מרכז המדיה

Meitar defended Makhteshim, one of Israel’s largest agrochemicals producers, in three mass tort actions filed by plaintiffs alleging injuries caused by air pollution from the Makhteshim plant in the “Ramat-Hovav” Industrial Zone south of Beersheva (additional defendants in this action included the State of Israel, the local municipality and other plants in the area). On January 1, 2013 the Beersheva District Court dismissed the actions in their entirety and made significant awards to the defendants for legal costs and attorneys fees. The plaintiffs have filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, which is pending.

Meitar successfully represented Israeli cellular operators Partner and Cellcom in opposing motions to certify class actions against them related to the battery life of cellular devices. The motions were withdrawn.

Meitar represented the baby food importer Heinz – Remedia and the former CEO of the company in criminal proceedings involving charges of involuntary manslaughter arising from allegations of tainted baby formula. After five years of litigation, the court acquitted the former CEO of all charges relating to the baby formula. The State has filed an appeal of the acquittal, which is still pending.

In July 2013, an Israeli court ruled in favor of the Bronner brothers, represented by Meitar, in a complex inheritance dispute with their siblings, which is a part of a broader dispute involving a worldwide diamond and real-estate business.

Meitar represented SanDisk in the defense of a motion to certify a class action relating to media players, leading to the dismissal of the action.

Meitar represented the directors and officers of Leadcom Integrated Solutions in opposing a motion to certify a NIS 115 million class action relating to an allegedly misleading prospectus. The court dismissed the motion, finding that the issue is not suitable for adjudication as a class action.

In July 2013 the Supreme Court held that the statute of limitations on a bank’s claim for damages due to a breach of an undertaking to register a mortgage securing a loan, commences on the date the borrower ceased to pay the monthly payments of the loan, and not, as claimed by the appellants, at the time the obligation to register the mortgage was violated. The Bank is represented by Meitar (LCA 4090/13 Deutsch vs. Bank Leumi).