SGR’s Israel Practice leverages its many decades of experience in the U.S.-Israel legal and business ecosystem to provide strategic and effective legal counsel on a broad range of cross border issues, including, M&A transactions, venture capital transactions, finance, tax, securities offerings, intellectual property (patents and licensing), real estate, bankruptcy, employment matters, and litigation/alternative dispute resolution. Members of SGR’s Israel Practice include leading practitioners in their fields with deep experience working with Israeli global companies, Israeli universities, Israeli entrepreneurs, family offices, as well as global companies doing business in Israel.

SGR’s Israel Practice was bolstered with the expansion of the New York office in 2020, adding to the firm a leading team of Israeli American attorneys with extensive experience in, knowledge of and contacts in the U.S.-Israeli marketplace.

Attorneys in the Israel Practice include native speakers of Hebrew, dually admitted and qualified attorneys (U.S. and Israel) with significant experience in Israel’s leading firms.

SGR’s Israel Practice affords its clients an unparalleled understanding of U.S. – Israeli business culture dynamics, as well as access through long-standing relationships with legal practitioners, industry leaders, and Israeli government and trade representative officials.

SGR’s Israel Practice also supports its clients through advising on global tax structuring and setting up trusts and estate vehicles to efficiently transfer wealth.

SGR’s Israel Practice attorneys have a long track record and significant experience in the following areas:

Immigration

• Representation of Israeli companies in connection with immigration matters involving transfer of key personnel to the U.S. on the basis of temporary work visas and “green cards.”

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Representation of a ride share company in its acquisition of Israeli-based cutting edge technology company that leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI) for demand prediction and fleet utilization.
• Representation of U.S. and Israeli private and public companies, including financial and insurance institutions, in connection with a wide range of transactions including U.S.-Israel cross border transactions in real estate, the financial sector, technology, and licensing.
• Representation of an Israeli public company in multiple acquisitions of companies with strategically complimentary technologies to diversify its product portfolio, including guidance on antitrust compliance issues.
• Representation in a variety of liquidity events for Israeli medical device companies.
• Representation of the private equity owners of a developer of wireless charging solutions for mobile devices in control matters and restructuring.
• Representation of a global leading provider of advanced safety, identification, and security products and solutions to governments and private organizations, in the acquisition of a leading provider of electronic monitoring and program services.
• Representation of a global leading provider of advanced safety, identification, and security products and solutions to governments and private organizations, in the acquisition of the assets of a company based in England.

 

Venture Capital

• Counsel of U.S. and Israeli clients on all stages of a company lifecycle from business formation, operations, intellectual property matters, and exit strategies.
• Representation of one of the two largest diamond and bridal jewelry e-commerce platforms in the U.S., in receiving growth funding from an Israeli venture capital group.
• Representation of a group of investors in connection with forming a U.S. special purpose vehicle to operate as an investment vehicle in the financing round of an Israeli technology company in the security space.

Finance

• Representation of a global Israeli bank in establishing a credit facility for an Israeli technology company with a U.S. subsidiary and securing the loan with collateral in the U.S. and Israel.
• Representation of multi-national Israeli companies in establishing credit facilities with an international bank consortium.
• Representation as U.S. legal counsel in various accounts receivable factoring arrangements for Israeli companies and their U.S. subsidiaries.
• Service as counsel to Israeli companies in industrial development revenue bond transactions used to finance plant construction.
• Representation of Israeli companies in various capital restructuring transactions in the U.S.
•  Representation on federal and state security law issues.

Intellectual Property

• Representation of an Israeli company in a patent infringement case.
• Representation of a University in Israel in a patent infringement case.
• Representation of Israeli companies and universities in connection with a wide variety of intellectual property (IP) matters in the U.S, including patent and trademark procurement and registration, licensing, IP litigation (offensive and defensive), IP portfolio development, opinions, freedom-to-operate and IP due diligence.

Litigation

• Procurement of domestication of Israeli court judgments in the New York Courts and enforcement thereof with respect to U.S. assets of judgment debtor.
• Representation of Israeli Bank as defendant in litigation matters involving a U.S. Bank.
• Representation of clients in probate proceedings in the U.S.
• Representation of Israeli individuals and companies in connection with a wide range of controversy matters, including enforcement of judgments issued by Israeli courts in the U.S. and arbitration and litigation in the U.S. before various arbitral bodies, and state and federal courts.
• Service as expert witnesses in Israeli court proceedings with respect to application of New York law.
• Representation of Israeli multi-national company in the U.S. to recoup embezzled funds.
• Legal representation of Israeli clients in the United States Bankruptcy Court regarding defense of claims alleging preferential payments.
• Defense of the U.S. operations of Israeli companies against product liability claims, including where fatalities were involved.

Tax

• Advisory of U.S. and Israeli clients in all stages of business formation and operation, beginning with planning and selecting appropriate legal entity structures and providing appropriate tax advice with particular attention to the U.S.-Israel tax treaty.
• Analysis and issuance of tax opinions to Israeli parent companies and their audit firms on matters of federal and state tax law.

Trusts and Estates

• Representation of clients in all aspects of estate planning including tax optimization, wills and trusts, and pre and post nuptial agreements.
• Representation of high net worth individuals in connection with cross border estate planning and probate proceedings.

Environmental Law

• Representation of the S. manufacturing facilities of Israeli companies in federal and state environmental compliance, including air, water and land environmental issues and management of airborne and solid hazardous waste.

OSHA

• Representation of U.S. companies with regard to compliance matters under federal and state occupational safety and health matters, including defending against notices of violation and fines imposed by regulators.

Employment Law

• Structure of a variety of employment agreements, and negotiation of severance packages.
• Defense of matters involving the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Representation of the U.S. operations of Israeli companies in Union organizing activities.
• Defense of the U.S. operations of Israeli companies in claims of harassment and wrongful discharge.
• Advisory on wage & hour compliance, the proper classifications of persons as employees or independent contractors, the Family Medical Leave Act and other federal and state employment laws.
• Structure of ESOPs and other compensation plans for employees.

Construction Law

• Representation of a publicly traded Israeli company in major commercial construction projects throughout the U.S., including contract negotiations, compliance with state law requirements, and negotiation of construction disputes.