Insights & News

Our firm represented Azrieli Group, the largest income-producing real estate company in Israel, in the acquisition of Mall Hayam for NIS 1.31 billion.

Firm partners Terry Almozlino Arnon, Ilan Blumenfeld, and Alon Wolner represented Azrieli in the transaction.

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.

Our office has served as legal counsel for Niio, a unique digital art platform, since its establishment. The startup recently completed a USD 15 million fundraising round. Firm partners Simon Jaffa and Ariella Dreyfuss also represented Niio in a strategic partnership and financing agreement with Samsung Display, which will exhibit on hundreds of its frames the digital artwork Niio offers.

Barnea represented RSBG Ventures GmbH in the USD 140 million sale of its shares in the Israeli cybersecurity company Cybellum Technologies Ltd., as part an acquisition of a majority stake (65%) in the company by LG Electronics Inc. Firm partners Simon Jaffa and Ariella Dreyfuss led RSBG’s role in the transaction.

An Israeli district court rejected the Israel Tax Authority’s attempt to force the Azrieli Foundation to pay taxes in the amount of tens of millions of shekels for dividends it received and continues to receive due to its holding in Azrieli Group's shares. The court accepted the tax appeal, which was filed by Barnea Jaffa Lande, and ruled that the Azrieli Foundation,  a non-profit organization that works for the public good in Israel, is not the controlling owner of Azrieli Group and is therefore entitled to a tax exemption. The court ruled, among other things, that the ITA’s position could have a chilling effect in relation to business entities’ support of philanthropic associations. Our firm's  Zohar Lande, Eyal Nachshon, Harel Perlmutter, Nir Ziman, and Omer Keydar represented the Azrieli Foundation throughout the proceedings, which lasted about five years.

In recent days, the guardianship struggle over Eitan Biran, the young boy whose parents and little brother were killed in a cable railway disaster in Italy, has made headlines again. This sensitive event has aroused interest around the question of writing a will at a young age. Adv. Liat Keisary addresses this issue of concern for many parents in an interview with Israel Hayom.

Adv. Dror Arad-Ayalon has joined our firm as a special advisor in the fields of white collar, ethics, and defamation. Dror has earned a reputation for his extensive experience in representing defendants in criminal cases that have received widespread media coverage.

In the attempt to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak, many questions have arisen with regard to proper workplace conduct.

Can an employer require an employee to get vaccinated? Can it force an employee to take a COVID test? Who bears the cost of the test? How should the quarantine period be calculated?

Netta Bromberg, the head of our Employment Department, addresses all these questions in an interview with Maariv.

Barnea is hosting today in collaboration with IBM a webinar on the technological and business challenges that startups in their infancy stages should pay attention to.

As part of the webinar, firm partner Yuval Lazi will discuss the business and legal aspects that exist along the way. He will provide participants with tools on how to get their startups on the right path to success.

According to data from the Israel Innovation Authority, since 2014, when 1,404 new startups were formed, there has been a steady decline in the establishment of new startups. For instance, in 2020, only 520 startups were formed.

Firm partner Yuval Lazi, an expert in the high-tech field, addresses the phenomenon and analyzes the data in an interview with Calcalist on the subject.

Are you renting out an apartment? It is important to be aware of the existing rental income tax tracks, if there is a difference between the taxation of short-term rental apartments and long-term rental apartments, and the rules on renting out apartments abroad.

Adv. Harel Perlmutter, partner and head of our firm's Tax Department, addresses all these questions in a comprehensive podcast on the taxation of renting out apartments in Israel and abroad.

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.

Our firm represented Azrieli Group, the largest income-producing real estate company in Israel, in a share purchase transaction of the Norwegian company 'Green Mountain' for NIS 2.8 billion. The Norwegian company operates three server farms in Norway and holds contracts with a total volume of 24 megawatts.

Our firm represented Azrieli Group in the acquisition of the franchise for leading British fashion brand AllSaints. Firm partner Ariella Dreyfuss represented the client in the franchise agreement. The first store will be launched in August 2021.

The demand for directors in publicly traded companies is increasing in light of the growing wave of IPOs on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

An expert on the capital market, Micky Barnea was interviewed on the subject by Globes. He explained the significance of the director position in companies, as well as the role's related risks and responsibilities.

Firm partner Daniel Lorber, who specializes in high-tech and startups, will participate in an expert panel on the challenges of entering the US market. This subject is particularly relevant for young startups who have found such a move difficult.

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.

Micky Barnea, Ilan Blumenfeld, and Daniel Kleinman represented Lipsker, an Israeli company that specializes in performing geotechnical work, in its sale to Shapir Engineering and Industry, Israel's leading company in the construction, development, and infrastructure fields. Our legal services include antitrust aspects.

The value of the transaction is approximately NIS 32 million.

Offering options to buy a company’s shares has become a legitimate benefit even for companies not in the high-tech field.

As an expert in the field, firm partner Daniel Lorber was interviewed by Globes on what it means to receive options in a company.