes in the metaverse, and more. Additional information can be found in the Globes write-up.

We represented the Israeli crypto and NFT startup GameChain (UnCaged Studio) in raising USD 24 million as part of a series A round.

The round was led by Griffin Gaming Partners and was joined by Vgames, Maverick Ventures Israel, MaxStealth, Drive by DraftKings, and 6th Man Ventures.

Zvi Gabbay, Ariella Dreyfuss, Andrey Yanai and Tal Freilich provided representation in the transaction.

Yesterday, Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Market Department, lectured for compliance officers at BDO’s financial academy. Zvi’s lecture focused on internal enforcement, which can significantly mitigate corporations’ exposure to enforcement proceedings being instituted by regulatory authorities, significantly reduce the pecuniary sanctions that might be imposed in respect of violations, and contribute to a corporation’s good reputation for maintaining a culture of compliance and integrity.

USD 1.5 million fines, preliminary administrative proceedings, dramatic resignations—growing enforcement on ESG issues is becoming a bigger trend. Who should be preparing for this change and how will it affect Israeli companies?

An article co-written by Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, will be featured in the next volume of Reichman University's "Law and Business" journal. The article deals with requests for early disclosure of documents under the Companies Law and how Israeli courts examine such requests, in a way that often misses the purposes of the request and sterilizes it from its content

Our firm hosted Zvi Rabin and members of the Investor Relations Forum to discuss insider trading. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on the characteristics of the crime, how the Israel Securities Authority handles such offenses, and the importance of obtaining professional legal assistance.

As part of the compliance forum our office leads, in collaboration with the ACC and with Tali Guy, Teva's VP of Compliance, we hosted a meeting of legal counsels. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on ESG’s implications for the compliance field and how companies should prepare for future regulations.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay participated in a "Zichlinskey Hosts" meeting held by SRI Global Group together with the Israel Directors Union.

Globes has published an op-ed by Dr. Zvi Gabbay commenting on a statement made by a senior official at the Israel Securities Authority regarding the applicability of securities regulation on various types of alternative investments.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay writes in a Globes op-ed about rising up to the blockchain challenge and who needs to make the next move.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay will lecture today to members of the "Law and Environment" student club at Bar-Ilan University. The lecture will cover the practice of environmental law and include an analysis of precedent-setting judgments on the subject of the environment.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak and the exacerbation of the climate crisis, ESG factors have increasingly influenced the profit line of businesses. The ESG Management Program at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, which will open in March 2022, will bring the most important aspects of ESG to those whose activities have an impact on the investment chain: executives, directors, investors, analysts, and public sector personnel.

As part of the program, Dr. Zvi Gabbay will give a lecture entitled: "Risks and Legal Responsibility - How ESG Becomes a Significant Part of the Duties of an Organization's Officers and What Happens When Neglected."

Our firm, in collaboration with the Public Companies Forum of the Association of Corporate Counsel in Israel, has launched a series of webinars on internal enforcement. Among the lectures in the series, to be delivered by Dr. Zvi Gabbay, is "Prohibition on the Use of Insider Information, What an Internal Enforcement Plan Is, and How It Is Implemented in Organizations."

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our Capital Market and Financial Regulation Department, has an op-ed in Globes on the current Knesset debate over the establishment of a new regulatory authority.

Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, was interviewed by Calcalist along with several other of Israel's leading lawyers in the field of white-collar crime and criminal law.

Zvi addressed the core issues of the field and the impact of COVID-19, and provided his forecast for several ongoing major cases.

The volume of real estate transactions incorporating digital currencies is expected to grow in the coming years, especially among young, wealthy, tech-savvy professionals. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm's Capital Markets Department and a former head of enforcement at the Israel Securities Authority, was interviewed by Globes on the trend. Zvi noted the regulatory challenges that exist in these types of transactions.

The Compliance Forum of the Association of Corporate Counsel in Israel hosted a webinar this morning on the responsibilities of compliance officers in organizations.

As part of the webinar, Dr. Zvi Gabbay discussed new trends and developments, as well as the normative basis for imposing personal responsibility on compliance officers in organizations.

The Israel Hedge Funds Association (IHFA) is hosting the webinar "Contacting Investors – Do's and Don'ts." As part of the webinar, Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our firm’s Capital Markets Department, will discuss the legal infrastructure required for reaching out to investors.

Our firm is proud to serve as the legal partner of the Environmental Law Club of Bar-Ilan University. As part of the launch event taking place on June 15, 2021, Dr. Zvi Gabbay will present our firm.

The growing wave of IPOs on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange is pushing an overwhelming number of private companies to consider going public. 

