Adi Chen, Family Law, Wills, Inheritances and International Estates

Adi Chen, Law and Mediation Offices, was established in 2006 by Advocate Adi Chen, and is one of the leading boutique offices in the field of International family wills, inheritances and estate Law. For several years, the office has been steadily ranked among the leading and outstanding legal offices by the Duns 100 and Bdi CODE rankings. 

Advocate Chen

Advocate Chen has 27 years of experience as a lawyer,  after successfully completing her internship at the District Court. She stands for her clients at the Family Court, the District Courts, the Supreme Court, the High Court of Justice and the Regional Rabbinical Courts and the Grand Rabbinical Court of Appeals. In addition, Advocate Chen is a family mediator and is certified to represent in collaborative divorce proceedings. In addition to her practice in these fields, Advocate Chen has an LLB (1997) – a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and an LLM – a Master’s Degree in Law including a thesis and with distinction (2001) from Bar Ilan University, in the field of Family Law, Inheritance and Private International Law. Since 1999, Advocate Adi Chen has been a highly valued lecturer and researcher in academia, in the field of Family Law, Inheritance and Private International Law, at various respectable, academic institutions, such as Haifa University, where she taught courses in Family Law, Inheritance and Financial Relations, for 6 consecutive years, the Institute of Lawyers’ continued training, governmental institutions and various conferences. Her articles and positions on current issues in the field of Family Law and Inheritance are published in the media and she is often invited to be interviewed on television and radio, due to her expertise in these areas. Her studies and academic articles have been published in prestigious journals in Israel and abroad, and have been quoted by scholars in and outside of Israel, as well as by courts in various rulings, including rulings given by the Superior Court and the District Court. Her research on the necessity to recognize foreign divorce of Jewish spouses who have no association to Israel, apart from their Israeli citizenship, brought about a change in the approach of legislation in Israel and the cancellation of rulings, and even awarded her a prestigious scholarship from the Institute of Comparative Law, which belongs to the Swiss Ministry of Law. In the year 2012 she served as a guest researcher at the Institute of Comparative Law in Lusanne, Switzerland. Since then, and due to her academic work and research in and outside of Israel, Advocate Chen has close working relations with international law experts. As well, with the goal of resolving legal, social and humane problems Advocate Chen serves in public roles in the Israeli Bar Assosiation: She is the co-director of the National Family Forum, the co-director of the Adoption, Surrogacy and Foster care Committee, and the co-director of the Child Rights. She performs her roles voluntarily and she is well known for her public involvement and many activities in promoting groundbreaking, legislative processes, in the field of Family and Inheritance Law. For years she has been preparing position papers, which are submitted to the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) on behalf of the Bar Association, and has served as a representative of the Bar in conferences on matters in her area of expertise. Among the proposals for change in legislation that Advocate Chen was involved in promoting are: The recognition of the right of bereaved parents to continuity and the fertilization of their sons’ sperm after death, surrogacy for single women and same-sex couples, and recently she has been involved in promoting legislation and international conventions, that are intended to protect minors and wards from international perspectives, prevention of economic and legal domestic violence, Reliefs against divorce refuses, both Jewish women and men, care for the welfare of orphans, prevention of violence against minors, domestic violence and more. Her extensive experience and skills combined with her academic knowledge and public activity, as well as a high worth ethic and her achievements, grant her prestige and an advantage in managing the proceedings and creating a personal legal strategy for her clients. These include well-known, prominent and senior figures in Israeli society, as well as citizens and residents from abroad. Adv. Chen provides her clients close support, discretion and sensitivity. 

Areas of Expertise

Advocate Chen specializes in the field of International Family, Wills, Inheritances and Estate Law. The Office offers a variety of services, from consultation and building the right strategy for the client and the dispute, negotiating agreements and legal representation and accompaniment in all legal Courts. International Wills, Inheritances and Estates – Advocate Chen’s Office deals with preparing wills, including complex ones, with complex inheritance issues that cross borders and countries, inheritance planning and intergenerational transfer, protection of wills, contesting of wills in cases of flawed wills, claims to the scope of the estate, claims against heirs, estate management, receivership of estate assets and representation in claims of receipt of survivor’s pension. The combination of academic proficiency and extensive experience creates an advantage in building strategy and dealing in complex inheritance struggles, that require thorough, uncompromising, exact and analytical work. In addition, Advocate Chen provides legal opinions in the field of wills and inheritances. Family Law – Advocate Chen has years of expertise in building strategies, planning and dealing with complex family disputes, from drawing up legal agreements and managing negotiations, such as, prenuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements between common-law couples, parental agreements, divorce agreements, representation at mediation proceedings or collaborative divorce proceedings, as well as representation in complex divorce struggles, including international divorce disputes, among them:

• Common-law spouses and cohabitation agreements • Claims between common-law spouses and claims for Rights as common-law spouse • Family disputes between spouses that were married in a civil ceremony • Marriage and divorce of couples of different religions • Marriage and divorce of LGBT couples, including drawing up of co-parenting agreements and dealing with inheritance matters, assets, custody and stay periods with each parent • Domestic Violence • Claims of sperm theft • Parental Determination • Divorce claims • Claims for domestic peace • Claims for the Ketubah • Property and financial claims • Alimony for a married woman • Civil Alimony provided to a man or woman • Child support claims • Balancing, liquidation and division of the common property, including property smuggling • Custody of children and time visitation claims • Immigration claims • Claims to return avducted children according the Hague Convention • Guardianship: Appointment, cancellation and change of guardian • Claims of bereaved parents and/or widows for insemination after death • Grandparents’ rights to relations with their grandchildren • Enduring Power of Attorney • Family Mediation and collaborative divorce – Advocate Chen is a family mediator and is also certified to be a representative in collaborative divorce proceedings. 

Social Involvement

Advocate Chen Holds public positions, which she carries out with voluntarily. She has been recognized due to her contribution and influence on legislative proceedings. In the initial months of the Iron Swords War and due to the atrocities of October 7^th, 2023, Advocate Chen led the “Hotline” that was started by the Bar Association and assisted lawyers and citizens. One of the highlights associated with the blessed work of Advocate Chen, is the family clinic that operates in the Science and Law Academic Center, that Advocate Chen founded since 2016. her students are placed in various Family Courts and provide legal aid to citizens. In addition, Advocate Chen volunteers in the Mentor Project of the Bar Association and advises and accompanies young advocates at the beginning of their careers.