Law

See Also: Practicing Law in Israel by Minna Felig

There are thousands of qualified lawyers in Israel today, and the number increases each year as more advocates qualify for the Israeli bar. Information about practicing law in Israel can be found at: www.israelbar.org.il. For specific inquiries, write to mitmahim@israelbar.org.il or call the Lishkat Orchei Din at (02) 566-0271 between the hours of 8:30 and 1:00 (Sunday through Thursday).

Finding a Job

As Israel holds the distinction of having the most lawyers per capita of any country in the world, lawyers can be found in any city. By far, the largest number of lawyers and law firms can be found in Tel Aviv, with Haifa and Jerusalem following distantly behind. Salary levels for attorneys in Tel Aviv are usually higher than those in Jerusalem. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv also have possibilities in governmental work. Occasionally, Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University and Bar-Ilan University require the services of a lawyer from abroad with a particular area of expertise. Alternatively, many lawyers go into private practice, either on their own or in partnership with other advocates.

Israel’s legal system is based on Common Law, so lawyers who are familiar with Common Law-based legal systems adapt easily. In Israel, practices tend to be small, with a one or two-person firm being the norm, rather than the exception. The larger Israeli law firms boast more than 150 attorneys. Specialization has become more common in recent years.

If you're seeking employment in the legal field, contact:

Smartjob: Smartjob does traditional recruitment of lawyers and legal administrative staff and maintains an electronic job board (in Hebrew). A candidate registers online and can then access all open positions. Once the resume is entered in the database, it will be sent directly by Smartjob for relevant positions. Please be in touch with Minna Felig at: minna@smartjob.co.il
A-one Executive Recruitment, a boutique placement company specializing in legal placements. Phone: 03-525-6001, Email: info@a-one.co.il, Website: www.a-one.co.il

Knowledge of Hebrew

In many of the larger law firms and corporate law departments, knowledge of Hebrew is a huge asset. Though American trained lawyers are often hired for their ability to draft contracts in English, familiarity with U.S. law and connections abroad, it is still extremely important to have strong reading and conversational Hebrew skills in order to interact with colleagues and local clients. Litigation and real estate practices require a substantially higher level of Hebrew proficiency as they are more localized and Hebrew language intensive.

In private practice, where generating business is critical, it is clearly to the attorney's advantage to be bilingual. Ulpan and continued improvement of Hebrew reading, writing and negotiating skills are very strongly recommended.

Areas of law often sought after by firms seeking to hire English speaking attorneys:

Corporate Law (with experience in contracts and securities)
Intellectual Property Law (with experience in patent prosecution and/or licensing-type agreements)

Attorneys with a large variety of specialties now practice law in Israel, but those with expertise in the areas listed above may have a substantially easier time finding positions and moving up within their companies.

Documents to Bring

Diploma: bring either an original or a copy of your original law school diploma. It should be certified by an Israeli attorney or the consulate.
Transcripts: bring two copies of your official transcripts from college and law school.
Proof of length of practice: obtain a letter, either from your employer or the bar, specifying the dates of employment by every employer since law school. If you are self-employed, write a letter on your letterhead stating the length of time that you have been in private practice.
Proof (from the bar) that you are an attorney: a Certificate of Good Standing will usually be enough. THESE DOCUMENTS MUST TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE BAR AT LEAST ONE MONTH BEFORE THE EXAM YOU ARE PLANNING TO TAKE, BUT WE SUGGEST THAT YOU SEND THEM 3-6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EXAM. Include a cover letter (in English or Hebrew) asking for confirmation that you 1. have submitted all of the necessary documents, 2. are eligible to take the exams, and 3. will be exempt from the post-internship written and oral exams (if applicable).

In order to be admitted to the Israeli Bar, Olim must meet the following 5 requirements:

1. Recognition of legal credentials

2. Examinations prior to articles: “Dinei Yisrael" test

3. Period of Articles (internship or “stag”)

4. Written and oral examinations after Articles (exemption given to lawyers with 5 years experience)

5. Residency in Israel

Admission to the Bar

Recognition of Legal Credentials

A law degree from a university that is recognized by the Faculty of Law of the Hebrew University.
At least 2 years of experience as a lawyer or a judge while holding a license to practice in your country of origin. In other words, you must have at least two years of experience in judicial functions for which only persons with legal education are qualified.

Certificates of recognition of past legal experience must be obtained from the Law Society or other official judicial authorities in the country in which you were licensed to practice law.

All certificates, degrees, diplomas, etc. must be submitted to the Israel Bar (Lishkat Orchei HaDin). Their address is: 1 Chopin St., Jerusalem.