Zvi Gabbay, head of the firm's Capital Markets Department and a former head of enforcement at the Israel Securities Authorities, was interviewed by the TheMarker for an article on the trend. Zvi explained how companies considering an IPO must behave vis-a-vis the public and the regulatory authorities in order to succeed.

As part of the ACC Compliance Forum we lead, we will host a webinar tomorrow on the supervision and control procedures within organizations. Dr. Zvi Gabbay will discuss the theoretical aspects and challenges in the field, followed by an expert panel.

The Rina and Meir Heth Center for the Study of Competition and Regulation at the College of Management is holding a webinar with former judges and legal experts entitled “10 Years of Administrative Enforcement in Israel.” Dr. Zvi Gabbay was invited to participate in the lawyers’ panel of experts, which will examine the impact of administrative enforcement tools on violations of the law in Israel. 

Our firm organized a webinar for legal advisers and compliance officers, in partnership with ACC. As part of the webinar, firm partner Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on the connection between ethics and obedience. Are they in competition or do they complement one another? 

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today on the distribution and marketing of hedge funds as part of a virtual conference held in collaboration with the Israel Hedge Funds Association and the international law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman.

A number of US pharma companies have issued a joint statement promising not to shorten the process for developing a coronavirus vaccine or to prioritize narrow economic considerations over public health.

This cooperation between competing companies challenges existing perceptions about the business sector and shows that sometimes public health is no less an important consideration.

Is now the time for companies to value the public good and other relevant stakeholders over company shareholders? Dr. Zvi Gabbay's op-ed on the subject was published in Globes.

In mid-September 2020, a series of articles were published by a group of foreign journalists, based on the collection and analysis of over 2,500 leaked documents from FinCEN, the US equivalent of the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority.

The leak of such sensitive information may cause banks and financial institutions to think twice before reporting suspicious financial activity, which would be a mistake. Check out Dr. Zvi Gabbay's op-ed in Calcalist on the subject.

The Israel Investor Relations Forum of the Israeli Association of Publicly Traded Companies, in collaboration with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, has launched an investor relations course for executives from leading companies. Yesterday’s session focused on regulation, including the rules of the game and how to publicize announcements to international investors.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay’s lecture, entitled “Duty to Report – Practical Implications,” covered how regulation in both Israel and the US can affect a company.

As part of our legal counsel to the Israel Hedge Funds Association, we are proud to be involved in the IHFA's 8th Annual Conference. The theme of the conference is “It's A New World Out There – Hedge Funds Navigating COVID.”

As an expert in the compliance field, Zvi Gabbay was invited for the fourth straight year to lecture a compliance officer training course organized by the BDO Academy of Finance and MITIGATE. This unique practical course is geared to compliance officers in international financial organizations. During the lecture, Zvi discussed administrative enforcement and enforcement plans.

On June 2, we will host a webinar together with the ACC. Dr. Zvi Gabbay will discuss the opportunity to upgrade the role of compliance officer in light of the coronavirus crisis. The webinar is geared for compliance officers and legal counsels.

The Israel Securities Authority's current enforcement policy forces officers and companies that have acted in good faith to prove as much in an administrative enforcement proceeding. Check out an opinion article by Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Shir Rozenzweig published in TheMarker about how regulators can adjust this policy.

This year, we were once again responsible for preparing the QA guide on doing business in Israel for the Practical Law website. The guide provides an overview of recent key developments that have affected doing business in Israel, including the legal system, foreign investment, employment, tax, competition, privacy, IP, etc.

On April 17, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission dropped its case against our client Amir Waldman.

Waldman, the former vice president of Israel-based medical device company Syneron Medical Ltd., was alleged to have made $4.3 million via insider trading on an autonomous driving system technology developer. He will pay the SEC nearly $2.2 million to end a civil enforcement lawsuit, a New York federal district judge announced Friday.

Zvi Gabbay commented on the decision as follows: "As in many cases, here too, a negotiation was being conducted at the same as we were preparing for trial, and it ultimately ended with an excellent result. This is a civil not a criminal case, and the arrangement, under which Amir does not admit or deny the facts, allows Amir to move on."

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, together with Lior Segev, the co-founder and CEO of Liquant Asset Management, hosted today an online seminar for members of the Israel Hedge Funds Association on business continuity planning during the coronavirus.

Simon Jaffa and Dr. Zvi Gabbay take a look at the challenges and opportunities in the Israeli fintech sector in this short article.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay served as a panelist for the annual FOW event. The panel discussed the essentials for entrepreneurs entering the fintech market.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay participated today in a panel entitled "Regulations and Securities, Where Are We?" The panel was part of an event focused on 2020 predictions for the blockchain industry in Israel. Dozens of entrepreneurs and leading players from the local blockchain community attended.

