Israel Group News - January 2024

Welcome to the January 2024 issue of our global newsletter, Israel Group News, aiming to keep you informed about current developments, hot topics for your consideration, and DLA Piper activities that focus on bringing the dynamic Israeli ecosystem to your doorstep.

Although Israel unfortunately is still at war, we have continued to provide a wide range of legal services to Israeli companies, investors, and entrepreneurs, as well as to businesses throughout the world seeking opportunities in Israel. We view ourselves as an extension of the businesses we serve, and we aim to work with them for the long term, whether their needs involve day-to-day inquiries, smaller projects, special situations, or large-scale transactions.

We have been focused on supporting war efforts and charitable donations, individually, as a team, and with clients and colleagues. This has been an unbelievably uplifting experience for us all during this dark time. Please read below about our endeavors, and especially about the solidarity mission we led for colleagues from the US in late November.

For more general information about the Israel Group, click here. To gain more perspective on our trusted advisor practice, the types of day-to-day guidance we provide, and our representative client list, click here. To view our promotional video, click here. To access our 2022 Year in Review, click here. To view the highlight video of our most recent Israel Real Estate Summit, click here. To view our New Year 2024 video with messages of appreciation and support from colleagues and clients, click here. To watch the exciting recap video of our 2023 DLA Piper Charity Basketball Tournament, click here.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if we may be helpful in any manner. For new client requests, please send an email to israelclientrequest@dlapiper.com. We pray for peace in the new year. 

Breaking legal insights from DLA Piper

• The White House unveiled its far-reaching Executive Order, laying the foundations for future regulation of AI and addressing the standards of AI governance across the federal government. Learn more.
• The US government has again expanded economic sanctions restrictions against Russia, this time targeting parties globally that have been found to support the Russian military. Take a closer look at the latest measures.
• The UAE Ministry of Finance issued new decisions that include further clarification on, and important amendments to, the Free Zone Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Regime. See our report for information that may be helpful for companies that conduct, or are looking to conduct, business in the UAE.
• Compliance programs at large US companies often focus on US law and regulators – but changes in UK and EU anticorruption and fraud laws apply to US companies, too. Read more on how Europe’s changing corporate corruption legal framework may affect your US-based company.
• The Council and the European Parliament recently reached a provisional deal on the corporate sustainability due diligence directive (CSDDD), which will set obligations for large companies regarding their adverse impacts on human rights and the environment with respect to their own operations, those of their subsidiaries, and those carried out by their business partners. Although the deal struck may not be as broad as the original proposal, human rights and environmental due diligence will likely become mandatory for a large number of EU and non-EU companies. Find out how this may affect your company here.

Recent matters

Below are some recently announced transactions involving Israeli companies which were featured in the press:

• Advised Woven Capital, the growth fund of Toyota Motor Corporation, as the lead investor in the US$25 million Series C investment in Intuition Robotics, an Israeli company that developed ElliQ, an AI companion to ease older adults' loneliness and promote healthier lifestyles
• Advised Israeli startup C2i Genomics on the US aspects of its sale to cancer diagnostics company Veracyte for up to US$95 million
• Defended Israeli company SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. in its complex, multi-patent International Trade Commission case and the underlying District Court litigation brought by US competitor Ampt LLC

Global activities

We are proud to report that, in the fourth quarter of 2023, we commenced projects for 55 Israeli companies in the following 37 jurisdictions: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, the EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, the US, and Venezuela.

Below are some new representative matters in which we assisted Israeli companies around the world:

• Commercial issues in Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, the EU, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, Morocco, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, and the US
• Corporate and securities issues in Australia, Canada, the EU, France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Romania, Singapore, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US
• Employment and employee benefits guidance in Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, the US, and Venezuela.
• Litigation and dispute guidance in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the US
• M&A and investment guidance in Germany, the UK, and the US
• Patent, trademark, and copyright guidance in the EU and the US
• Privacy guidance and compliance – including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) – in Australia, the EU, France, Germany, South Korea, the UK, and the US
• Real estate guidance in Japan and the US
• Regulatory issues in Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, the EU, France, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Morocco, Norway, Philippines, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, and the US
• Tax guidance in the US

Colleagues in the spotlight

Mehdi Kettani

Of Counsel, Casablanca

Please tell us about your area of practice.

Given the relatively small size of the Moroccan legal market, especially in terms of advisory work, I have more than one area of practice. My favorite area of practice is IT law. This ranges from advising startups on drafting the terms and conditions of use of their platforms to advising multinationals on their IT agreements with their Moroccan clients. I am also involved in digital transformation processes, including the use of eSignature and the move to the cloud.

More generally, I advise businesses with their various commercial contracts – mainly distribution contracts, license agreements, and franchise agreements. I also have strong employment law activity. My work ranges from drafting employment agreements and advising on onboarding processes, to drafting internal regulations and negotiations with employees’ representatives and unions. Finally, in my capacity as an attorney admitted to the Casablanca Bar, I do litigation work related to the above areas of practice.

