Our team

‘Dr. Israel Leshem provides the optimal combination of being a very smart, knowledgeable and experienced lawyer who also has a business mind.’
Chambers and Partners

‘Head of the [litigation] department and possessing the most international arbitration experience of the team, US-qualified Israel Leshem is [praised by clients] as ‘a thoughtful and powerful lawyer with useful contacts and a fantastic reputation in Corporate litigation’
Chambers and Partners

‘one of Israel’s most experienced litigators, and held in high esteem’
Legal 500

‘substantial international expertise on a high level’
Chambers and Partners

Dr. Israel (Reli) Leshem is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Group, which is the largest litigation practice in Israel.

Reli represents local and international clients in complex corporate, securities, commercial and product liability litigation in the Israeli courts and in arbitration. Reli also represents clients in international arbitration and assists and coordinates their cross-border litigation in foreign courts.

Reli is considered one of the leading experts on civil procedure and commercial arbitration in Israel, and is a member of the Minister of Justice’s Advisory Committee on Civil Procedure. He was a senior lecturer on civil procedure at Tel Aviv University Law School and taught civil procedure and arbitration law at the College of Management Law School.

Chambers & Partners and The Legal 500 have awarded Reli the highest individual rank in the category of Dispute Resolution.

Reli is one of only 4 Israeli litigators who have been selected to become members of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Prior to joining Meitar, Reli was a senior partner in Leshem Brandwein (1994-2003), a senior partner in Lipa Meir, Leshem & Co. (1988-1994) and an associate at the New York firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore (1983-1985).

Reli is a member of the Israel Bar Association (1978) and the New York Bar Association (1984).

Reli has an LL.B from Tel Aviv University (with honors) and a PhD from Harvard.