Join us for a seminar on the new international standards for internal alert mechanisms. The EU whistleblower protection directive that came into force in December 2019 and trends in the US signal a new duty—the obligation to formulate an in-house mechanism that allows employees to report improper or unethical conduct. To date, such mechanisms have largely been the responsibility of large companies subject to heavy regulation, but this reality is about to change. To what extent is your organization ready for such a mechanism? Are there any accepted standards for such mechanisms?

Dr. Zvi Gabbay published an op-ed in TheMarker, discussing how the Israel State Attorney's guideline on indicting and sanctioning corporations will guide the decision on the prosecution of Bezeq, Walla, and Yedioth Ahronoth.

The entry into force of the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive in December 2019 and recent US legislative trends require local companies operating in the international arena to begin preparing accordingly. During the seminar, we will discuss the need to protect whistleblowers, existing regulation, and what the next steps should be.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay was invited to lecture at a directors' seminar hosted by Analyst Investment House. He addressed administrative enforcement, the Israel Securities Authority's structure, and its enforcement system.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay was invited to lecture today at a compliance conference organized by Discount Bank for all its compliance officers, trustees, board members, and management.

Our firm hosted today the Israeli Directors' Union for a seminar on multi-jurisdictional litigation. The seminar examined the considerations when a corporate crisis breaks out and a company's board of directors and management are required to build a multi-jurisdictional litigation package. The seminar was held in collaboration with Dechert LLP. Adv. Hadar Israeli lectured on managing a legal crisis when a conflict of interest exists between management and the board.

Our firm hosted today the third meeting of the ACC Compliance Forum, which focuses on compliance during enforcement procedures. At the meeting, Dr. Zvi Gabbay welcomed Yehuda Shaffer, Deputy State Attorney (Financial Crimes).

Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Andrey Yanai from our Capital Markets Department published an opinion piece in Globes on the regulatory barriers Israel is imposing on the blockchain and digital assets revolution.

Our firm served along with US attorneys as representation for Lee Elbaz, the CEO of Yukom Communications, in her criminal trial in the United States. Lee was convicted of binary options fraud in August and sentenced last week. Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Adv. Hadar Israeli, who represented Elbaz from her arrest, were interviewed by the media following the sentencing in a Maryland federal court. According to them, "The degree of harshness in US prosecutorial policies and in sentences for economic offenses is infinitely higher than in Israel. "

Our firm hosted today a meetup for the Israeli fintech community in collaboration with Fintech Fever and the Singapore Fintech Association. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on current regulation, as well as challenges and opportunities in the field.

Our firm hosted today together with the crowdfunding platform Pipelbiz a meetup for real estate entrepreneurs. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on raising capital for real estate projects through crowdfunding platforms. He also discussed real estate financing options, preconditions to raising money through a crowdfunding intermediary, and borrowing and investment disabilities.

Our firm hosted today ACC members for a seminar on money transfers. Dr. Zvi Gabbay reviewed the regulations and guidelines that exist today in Israel and around the world on the handling of money transfers. In addition, we conducted a panel discussion addressing the challenges and opportunities facing businesses who need to know how to solve problems that may arise. Participating in the panel were Anat Even-Chen, our regulation expert; Doron Cohen, CEO of Covercy; Idit Froim, General Counsel of Colu; Yitz Raab, Managing Partner of Tzur Management; Rami Sasson, Chief Compliance Officer of Discount Bank; and Ronen Siman-Tov, CTO of IBM Blockchain World Wire.

Zvi Gabbay lectured today before compliance officers at the BDO Finance Academy. The lecture dealt with the internal enforcement of securities laws, the enforcement revolution by the Israel Securities Authority, and the need to formulate an effective internal enforcement program.

Our firm continues to represent Amir Waldman, who was charged by the US Securities and Exchange Commission for insider trading in connection with Intel's acquisition of Mobileye. The proceedings are pending before a federal court in New York.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today on the risks of financial crime as part of a risk management course at the Israel Financial Institute.

Together with Clifford Chance, we held a workshop for compliance officers and risk management department staff at Discount Bank and Bank Leumi. The workshop included discussions on money laundering enforcement trends, banks' obligations, and how to manage risk and provide service.