What advice would you give Israeli companies looking to expand their global reach in Morocco?

Invest in technology and education. Seek proper advice from local consultants in finance, accountancy, and law. See Morocco as a door to other countries in Africa and not as a single market.

If you could travel to Israel next month, what place would be at the top of your list to visit?

I definitely want to visit Tel Aviv!

If you could live in any time in history, which would you choose and why?

I would live in the late 1960s, early 1970s. The winds of change that were blowing at the time must have been so inspiring.

DLA Piper Israel Group updates

Our colleague Yehudah Gordon (Director, DLA Piper Israel Group) volunteered to rejoin his army unit after October 7 and spent over a month on the northern border of Israel, guarding and protecting the country. Yehudah is back at work for now. We are truly grateful for his service.

On December 25, we took advantage of the quiet end-of-year period to celebrate our team and our many achievements over the past year. We enjoyed a creative Asian-inspired lunch at our office made by Chef Yehuda Jacobs (keeping with the Jewish-American tradition to eat Chinese food on Christmas) and took a Kahoot quiz about our team, which brought laughs. It was a wonderful and heartening way to end the year.

Professional events

On November 9, in an internal DLA Piper roundtable discussion webinar attended by nearly 800 colleagues, Jeremy Lustman (Partner and Head of DLA Piper Israel Group) shared his personal story of living in Israel during the current war and his perspectives on the rise of antisemitism across the world. Other speakers were Litigation Practice Group Leader Ilana Eisenstein (Philadelphia), US Healthcare Sector Chair Joshua Kaye (Miami), and former Labor and Employment Partner Evan Parness (New York), who shared their own stories – both painful and uplifting – and perspectives on living through these challenging times as Jews in the US. The roundtable discussion was thoughtfully and sensitively moderated by Managing Partner of the Americas and Co-US Managing Partner Richard Chesley.

On January 4, we hosted a forum at DLA Piper’s New York offices for legal professionals looking to explore ways to shift their careers to Israel. Representatives from a number of top Israeli law firms, foreign law firms with Israeli practices, and Israel-connected companies, including Jeremy Lustman and Naomi Maryles (Managing Director, DLA Piper Israel Group), shared their perspectives on what a legal career can look like in Israel; how those looking to transfer their career to Israel can acquire the necessary experience; the importance of Hebrew language skills; working in an Israeli environment; and other relevant issues. Across the board, speakers communicated that there are many opportunities for lawyers in Israel. They also expressed that a successful career shift requires both thinking outside the box and being open to new, unexpected paths. The event was attended by a diverse crowd of over 110 law students and attorneys from both small firms and Big Law, and in-house counsel.

On January 9, we hosted an evening of appreciation for clients and local individuals who stepped up during the aftermath of October 7 to spearhead charitable initiatives for soldiers and displaced families. During dinner, we had the privilege of hearing from Yonah Jeremy Bob (Intelligence, Terrorism, and Legal Analyst, The Jerusalem Post), who shared geopolitical insights with us, as well as his thoughts on the war and what Israel’s broader outlook may be.

Upcoming events:

• Lawyers’ mission trip to Israel to volunteer and explore career opportunities: February 18–20
• Kick-off of “Corks and Conversations” networking events series: Q1
• Bowl-a-thon: Q1
• International Women’s Day event: Q1

Giving back to the community

In the wake of the Hamas massacre of October 7 and the ongoing war, we pivoted from hosting professional events to devoting time and resources to supporting various war efforts through volunteering and donating.

During the first few weeks of the conflict, we volunteered at Leket Israel, Pantry Packers by Colel Chabad, and United Hatzalah of Israel, packing fruits and vegetables, dry goods, and medical supplies, respectively. Through Smiles for the Kids, we also donated custom printed laundry bags with the last names and phone numbers of families from the south of Israel whose clothes are being washed by volunteers across Jerusalem, and custom printed water bottles for 190 children from that community who started temporary school in Jerusalem without any supplies.

In November, we threw Golda Ice Cream parties for nearly 600 IDF Air Force personnel at a local base and for 200 patients, families, and staff in the rehab ward of Ichilov-Sourasky Medical Center. We also co-sponsored a party with arts and crafts, ice cream, popcorn, cotton candy, music, and more for a community in central Israel in which most husbands/fathers are currently serving in the war.

Later that month, we were privileged to have Gregory Zuckerman (Investigative Reporter, The Wall Street Journal), client Laurie Bennett (General Counsel, Amadeus Hospitality), and some of our family members join our team to volunteer at the logistics center of United Hatzalah of Israel. Together, we packed 60 emergency medical backpacks for United Hatzalah first responders. During lunch afterward, Greg spoke about his career as a journalist and shared his perspective on the media’s reporting of Israel and the events and aftermath of October 7.

