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Insights & News / Regulation
January 23, 2018
Seminar on Data Protection and Privacy for the Israeli Directors' Union
Our firm is hosting the Israeli Directors' Union today for a seminar on data protection and privacy. During it we will discuss the new European privacy regulations (GDPR) and directors' exposure in the age of privacy.
January 17, 2018
Barnea & ACC Seminar – Blockchain, Bitcoin, and ICOs
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.
December 27, 2017
Everything You Need to Know about ICOs
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.
December 26, 2017
Fierce Battle over Banning Binary Options Reaches High Court of Justice
Following a bill promoted by the Israel Securities Authority, and passed by the Knesset, outlawing binary options trading by Israeli companies, Yukom Communications LTD and its controlling shareholder, Yossi Herzog, filed a petition to the High Court of Justice. Overseeing the filing of the petition were Barnea attorneys Zohar Lande, Eyal Nachshon, and Moran Bickel.
December 21, 2017
Article: Is Israeli Regulators’ Approach toward ICOs Ill-Advised?
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.
December 18, 2017
Telemarketing Restrictions
An interview following the Ministry of Economy and Industry's recently published draft bill placing restrictions on telemarketing.
December 13, 2017
Israel Securities Authority Blows Up the Bitcoin Bubble
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.
November 28, 2017
Seminar on Data Protection and Privacy
Barnea is hosting today another round of lectures for startups and entrepreneurs on the subject of data protection and privacy. Also to be discussed is the obligation of accessibility on the Internet. In addition, the seminar will feature a guest lecture from the Israeli Digital Organization.
October 24, 2017
Israel Securities Authority Defeated in Proceeding against Portfolio Manager
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.
September 26, 2017
Article on Regulatory Challenges of FinTech Companies Featured in TheMarker
Micky Barnea, the firm's managing partner,published an article on the regulatory challenges facing Fintech companies, in TheMarker's FinTech Magazine. Micky notes that entry barriers to this field are not only the development stage, but also the strength of the regulatory solution. Therefore, acquired knowledge can become a real intellectual property and carry enormous potential.
September 24, 2017
Israeli Binary Options CEO Arrested in US on Suspicion of Committing Electronic Fraud
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.
September 12, 2017
Dr. Zvi Gabbay speaking at the EY Anti-Fraud Forum
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.
August 29, 2017
Dr. Zvi Gabbay Discusses Regulation of Digital Coins in New Op-ed
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.
August 16, 2017
Dr. Zvi Gabbay talks SEC allegations against Mobileye founders with TheMarker
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.
August 8, 2017
Monetary Authority of Singapore to Begin Regulating the Issuance of Virtual Currencies
Adv. Daniel Israeli was interviewed by TheMarker after the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced it would begin regulating the issuance of virtual currencies (ICO). Daniel noted that Singapore has developed into a destination of sorts for ICOs, and thus the MAS' decision will certainly change the rules of the game.
July 19, 2017
Adoption of Business Judgment Rule - A new article by Dr. Zvi Gabbay
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.
June 22, 2017
Financial Radio Program at the Public Broadcasting Corporation
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)
June 25, 2017
Board of Directors 2017 - Challenges and Risks
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.
June 7, 2017
Why the World of Mergers and Acquisitions is Changing in The Big Data Era
Adv. Karin Kashi from Barnea, in an article for "People and Computers" about the changes that startups need to make in relation to their privacy aspects and the expected impact on merger and acquisition deals.
June 6, 2017
Barnea & Co., together with the ACC, are Hosting an Event on Privacy
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.