Our firm hosted the Israel Hedge Funds Association today for a negotiation workshop. The workshop was held in collaboration with Moti Crystal, a crisis management expert. As part of the workshop, we presented common mistakes and the techniques for overcoming them in M&A transactions and disputes.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay was interviewed by TheMarker on the allegations that SodaStream's chairman, while serving as CEO, provided insider information about a deal with Pepsico to a former employee.

In an article in TheMarker, Dr. Zvi Gabbay discusses the market's need to share in enforcement efforts in order to make internal enforcement one of the cornerstones of ISA policy.

The second meeting of the Compliance Forum, held in collaboration with the ACC, will focus on the basic principles and standards required for formulating an enforcement plan, the challenges of implementing such a plan, and how compliance officers should act.

The Administrative Enforcement Committee of the Israel Securities Authority (ISA) approved an administrative enforcement agreement between the ISA, Kitov Pharma Ltd., and a few of its officers. According to the agreement, which concludes the criminal investigation by the ISA, the company and its officers will pay a monetary sanction. Our firm represented the company and its CEO in the process.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay was interviewed by the radio station Kol Israel Reshet Bet on how to manage investment portfolios for friends and family. According to Zvi, capital market professionals must be careful, since managing an investment portfolio requires a license. Even when advising family and friends, professionals are subject to duties and may be exposed to risks and claims. (Starting at 03:10.)

Zvi Gabbay published an opinion article in Law360. It discusses the SEC's treatment of two recent events—the federal suit against Kik Interactive and Facebook's announcement on the launch of a new digital currency.

Our firm hosted today an event in cooperation with the Israeli Investor Relations Forum on investor relations and corporate responsibility. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on how corporate responsibility is perceived by regulators.

Max, of Leumi Card, and Pipelbiz, the first and largest equity crowdfunding platform in Israel, have launched a new program for entrepreneurs. Program members include both fintech and insuretech startups.

Our firm was chosen to serve as the initiative's legal partner. The startups recently visited our firm, where Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Alon Anava lectured about crowdfunding regulation in Israel and abroad, as well as about challenges and opportunities in this field.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay led a panel on the subject of the legal advisor as a legal crisis facilitator at the annual conference of the Association of Corporate Counsel in Israel. Present at the conference were outgoing Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and other senior legal officials.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay conducted a negotiation workshop today for members of the Modi'in City Council, as part of the Open University's directors' course.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today to Modi'in City Council members on capital markets enforcement and the role of boards of directors in formulating an internal enforcement plan. The lecture was part of the Open University's directors' course.

Our firm hosted today the Israel's Directors Union for a seminar on the prevention of bribery and corruption. Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured on the duties of boards of directors in Israel, and Adv. Hadar Israeli presented the American perspective.

We are holding a seminar on inside information following several recent Israel Securities Authority investigations of senior officials in public companies. The seminar will feature discussions on the use of inside information, how to carry out internal enforcement, and the legal implications of an open investigation of an officer and his company. The event is geared to CEOs, VPs, and CFOs of public companies.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today at the College of Law and Business on exposure to administrative and criminal liability.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today on regulation's impact as part of a new investor relations course. The course was launched by the Israeli Investor Relations Forum of the Association of Publicly Traded Companies in conjunction with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay participated in a panel discussion as part of a new investor relations course. The course was launched by the Israeli Investor Relations Forum of the Association of Publicly Traded Companies in conjunction with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

We hosted today the Israeli Directors' Union for a seminar on corporate finance. Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Hagit Ross from our Capital Markets Department discussed capital raising in the US and Israel.

Together with the Association of Corporate Counsels, we are holding on February 6th a seminar on the legal advisor's role when a company is in crisis. The seminar will feature a simulation of a multi-crisis event, with participants focusing on managing the crisis opposite regulators, media, business partners, and employees.

Join Barnea and Baker Mckenzie for an expert discussion on how best to participate in blockchain/ICO technological innovation in light of the latest global regulatory trends.

Barnea's Q&A guide to doing business in Israel was published on the Practical Law website. The guide provides an overview of recent key developments that have affected doing business in Israel, including the legal system, foreign investment, regulation, employment, taxation, and IP.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay published an op-ed in Globes, suggesting the Singaporean model of a blockchain integrated platform as a solution that does not require legislative changes. He argues this model could replace the stalled initiative of the ISA to establish a secondary stock exchange for small and medium-sized companies.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Adv. Moran Bickel, and Adv. Sapir Malul represented Rafi Bar-Lev in a hearing before the Tel Aviv District Attorney's Office. The DA's Office was considering filing an indictment against Bar-Lev for fraudulent receipt, but instead chose to close the case against him.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Hadar Israeli of the firm's Capital Markets Department contributed to the Chambers and Partners anti-corruption guide, which provides expert legal commentary on key issues for businesses.

