Emerging Companies and Venture Capital
Our lawyers provide focused and cost-effective representation for Israeli-related technology and life sciences companies in the process of formation, funding, and growth, both in their day-to-day operations (outside general counsel), corporate matters, regulatory aspects, acquisitions, IPOs, tax, and beyond. Many of our lawyers are technology company veterans, with an operating-company perspective of how to successfully start and grow a business, giving us the experience necessary to provide clients with sophisticated guidance on complex business and legal issues at all stages of growth.
We represent venture capital funds and strategic investors in fund formation, investor relations, fund governance and regulatory compliance, and investments in Israeli-related companies, as well as corporate venture capital funds with their portfolio investments, strategic collaborations, and venture fund matters. We are invested in Israeli-related ecosystem – we have a deep and robust investors and entrepreneur networks that regularly meet and work together to facilitate instructions and meaningful connections.
M&A and Private Equity
Our team has extensive experience in the structuring, negotiation, and financing of a broad range of Israeli-related cross-border M&A transactions. We regularly represent buyers of Israeli-related companies as well as Israeli-related selling companies. Our global presence and well-developed relationships with institutions, regulatory agencies, and law firms throughout the world allow us to provide access to services and information unique in scope within the global legal community. From an industry perspective, we advise clients across a variety of sectors, including technology, life sciences, energy/cleantech, and agribusiness.
Product Liability
Our product liability team represents a variety of life sciences, consumer products, and other clients in all aspects of litigation, and in connection with transactional matters. Whether finding creative solutions to cabin product liability risks in connection with licensing or marketing agreements, assessing potential product liability risks of new products, offering counseling regarding regulatory matters and product recalls, or defending mass tort litigation, our litigators provide valuable insight in addressing these critical issues. In addition, when clients face class action and other aggregate litigation in the U.S. and Israel, our litigators work closely with Israeli counsel to develop an integrated strategy to defending such multijurisdictional litigation.
Technology Sector
Our lawyers provide multijurisdictional transactional, litigation, and regulatory advice that is vital within the technology sector. Our lawyers advise in those areas that touch on the day-to-day operations of a technology company, such as compliance, privacy and data protection, executive compensation, labor and employment, insurance, investigations, IP counseling and litigation, securities and commercial litigation, and technology and IP transactions. We advise innovative Israeli-related companies in emerging areas of technology as these companies seek to swiftly invest in, acquire, or deploy new digital solutions, helping them to grow their businesses.
Tax
Our team combines deep industry knowledge and technical excellence with a practical perspective to provide clients with tax services in Israel and other jurisdictions. We are frequently recognized as one of the premier tax practices in international tax, cross-border international investments, joint ventures, M&A, transfer pricing, income tax treaty matters, MAPS and APAs, tax planning and restructurings, international IP planning and exploitation, tax controversy, investment funds, capital markets, private equity, insurance, real estate investment trusts, and securitization and structured finance. We also offer tax advice in other areas, including bankruptcy and corporate restructurings, derivatives, joint ventures, tax planning, legislative and regulatory developments, and state and local tax matters, as well as thoughtful and experienced representation in obtaining rulings and other guidance from tax authorities.
International Arbitration
Sidley’s international arbitration lawyers represent Israeli entities in international arbitrations around the world, as well as corporations with business in Israel. We have fought and won commercial and treaty arbitrations concerning disputes in virtually every industry, with an over 90 percent success rate in investor-state arbitrations. Drawing upon the firm’s global reach and comprehensive industry knowledge, our top-tier arbitration practitioners and disputes teams work together across offices to provide seamless support to our Israeli clients. Our in-house economists quantify potential recovery at the start of each case, enabling our Israel team to advocate for damages convincingly at the earliest opportunity, and to work with clients to determine the appropriate financial investment to make in each dispute. Our partners also serve as arbitrators, including in an investor-state case brought by Israeli entities, and include a former visiting professor of international law at Hebrew University at Haifa.
International Trade Regulation and Policy
With international trade lawyers in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, we are able to assemble a highly integrated team to advise — and advocate for — corporations, trade associations, and governments in all aspects of the global trade and investment marketplace. Sidley has successfully advised clients under free trade, bilateral, and multilateral agreements, as well as with regard to legislation, regulation, and enforcement actions, involving Israel and its trading partners. This has included providing counsel on issues relating to tariffs, market access and barriers, customs and border protection, and trade policy compliance. Drawing upon our strong relationships with government officials globally, our lawyers are well positioned to understand our clients’ business issues and navigate emerging regulations affecting their operations, supply chains, and growth prospects.
WTO Disputes and FTA Disputes
Sidley has been at the forefront of World Trade Organization (WTO) law for more than two decades. We have been involved in roughly half of all complaints brought to the WTO and have taken a leading role in shaping the ongoing development of WTO law. Our WTO practice has experience in every procedural phase of WTO dispute settlement — from consultations to panel and Appellate Body proceedings and from implementation challenges to arbitrations regarding retaliatory measures. Our litigators assist businesses, trade associations, and government clients facing market access barriers or unfair conditions of competition in foreign markets by successfully integrating WTO arguments into their advocacy with government bodies. Our international trade experience includes counseling entities operating in Israel. We also counsel private and government clients on strategies for enforcing WTO commitments through WTO dispute settlement and advise clients on structuring transactions and investments to take account of WTO law as interpreted through jurisprudence.