Make sure you have notarized copies of all documents that you submit. Always retain the original document.

Law Degrees from Great Britain
In order for a British law degree to be recognized by the Israeli Bar Association (Lishkat Orchei Din), it must be a three year LLB degree. The LLB degree is a pre-requisite to sitting for the Israeli bar exam. Those who complete a non-law degree, take the one year CPE, do a two year internship, and pass the UK bar must practice law for a minimum of two years in the UK in order to be eligible to begin the licensing process in Israel.

There are many parallels between both the law school system and legal system in the UK and Israel.

In Israel, as in the UK, a student applies directly to the law faculty of a university. The course of study is 3 years, followed by a period of “Articles” (in Israel, the required length of the internship – stag – is currently 12 months), and ending with the bar exam.

The legal system in Israel is based on Common Law as it is in England, making it less difficult for English barristers and solicitors to transfer their experience. Those with commercial, international and intellectual property experience find their skills most marketable.

English Olim who want to become licensed to practice law in Israel must sit for the Dinei Yisrael exams prior to starting the period of Articles. Upon passing these exams, they must then do a 12-month stag (those with extensive legal experience can petition the Bar Association to reduce the length) and then sit for the Bar exam (those with a minimum of 5 years of legal experience are exempt from this exam.)

NOTE: There is a law firm in Jerusalem named Asserson which hires graduates of UK law schools to do outsourced legal work for UK firms. This work is recognized by the British Bar as fulfilling the requirement of Articles.

Written Examinations: "Dinai Yisrael"

There are no available exemptions from the Dinai Yisrael examination, and the exam is taken prior to internship. The exam consists of 3 hours for the Hebrew Language paper and 3 hours for the Law papers. New immigrant applicants are allowed 4 hours for each section.

The law exam includes:

Obligations (Tort and Contract) and Labor Law
Property Law
Family and Succession Law
Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure
Civil Procedure and Professional Ethics
Commercial Law A (Corporations, Partnerships and other Associations)
Commercial Law B (Bankruptcy, Liquidations, Bills of Exchange and Tax Law)
Constitutional and Administrative Law.

Candidates who have less than 2 years of experience practicing law abroad are required to pass the Hebrew examination and six of the eight law examinations before starting internship. The remaining two examinations can be taken during or after the internship. Those who have more than 2 years of experience can begin an internship after passing the Hebrew language exam and can take the substantive exams in the course of their internship or afterwards. The passing grade for these examinations is 61.

Any or all of these tests can be taken years before making Aliyah. An attorney who is in Israel on a pilot trip or vacation can take the exam. Some Olim have found it beneficial to be able to tell potential employers that they have already passed all of their qualifying exams. This also alleviates one cause of stress upon arrival in Israel.

The questions on all law examinations are in Hebrew, but the answers may be written in Hebrew or English (except for the Hebrew test).

English Preparatory Course for the Dinei Yisrael tests
David Saville offers English preparatory classes for the bar. To register, call the bar at 02-5411200. The cost of the course is 500 NIS, and it is reimbursed by the government. For further information, please contact David at 02-622-2446 or savilaw@netvision.net.il

You should check the dates of the preparatory classes before you decide on an Aliyah date.

Cost of Dinei Yisrael Exams
The cost of each of the Dinei Yisrael exams is 160 NIS, and applicants must take the Hebrew exam and the eight substantive Dinei Yisrael exams. Olim Chadashim are entitled to reimbursement from Misrad HaKlita for the full cost of the exams. You must go to your regional Misrad HaKlita office with the receipt of your payment.

Dates of Dinei Yisrael Examinations
The Law and Hebrew examinations are held twice a year, in January and in August. There are additional Hebrew examinations set in April and in October. There are no retest examinations.

Written and Oral Examinations after Internship

The written and oral examinations are held twice yearly, in May and November. They are taken after completing articles and include the following theoretical and practical subjects:

a) Procedure in courts, execution, office and bankruptcy.
b) Procedure of registering lands and rights on real estate.
c) Procedure of registering corporations, partnerships and liquidations.
d) Interpretation of laws and judicial documents.
e) Professional ethics.
f) Evidence.
g) Recent changes in case law and legislation.

Lawyers who have practiced abroad for at least 5 years are eligible for an exemption from these exams. IF YOU SEEK AN EXEMPTION, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE IS RECOGNIZED BY THE BAR. It is suggested that you write to the bar prior to Aliyah to ascertain whether you indeed qualify for this exemption.