Barnea and Friedman Kaplan hosted today a workshop for participants from the Israel Hedge Funds Association. Dr. Zvi Gabbay gave a lecture entitled "International Enforcement: Being in Israel Does Not Keep the SEC Away."

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Market Department, who is representing one of the executives, responded to Calcalist's questions.

Barnea and BCLP hosted a seminar today on cross-border anti-corruption investigations. Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Hadar Israeli, partners from our Capital Markets Department, presented the issue from the Israeli perspective.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay published an article in Globes on the Nochi Dankner and Elon Musk affairs and the differences in enforcement culture between the American and Israeli systems.

Join Barnea and BCLP for a seminar on cross-border anti-corruption investigations.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay has published an article in Globes about the changing financial regulation in the US around crypto coins.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay was interviewed by TheMarker on Bitcoin's energy consumption. Zvi believes this is a meeting point between the real economy and the new economy that Bitcoin represents.

Adv. Zvi Gabbay was interviewed by the newspaper Israel Hayom and the radio station Kol Israel Reshet Bet following the Supreme Court's decision to increase the sentence of Israeli businessman Nochi Dankner. Dankner was previously convicted of securities fraud.

Barnea hosted today, together with the Ministry of Economy, a workshop on the corporate and labor laws relevant to officers of Israeli subsidiaries of multinational companies.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of our Capital Markets Department, lectured today to startups and VC's on the regulatory challenges faced by fintech companies.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today at the Israel Hedge Funds Association's Sixth Annual Tel Aviv Conference. The goal of the event is to connect local industry with overseas peers, bringing together professional experts, manages, and investors. Zvi discussed how fund managers can benefit from their relationship with the exchange.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Adv. David Gilinsky of the firm's Capital Markets Department contributed to the Israel chapter of the 2018 edition of The International Comparative Legal Guide to Anti-Money Laundering. The chapter discusses issues of enforcement and regulation to prevent money laundering in Israel.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay was interviewed by Bloomberg BNA regarding a new bill, according to which anyone who sells his apartment is entitled to open a special investment account that will benefit from deferring payment of tax on capital gains.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay is attending today the iFX Expo International Conference. Zvi will participate in the panel on regulation, discussing MIFID II, ESMA restrictions, and the blockchain and cryptocurrency revolution.

We are hosting today, together with the Association of Corporate Counsel, a seminar on compliance and internal investigations. Dr. Zvi Gabbay will discuss new regulatory challenges, while managing directors from Duff & Phelps will discuss the changing compliance environment.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay lectured today on economic enforcement at the IZUN - Jewish and Arab Influential Directors program, part of the NPO Jasmine. Jasmine promotes businesses owned by Jewish and Arab women.

Barnea represented the US underwriter H.C. Wainwright Co., LLC in the public offering transaction issued by Check-Cap Ltd. via a prospectus on NASDAQ. Check-Cap Ltd. raised $20.2 million in gross proceeds, including in the exercise of an overallotment option, in shares and warrants. Check-Cap Ltd., an Israeli clinical-stage medical diagnostics company, is developing C-Scan®, a capsule-based system for preparation-free colorectal cancer screening.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Market Department, was interviewed by TheMarker following a petition submitted by ADR through our firm to the District Court for Economic Affairs in respect of the Israel Securities Authority's decision requiring the company to publish a prospectus. ADR offers the public a unique investment channel - insurance policies of older American citizens.

Barnea and Nixon Peabody LLP are hosting today a roundtable discussion on the current enforcement environment, future trends, and strategies to succeed in the US while skirting legal and regulatory challenges.

As an expert in the fintech industry, Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of our Capital Markets Department, was interviewed by TheMarker on the various regulatory barriers thwarting fintech's growth in Israel.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of our Capital Markets Department, published an op-ed in Calcalist on the role of the regulator in the virtual currencies market and why 2018 will be a turning point.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department, was interviewed by Ynet News about the recent developments in the investigation against Bezeq.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of our Capital Markets Department, and Adv. Harel Perlmutter, Head of our Tax Department, were interviewed by Bloomberg BNA regarding the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange's intention to reduce red tape and ease regulations in order to further continue the growth in the number of new companies being traded on TASE.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, the head of our Capital Markets Department, was featured in a legal survey conducted by the Israeli Blockchain Association on current trends in blockchain in Israel.

