"An adept litigator with a lot of experience handling cases from different fields of law."
By Chambers Global

Overview

Practice Areas: ArbitrationBanking and financeBanking and financial disputesBanking disputesClass actions – commercialCommercial litigationDispute resolutionGlobal disputesInsolvency and RestructuringInsurance disputesMedia and entertainment disputesProduct Liability & TortShareholder disputes & Derivative Actions
Industries: Banks and financial institutionsInsurance

Ehud (Udi) Arzi represents domestic and international commercial banks, including all of Israel’s major banks, investment banks, hedge funds, financial institutions, insurance companies, export credit agencies, mezzanine funds and credit card companies on contentious issues relating to investment banking, derivatives and other financial products, hedging, bribery, fraud, criminal and regulatory investigations, problem loans, work-outs, restructuring, insolvency, insurance and defamation claims. Described by Chambers Global as being “a terrific barrister”, his litigation skills have been recognized by the main legal directories where he has been ranked a leader in his field.

Udi also advises financial institutions on risk management and regulatory issues arising from the promotion, offering and sale of complex investment products. He has advised many financial institutions in contentious and non-contentious matters arising out of the local impact of the global credit crisis, including the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Udi has often acted on many high-profile matters and has acted for one of the main secured creditors in connection with the corporate rehabilitation proceedings (the local equivalent to the US Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code) of Israel’s largest conglomerate, IDB Holdings Ltd.

Udi is often appointed by the courts to act as arbitrator or mediator.

Udi also lectures on Administrative Law and teaches litigation practice, including the drafting of pleadings and advocacy skills within the framework of the Israel Bar Association’s advanced legal studies program for qualified lawyers.

Languages: EnglishHebrew
Admissions: Israel Bar, 1990
Education: Tel Aviv University, LL.B., cum laude, (1989)

Experience

Udi’s extensive experience includes:

  • Representing Expert Financial Products Ltd. and its officers in a class action for compensation in excess of US$ 100 million which was brought in connection with the issue of a promissory note secured by funds deposited with a subsidiary of Lehman Brothers. The plaintiffs claimed that material information as to the imminent collapse of Lehman Brothers had been withheld from them
  • Representing Mizrahi Bank in corporate rehabilitation commenced against the IDB concern (formerly owned by Nochi Dankner), proceedings which were both intensive and innovative in the insolvency field, and involved the simultaneous handling of claims on a number of different fronts and involved leading companies in the Israeli market
  • Representing Mizrahi Bank in several highly-complex cases brought against IDB Development Corp., including a request to the courts for the enforced settlement of a nearly NIS 6 billion debt (approximately US$ 1.5 billion) owed to banks and bondholders, including NIS 200 million which was owed to Mizrahi Bank
  • Defending Mizrahi Bank against a claim for damages of NIS 82 million, brought by a client holding an options trading account at a branch of the Bank. The plaintiff accused the Bank of having seized their account without prior notice in writing, and because of the blocked account and other changes unilaterally made by the Bank, heavy trading losses were incurred, as were interest and linkage charges imposed by the Bank
  • Representing Bank Hapoalim in a large number of proceedings for the recovery of debts owed by the Kachtan Group in excess of NIS 1 billion (approximately US$ 250 million), including appointment as a receiver over certain high-value real estate.  Also representing the Bank in the negotiation and finalisation of a settlement agreement with regard to these proceedings
  • Representing Bank Igud in mutual claims against clients in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars, concerning the improper exploitation by the clients of an error in the bank’s computerised system
  • Representing Pegasus, a large foreign investment fund, in a claim arguing discrimination of the minority.
  • Representing Smet, a Belgian company specializing in underground techniques, in a number of multi-parties litigation proceedings, which are being conducted in the Israeli courts.
  • Representing Marsh, an insurance broker from England, in a claim of NIS 300 million filed against it by the Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. regarding the payment of insurance due to the “Amos 6” satellite explosion on September 1st, 2016. The lawsuit was filed against the insurer, Pembroke Syndicate 4000; the insurance agent Plethors Insurance Agencies Inc. and against Marsh.
  • Representing Alon Israel Oil Company Ltd., one of Israel’s largest fuel firms, in a number of civil proceedings, including arbitration dispute regarding rights in gas and oil reservoirs estimated by USD hundreds of millions against Naphtha Israel Petroleum LTD and Isramco Negev 2 LP.
  • Representing Google Inc. in various high-value proceedings, including claims related to libel, the results of Google’s search engine, to purchases of online games through Google Play, and others.
  • Representing Aston Martin Lagonda Limited, a British luxury car manufacturing company whose vehicles are sold worldwide, in a lawsuit filed against it by AuroraVi Inc. and its shareholders, for NIS 9,500,000, due to damages incurred as a result of allegedly inflicting a breach of contract by Aston Martin. The procedure raises complex legal questions on the issue of wrongdoing.
  • Representing Israel Discount Bank in the bankruptcy proceedings against businessman Eliezer Fishman. The debt claim filed on behalf of Discount Bank amounted to approximately NIS 283 million.
  • Representing PLUS500IL Ltd. a prominent company which is part of PLUS500 in a class action brought by consumers, on the grounds that it creates proactive trading breaks on its web platform, allegedly in order to hurt its customers’ profits.
  • Representing Israel Discount Bank in a privileged claim for NIS 33 million, filed by the bank’s customers, claiming that the bank allegedly breached its trust and prudence obligations to the plaintiffs, by allowing the plaintiff to invest his money in foreign currency which caused him a loss of dozens millions of shekels, while he was, as pleaded, in a mental state.