• Representation of Mylan N.V. in its $30 billion unsolicited offer to acquire all of the issued share capital of Perrigo Company Plc., an Irish company listed on the NYSE and Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), in what became the largest hostile takeover offer in history to go to completion. Dr. Leshem represented against the backdrop of Perrigo’s transnational defense tactics, and successfully defended Mylan against Perrigo’s attempt to enjoin the offer from going forward in Israel, and brought about Mylan’s ultimate exemption by the Israeli Securities Authority from publishing an Israeli Prospectus in connection with its offer.
• Representation of Bank Leumi and Bank Mizrahi-Tefahot with respect to various derivative and class actions amounting to US$ 500 million following an agreement reached between the Banks and the DOJ of the USA pertaining to actions taken by the Banks which, according to the DOJ, constituted assistance by the Banks to their US customers to evade US taxes.
• Representation of Citibank in a US$ 2.5 billion derivative claim in connection with the unsuccessful acquisition of Rimsa by Teva.
• Defense of Siemens in several class actions and a private lawsuit filed by the Israel Electric Corporation following a decision by the Antitrust Authority General Director with respect to the existence of an international GIS cartel.
• Defense of IBM in claims filed by ICL in the amount of US$ 350 million.
• Representation of ChemChina and its executives in a class action and derivative action alleging conflict of interests in its control over Adama Agricultural Solutions (formerly Makhteshim Agan Industries).
• Representation of the directors and officers of Partner Communication in a derivative action alleging illegal distribution of US$ 400 million of dividends by the company.
• Defense of Oil Refineries Ltd. (BAZAN) in two derivative claims in relation to the purchase of natural gas and electricity for more than US$ 1 billion.
• Representation of Sun Pharmaceuticals, an international pharmaceutical company, in a control battle over Taro Pharmaceuticals – the largest control battle ever in Israel.
• Representation of M-Systems (now SanDisk) in a derivative action regarding an alleged breach of duty of care by its directors.
• Defense of HOT Telecommunication Systems Ltd. in a class action regarding the consideration given to the minority shareholders of HOT in the framework of a merger in which HOT became a privately owned company.
• Defense of the directors and senior executives of Leadcom Integrated Solutions Ltd., a company in liquidation and receivership, in a class action concerning securities law.
• Representation of Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. in a lawsuit by minority shareholders which sought to invalidate certain resolutions adopted by Taro’s general meeting of shareholders. The District Court adopted Taro’s position and denied the claim, setting a precedent with regard to the manner of voting by shareholders of Israeli companies that are listed solely in the US.
• Defense of Oil Refineries Ltd. (BAZAN) and others, in a claim according to which they sent deficient and misleading reports to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
• Defense of Clal Biotechnology Industries Ltd. (CBI) in two class actions that were filed after the value of CBI’s shares decreased sharply as a result of a publication by Hyperion regarding material irregularities in Andromeda, which CBI had sold to Hyperion.
• Defense of Gazit-Globe Ltd. and Gazit-Globe Israel (Development) Ltd. in several motions to certify class actions alleging financial irregularities and false reports in its second-tier subsidiary, U. Dori Construction Ltd.
• Defense of Clal Biotechnology Industries LTD. (CBI) and D-Pharm in a class action related to an experimental drug and related securities issues.
• Defense of B Communications (the controlling shareholder of Bezeq) in a derivative action involving allegations of illegal distribution of dividends.
• Defense of Volkswagen group in a series of class actions claiming that the group falsified the emission rates of its diesel engines.
• Defense of Merck & Co. in all pending actions in Israel concerning the pain relief medication Vioxx, including three class actions.
• Defense of GlaxoSmithKline in a class action concerning the drugs Avandia and Eltroxin.Defense of Eli Lilly & Co. in a class action concerning the drug Zyprexa.
• Defense of Bayer in a class action concerning the contraceptives Yasmin and Yaz.
• Defense of claims alleging defects in memory and battery life in iPhones and iPads.
• Representing Alstom in a US$ 200 million arbitration with the State of Israel regarding the light rail project in Jerusalem.
• Representing an Israeli high tech company in a US$ 300 million ICC arbitration against a Swedish multinational company in the Netherlands.
• Representation of a Spanish multinational engineering and construction company in an ICC arbitration in France against an Israeli construction company.
• Representing a group of inventors of dental implants in a multi-million dollar international arbitration in Switzerland against one of the world’s leading dental implant companies regarding alleged breach of contractual obligations under the Rules of the ICC.
• Representation of one of Israel’s largest agrochemical producers in a multi-million dollar ICC arbitration in Zurich against BASF.
• Representation of a leading metals manufacturer in an arbitration proceeding against the Government of India.
• Representation of one of Israel’s largest telecommunications companies in an ICC arbitration in Luxembourg with Telecom Italia.
• Representation of the Association of Banks in a petition to the Supreme Court to repeal the new law (unprecedented in the entire world) restricting the salaries of managers in the financial services sectors.
• Representation of the municipality of Tel Aviv in a series of petitions to the District Court and the Supreme Court involving the operation of businesses on Saturday.
• Representation of Isramco in a proceeding before the High Court of Justice regarding a governmental decision regulating the export of natural gas. The case was heard by a panel of 7 judges.
• Defense of the United States Government in an administrative petition in the Jerusalem District Court regarding the construction of a new consulate compound.
• Representation of Alstom in an administrative petition and an appeal to the Supreme Court in a major public tender for the supply of trains for the Tel Aviv light rail project.
• Representation of Energean, which owns the Karish and Tanin natural gas fields, before the High Court of Justice in proceedings regarding the establishment of production facilities and the handling and transportation of natural gas.

• Author of the Israeli chapter in “The Chambers Legal Practice Guide: Litigation 2014-15”.
• Author of the Israeli chapter in “The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Class and Group Actions 2010, A practical insight to cross-border Class and Group Actions work”.  Published by Global Legal Group, London. http://www.iclg.co.uk
• Author of the Israeli chapter in “The International Comparative Legal Guide to: International Arbitration 2009”, a practical insight to cross-border international arbitration work. Published by Global Legal Group, London. http://www.iclg.co.uk
• Author of the Israeli Chapter in “The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Litigation and Dispute Resolution 2009”, A practical insight to cross-border litigation and dispute resolution. Published by Global Legal Group, London. http://www.iclg.co.uk