We are hosting today together with the Association of Corporate Counsel a seminar on blockchain and digital currencies. Dr. Zvi Gabbay will discuss new regulatory challenges, while Micky Barnea will address blockchain and smart contracts. Tal Cohen, Compass Blockchain Solutions's CEO, will give a special introductory lecture on bitcoin and digital currencies.

Barnea is hosting an ICOs and digital currencies event today. Dr. Zvi Gabbay will lecture on regulation opportunities and challenges, while Harel Perlmutter will discuss the taxation of cryptographic coins and the Tax Authority's position.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of our Capital Markets Department, has published an article in Financial Magnates. It discusses the Israel Securities Authority's approach to Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) and cryptocurrencies and how this approach compares to other jurisdictions.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, gave several media interviews (in Heb) following the Israel Securities Authority Chairman's remarks that companies whose values are based on bitcoin will not be included in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange's (TASE) indices until a suitable regulatory framework is established. Zvi noted it is important to distinguish between the inclusion of companies engaged in trading and investing in virtual currencies on TASE's indices and the possibility that such companies will actually be traded on TASE.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department, is taking part today in a conference hosted by the Institute of Internal Auditors. He will discuss how internal investigations function as an essential tool in corporate governance.

Barnea is hosting today a seminar with the Israel Hedge Fund Association. Dr. Zvi Gabbay , Head of the Capital Markets Department, will discuss the regulatory challenges when establishing and managing a hedge fund. Also as part of the seminar, a partner from the Harneys law firm, with whom we work on a regular basis, will speak on establishing offshore hedge funds in the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

Barnea is hosting today with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and the Israel Builders Association a seminar for real estate and infrastructure companies exploring a potential IPO. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department, will discuss IPO from the eyes of a regulator.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department, was interviewed on the TV program London et Kirshenbaum about the investigation against Bezeq. He noted that the Israel Securities Authority invested considerable efforts in completing the investigation quickly because of the case's wide public implications. (Starting from min' 05:40)

The Administrative Enforcement Committee rejected an administrative claim filed by the Israel Securities Authority against portfolio manager Ran Amitai for using inside information on a deal with the biotechnology company Compugen. Ran Amitai and Cramim Capital Markets were represented by Dr. Zvi Gabbay and Adv. Sapir Malul.

The Israeli CEO of a binary options company has been arrested by federal investigators in the United States on suspicion of committing electronic fraud. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, partner and head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, is representing the company in this matter. In an interview with TheMarker on the subject, he noted this is a relatively early stage in the legal process and that an indictment has not yet been filed.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of Barnea's Capital Markets Department, will participate today in the EY Anti-Fraud Forum. Zvi will discuss how workers can take an active role in self-regulation and compliance.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department, had an op-ed published in The Marker on the regulation of digital currencies. He asserts there will be no choice but to build a unique regulatory model that matches the characteristics of these new financial instruments.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of the Capital Markets Department at our firm, was interviewed by Walla! about a criminal investigation opened against former Bank Leumi officials in a US tax fraud scandal. Zvi believes American investigators will work closely with Israeli investigators on this case, via the international legal aid apparatus at the Justice Ministry.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently filed a lawsuit in a US court against an Israeli citizen and an American citizen for the use of inside information to acquire shares and options at Mobileye. The lawsuit alleges, among other things, that Mobileye's founders supplied information about the huge deal being forged between it and Intel. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of the Capital Markets Department at our firm was interviewed by TheMarker on the subject. He explained the differences between the enforcement process in Israel and the US and the relationship between civil enforcement by the SEC and criminal enforcement by federal prosecution.

Adv. Zvi Gabbay's article deals with the ruling handed down by the Israeli Supreme Court at the end of December 2016, in the Bezeq case, in which the Supreme Court adopted the protection granted to decisions of the board of directors by applying the business judgment rule. The article seeks to examine whether this ruling achieved one of its main objectives—legal certainty.

Barnea, in cooperation with the Israel Director Union, is hosting a seminar on the challenges and risks in the functions of a Board of Directors. Micky Barnea, our Managing Partner, will discuss the risks in the functions of the board of directors. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets Department, will deal with corporate governance and enforcement programs.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets and Financial Regulation Department at Barnea was interviewed on a financial radio program at the Public Broadcasting Corporation following the investigation of the heads of Bezeq and explained how the Securities Authority is investigating. (starting at min' 12.06)

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, head of the Capital Markets Department, was interviewed today on "Where is the Money" program on 103FM radio station, following the investigation launched by the Israel Securities Authority against Bezeq, the company's controlling shareholder, Shaul Elovitch, and senior officials on suspicion of committing offenses under the Securities Law. Zvi explained in the interview about transactions involving interested parties in a company. From min' 11.38

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department, was interviewed for a daily program dealing with economic and consumer issues on Channel 2 news, following the investigation conducted by the Israel Securities Authority against Bezeq. Zvi explained the ISA's claims and the reason for opening the investigation.