Recognition

  • Chambers Global 2022: “… a seasoned lawyer who often acts on insolvency cases and disputes relating to real estate projects.”
  • Chambers Global Guide: Ehud Arzi is engaged on a range of disputes and has notable experience representing banks. His work includes acting for Google in insolvency and intellectual property disputes. Interviewees are quick to praise his practice, describing him as “a good lawyer who knows the job.” (Chambers Global Guide)
  • Chambers Global 2019: Ehud Arzi is an adept litigator with “a lot of experience handling cases from different fields of law.” Clients praise him as “very responsive and very pleasant.”
  • Chambers Global 2018: Ehud Arzi receives praise for his knowledge of the banking and finance sector.
  • Chambers Global 2016: Ehud maintains an active presence in commercial disputes concerning the banking sector in Israel. Sources compliment him for his client-friendly manner, knowledge of the law and charismatic personality.
  • Chambers Global Client’s Guide 2013 ranked Udi as a leading attorney in Dispute Resolution in Israel saying, “Ehud Arzi is well known for his experience in banking and securities litigation, and is also called on for his expertise in the insurance industry”. Other accolades from Chambers in recent years include: “A terrific barrister”; “Thorough, fluent and praised – he knows his stuff and performs well in court”.
  • Udi is also recommended by Legal Expert for his dispute resolution work and by Which Lawyer? for restructuring and insolvency.

Other Activities

Udi is an active member of the Israel Bar Association. He lectures on Administrative Law and teaches litigation practice, including the drafting of pleadings and advocacy skills within the framework of the Israel Bar’s advanced legal studies program for qualified lawyers.

For a number of years, Udi has coordinated a seminar entitled “The Art of Litigation” at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on the practicalities and strategies of managing client-focused cases.

Udi has since 2008 served as a judge for the Supreme Court of the Olympic Committee.

Udi is a member of The Alternative Dispute Resolution Professionals Group (ADR) and EMTPJ, European Mediation Training for Practitioners of Justice.

In 1989, he served as an assistant researcher to Professor Amnon Rubinstein at Tel Aviv University, assisting him in the writing of the fourth edition of his book, The Constitutional Law of the State of Israel. Prior to that, he served for five years as a teaching assistant in constitutional law at Tel Aviv University and at the College of Management.

 

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