Attorneys generally study for this test full time for 3 to 5 months. The written exam consists of 100 multiple choice questions in Hebrew to be completed within 3.5 hours. The oral exam is given a few weeks later to individuals who have passed the written exam. Our understanding is that the pass rate for Olim without Hebrew on a native level is approximately 65% on the first try.

Note: The examinations require proficiency in Hebrew. Without near fluency, it is difficult to pass.

There are three companies that offer review courses for the bar exam: Machshavot (http://www.machshavot.co.il/), Hamitmache (www.lawpubshop.co.il) and Practice (www.practice.co.il). They each offer different options regarding course length and you may be able to purchase only the materials. There are discounts for early registration as well as group rates. Expect to pay about 2,500-3,000 NIS for a complete course.

The cost of the bar exam,including membership in the Israeli bar is: 1,180 NIS (420 NIS for the written exam, 100 NIS for the oral exam,and 660 NIS for membership).

Special thanks to Laura L. Woolf, Editor-in-Chief of English Language Publications at the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption.

For additional information about practicing law in Israel, please see the following article which was written by legal recruiter, Minna Felig: http://jobsearchinisrael.com.blogspot/2010/05/living-israel-practicing-law.html

Interview with Russell Mayer

A special thank you to Russell Mayer, senior partner at Livnat and Mayer, for participating in this interview. If you have further questions, please be in touch with Russell at mayer@livmaylaw.co.il.

What is your current position?
I am a senior partner in a law firm. I focus on labor law, business and corporate law, and wills.

How did you find your job?
I worked as a lawyer in America for almost 9 years. After I made Aliyah, I worked at a large law firm in Tel Aviv as an employee for 7 years, through which I met my current partners. I have now been a partner in my firm for over 11 years.

What do you need to in order to be accepted into the Israeli Bar Association?
Immigrant lawyers have to take a series of exams, which include a Hebrew proficiency exam and a Laws of Israel exam. Lawyers with at least five years of experience abroad are exempt from the main Israeli Bar exam. Those not entitled to the exemption must take written and oral examinations. All lawyers must complete a mandatory articled clerkship after law school and before being admitted to the bar. Currently the requirement is for a one year term but it is due to be increased to 2 years. Lawyers who have experience from abroad can apply to shorten the period of their clerkships.

Do you need Hebrew to work in your field in Israel?
Part of the exams for the Israel Bar Association is a Hebrew proficiency exam. You do not need an exceptionally high level of Hebrew to pass the exam, but your Hebrew needs to be at a high enough level to study for and take the regular bar exam at the end of the clerkship (unless exempted). You will need to be proficient in Hebrew if you want to be a good Israeli lawyer who is not limited to working on English language matters.

Does it make any difference whether you studied in Israel or abroad?
My American law degree was recognized by the Bar Association. You just need to go through the proper procedures in order to have it recognized. Those who did not study in Israel, however, will not have a background in Israeli law. The transition is not too difficult once the Hebrew barrier is passed. Israelis value a foreign license (and study) so being admitted overseas has its value.

What is the salary range?
With experience, you may be able to earn in the mid to high teens per month, when you start out.

Who are the major employers in your field?
There are big laws firms in Israel, but most lawyers work in small firms. In addition, many companies have in-house legal departments.

What are the upcoming areas of specialization that you would recommend?
General business knowledge is valuable. Although business is cyclical, those who are good will always be in demand. Having sub-specialties such as securities will also increase demand. Litigation is difficult to do in Israel, unless your Hebrew is at a very high level or you limit your work to dealing with court matters overseas.

Is there a professional organization in your field?
The Israel Bar Association: http://www.israelbar.org.il/english_index.asp

What recommendations can you offer Olim looking to work in this field?
The more business-related experience you have from abroad, the more marketable you are likely to be here. In addition, to the extent that you can improve your Hebrew before arriving, you will be a step ahead. The ability to be interviewed for a position in Hebrew is not necessary for the most part, but will enable you to make a good impression on your prospective employers.

Any advice for students interested in going into your field?
Yes, I have a few recommendations:

It is important that you are aware of the articled clerkship requirement ahead of time, since that is a requirement with which most lawyers in America are not familiar.
Do well in school, and strive for a high ranking in your class.
Many law firms take law students to work part time during school. If you seek out these opportunities, firms are likely to hire you to stay on after you graduate.
Work on your Hebrew.

How do you feel about working and living here in Israel?
I love working here in Israel! It is challenging being away from family and adjusting to a new culture, but if you’re dedicated to living here, you’ll succeed. As they say, there’s no place like HOME.

Nefesh BNefesh

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