We ended November by organizing and hosting a solidarity mission to Israel for three of our DLA Piper US partners: Andrew Cooper (Washington, DC), Imri Eisner (New York), and Yoni Tuchman (Los Angeles). Throughout the week, we:

• Sponsored and participated in a pizza- and dessert-making workshop for disabled children from 100 families displaced from northern and southern Israel who come to the Shalva National Center, the Israel Association for the Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, every day for activities
• Cleaned and repaired wheelchairs and walkers at the Jerusalem branch of Yad Sarah, which has become a centralized pickup location due to other branches temporarily closing during the war
• Prepared meals for soldiers at two army bases with Grilling For IDF
• Joined hundreds of volunteers at Aroma Espresso Bar in Beit Shemesh, where 10,000 sandwiches are made every day for soldiers
• Assembled 200 first-aid response kits at United Hatzalah of Israel’s logistics center
• Volunteered at Pantry Packers by Colel Chabad, where we added 234 packages of orange peas to that day’s distribution of nutritious food to Israel’s families in need
• Partnered with Smiles for the Kids to make and package healthy food for over 120 soldiers

We also heard from individuals more closely involved in the war, including by visiting the army base responsible for processing and burying the fallen; hearing from The Jerusalem Post’s Intelligence, Terrorism, and Legal Analyst Yonah Jeremy Bob; and listening to firsthand accounts of October 7 from Jeremy Lustman’s cousins – Yaron and Jacqui Vital – who lost their grown daughter, Adi Vital-Kaploun, in the massacre at Kibbutz Holit that day. Watch a highlight video of this powerful and meaningful week.

In December, we sponsored a party in Netanya for 130 adults who were displaced from the north and south of Israel due to the war. During dinner, we spoke to many of those in attendance, hearing their painful stories and sharing our support and love. We also met some truly incredible volunteers who have been working nonstop to help these families navigate this difficult time.

In celebration of Chanukah, we teamed up with eight Israeli charities – corresponding to the eight candles on the menorah - plus another two charities (there is so much need this year!) representing the “shamash,” the ninth candle used to light all the other candles. We made donations, gave out sufganiyot/jelly donuts, threw parties, and treated soldiers and emergency responders, all to help bring some joy. We assisted:

• The Benji Hillman Foundation – Habayit shel Benji, which gave sufganiyot to over 100 lone IDF combat soldiers who live in a facility in Ra’anana
• Chabad of Talbiya in Jerusalem, in hosting a Chanukah party for children aged 5 through 13 from displaced families from the south of Israel
• Leket Israel, the National Food Bank and Israel’s leading food rescue organization, in helping thousands of needy families have nutritious food for the holiday
• Meir Panim, an organization that feeds the hungry, supports teens at risk, and uplifts Holocaust survivors, in distributing sufganiyot at their soup kitchen in Jerusalem
• Samantha’s on the Go, in serving coffee and treats to soldiers at a base in central Israel
• Save a Child's Heart, an Israeli humanitarian organization that saves the lives of critically ill children suffering from heart disease in countries in which access to pediatric heart care is limited or nonexistent, in presenting backpacks with gifts to critically ill children before they returned home
• Simcha Layeled, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for thousands of disabled and seriously ill children in hospitals across Israel, in hosting a Chanukah party at Hadassah Ein Kerem’s Mother and Child Center
• Smiles for the Kids, an organization that brings joy to soldiers and families of soldiers, in hosting a Chanukah party for displaced families from the north and south currently living at a hotel in Netanya
• StandwithUs, an organization that educates people about Israel and encourages them stand up to misinformation and hate, fight antisemitism, and empower a global network of activists
• Zaka International Rescue and Recovery, which has been engaged in the difficult and holy work of identifying bodies of those massacred and preparing them for burial, by providing necessary equipment

At the end of December, we volunteered along with other legal professionals at a baking workshop organized by our team member Debbie Kandel, with the challahs and babkas being delivered to families of soldiers for Shabbat.

On January 10, alongside Israeli law firm Herzog, we co-hosted a farmer’s market featuring fruits, vegetables, and goods from farms and small businesses in the north and south of Israel that have been impacted by the war.

In mid-January, we were honored to co-sponsor Standup in Solidarity, a wartime Comedy for Koby show in support of The Koby Mandell Foundation. In addition to working with its existing group of over 1,000 bereaved families for whom this war is particularly traumatic, The Koby Mandell Foundation is expanding its programming to the hundreds of new children, siblings, and parents who have been painfully added to the community of “survivors of terror and tragedy.”

Recent press

“Israel Mobilizes,” Globes, January 8, 2024

“Ambucycle,” The Marker, December 6, 2023

“Speedy trial of cryptocurrency crook couldn’t happen in Israel,” Globes, November 15, 2023

"The flash trial of the crypto scammer: Why it can't happen in Israel as well," Globes, November 14, 2023

"DLA Piper warns antisemitism could impact job candidacy," Globes, November 8, 2023

"One of the world's largest law firms: "Zero tolerance for discrimination," Globes, November 6, 2023