Barnea, together with the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), is hosting today an event on privacy. This is the first event in Israel discussing the implications of privacy on organizations. During the event, we will cover such topics as the new EU regulations on the protection of privacy and information and the right to financial privacy in Israel. In addition, we will discuss the recently published regulation on organizations’ database security.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea, is participating today in a regulatory panel conducted as part of the IFX Expo Cyprus 2017. The panel will discuss the recent decisions taken by key regulators and will consider their implications, as well as try to predict what the future holds for the industry in this regard.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea, in an opinion article following the decision of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to file a civil suit in a federal court against two Israeli residents who traded in Mobileye's stock and options before and after the merger announcement with Intel Corp.  Dr. Gabbay commented that the case which the SEC has formulated against the two Israelis on suspicion of using insider trading information is in the meantime very circumstantial.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea was interviewed by The Marker following the approval of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (‘HKSE’) Israel as an ‘Acceptable Jurisdiction’. Zvi commented that the HKSE’s approval is currently limited to foreign listed Israeli public companies and Israeli private companies seeking a listing on the HKSE and it could also translate into cost savings for such companies.

Barnea represented a group of US underwriters, led by H.C. Wainwright , LLC, in the process of submission of Medigus Ltd. of a prospectus for the Nasdaq listing. Medigus raised USD 7.5 million and will be traded on Nasdaq in parallel with its listing on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Medigus Ltd is an Israel-based company active in the medical sector. It specializes in developing endoscopic procedures and devices.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea, will lecture today on the subject of the Israel Securities Authority in the Bar Association Training Course for Directors.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea, in an opinion article for Finance Magnets following a new proposed bill to prohibit the management and operation of binary options trading platforms out of Israel , even if regulated elsewhere.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea, was interviewed by Globes, following the exposure of cases of bribery by Israeli businessmen. Zvi commented that the Israeli prohibition against bribing a foreign public servant is new. However, the law was enacted in the US in 1977 and the US has caused other countries to align with it.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets at Barnea, participated in a panel discussion on the subject of Administrative Enforcement in Haaret'z "Echad Haa'm", the magazine of the Public Companies Association. The panel discussed the implications of administrative enforcement on the market and on the levels of corporate governance and conduct of companies. (In Hebrew. Pages 16-21)

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of Capital Markets at Barnea was interviewed by Globes following the decision by the FTC to investigate a company related to Teva. 

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets & Securities Department at Barnea took part in the annual Dun's 100-Globes Capital Markets Forum, with the participation of industry executives, banking sector, leading investment houses and insurance groups.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of Capital Markets and Securities Department at Barnea was interviewed by Globes, following law suits filed in the US accusing generic drug companies, including Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, of price fixing. Zvi commented that Teva is exposed to both a criminal indictment and a civil suit, and is liable to have to reach a compromise in both of them. 

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of Capital Markets & Securities Department at Barnea was interviewed by Several Israeli Newspapers, after Nochi Dankner was sentenced today to 2 years in prison following his conviction on charges of stock manipulation. Zvi commented that unlike the verdict, which gave the impression that Dankner would receive a more severe punishment, it can be assumed that the District Court tried to impose a light sentence, but one which would not cause the prosecution to file an appeal.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea, in a comparative review of the regulation of crowdfunding for Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law. The article discusses how three jurisdictions, the UK, US and Israel, have dealt with the regulatory aspects of the equity crowdfunding sector, comparing and contrasting the approaches taken by the regulators.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets and Securities department at Barnea, represented D.G.I Media Ltd. in a precedent administrative enforcement settlement in the field of Forex Trading.

Barnea represents iTrader, an online forex trading company, which is under investigation by the Israeli Securities Authority. Adv. Zohar Lande and Adv. Moran Bickel from the Litigation department were interviewed by The Marker and commented that they hope the investigation by the ISA, which focuses on the company's activities during the period in which it was entitled to act as a trading platform, will end soon.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets & Financial Regulation Department at Barnea was interviewed by the Times of Israel regarding the growing interest of Israeli companies to list on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). Zvi commented that the Australian financial laws have earned a reputation as a creative and advanced regulatory regime that strikes a good balance between investor protection and a pro-business approach that understands the risk of over-regulation.

Corporate Live Wire held a Capital Markets Roundtable featured experts from around the world, including Dr. Zvi Gabbay. The chosen experts discussed the latest regulatory changes, global economic risks, cyber security challenges and capital flow trends.

On 31st July 2016 Cellect Biotechnology announced that it has completed its Nasdaq IPO, raising $8.4 million. Cellect Biotechnology will be traded on Nasdaq in parallel with its listing on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Barnea represented a group of US underwriters, led by H.C. Wainwright , LLC, in the process of submission by Cellect Biotechnology of a prospectus for the Nasdaq listing. Cellect Biotechnology develops innovative technologies in the stem cells sphere.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Adv. Sapir Malul from the Capital Markets & Securities Department at Barnea express their views in an article for The Marker that the damage involved in applying the regulatory regime for hedge funds is immeasurably greater than the benefits, and may even cause a collapse of the entire industry.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Partner and Head of the Capital Markets & Securities Department at Barnea was interviewed by several media, following the conviction of Nochi Dankner for securities fraud. Dankner formerly controlled the IDB group and was one of the most powerful men in the Israel economy. Zvi noted that the verdict and its media coverage greatly contribute to the creation of a deterrent power of the Israeli Securities Authority and the prosecutor's office.

An article by Adv. Zvi Gabbay and Andrey Yanai on the proposal to reconsider the activist regulatory model of the Israel Securities Authority applied to the public companies, allowing them to enjoy wider business and legal maneuvering room.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay, Head of the Capital Markets Department at Barnea - Legal Acrobatics "In Praise of the Probability Test" - Comments and Criticism was mentioned in the recent ruling of the Supreme Court relating to the question of what knowledge is required to establish a Reporting Duty for a Company.

Dr. Zvi Gabbay’s article critically examined the Africa Israel ruling, which was adopted by the Economic Department of the Tel Aviv District Court, stating that the relevant test for deciding whether the information fits into the definition of "inside information" is the "test of expectation".

The Court had to decide whether the information during negotiations for a transaction had matured into "inside information" (which prevents a person having such information from trading securities, for as long as such information has not been reported to the investing public).

The "test of expectation" used by the judges of the Economic Department provides that in order to determine whether a particular event in the life of the corporation is material, the probability of the event should be weighed against its expected impact on the corporation. In other words, the stronger the anticipated event is for the corporation and its business, the more information about it will be material, even if the probability of occurrence of the event is low, and vice versa.

In his article, Dr. Zvi Gabbay highlighted the problem of "excessive regulation" taking place in the market, and the need to equip the capital market with practical tools that will enable the supervised bodies to deal appropriately with the reporting duties imposed on them by the Securities Authority.

The solution to this issue, according to Dr. Zvi Gabbay, lies in the development of the "agreement in principle" test. According to this test, information on a transaction will be material and must be reported only when agreement has been reached between the parties with regard to the main details of the transaction. The "agreement in principle" test will provide the supervised bodies with an easier, simpler, and more convenient tool for assessing the information related to their ongoing activity, while increasing certainty in the market.

Following the suspicions that Likud minister, Haim Katz, used insider information for financial gain, Dr. Zvi Gabbay was interviewed by Reshet B Radio station, at London & Kirshenbaum, a current affairs news show on Israeli Channel 10, and by Globes. 

An article by Adv. Zvi Gabbay that critiques the Israeli SEC's staff position paper it issued and which details actions which may be considered as "Trading Fraud".

A short comparative review which was mentioned in the article indicates that the Israeli SEC’s staff position paper is problematic, hence it does not provide clear guidelines to the players involved in trading.

Similar positions issued in other countries lean towards providing guiding principles, as opposed to a detailed specific list of actions, as indicating fraudulent trading.

An article by Adv. Zvi Gabbay that examines the willingness of the Israeli SEC to sign an enforcement agreement without a confession with regards to the offence by a violator and without such violator taking responsibility for such offence.

Additionally, the article states that comparing the administrative enforcement with the criteria of criminal enforcement would not necessarily be overlapping, and one not should expect a correlation between them.

Moreover, the article compares both the Israeli enforcement agreement policy and the United States enforcement agreement policy. The conclusion is that enforcement agreements without confession are not illegitimate and the intervention in the SEC's judgement will be acceptable only when there is a fundamental flaw in the enforcement agreement. 

An article by Adv. Zvi Gabbay that discusses the need to examine Corporate Governance in terms of its substantiveness and not just through a procedural form. The article reviews the development of Corporate Governance from the time it was adopted in Israel in the mid-2000’s to the present and delineates general principles for further future developments, while highlighting the integration of tests of substantiveness that would allow the implementation of Corporate Governance in an optimal manner.