Yonatan Fridman & Co.

Yonatan Fridman & Co. is a leading boutique law firm in Haifa and the northern region, specializing in complex, significant, and precedent-setting litigation and commercial law cases. After gaining over a decade of experience at some of Israel’s largest and most esteemed law firms, Attorney Yonatan Fridman established the firm. He oversees the firm’s cases with thoroughness, depth, and dedication.
The firm is committed to providing its clients with top-tier legal services, maintaining strict professional standards, and employing creative solutions. The firm aims to make the extensive experience and expertise accumulated by its team over the years in large and complex cases accessible to clients, offering efficient, reliable, prompt, and approachable service, emphasizing legal excellence, humanity, and professionalism. Services are provided in Hebrew, English, and Russian.

Attorney Yonatan Fridman, Founder and Owner

Attorney Fridman heads the firm. He holds an LL.B. with highest honors from the University of Haifa and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. After completing his studies, he interned at the Supreme Court under the Honorable Justice Edna Arbel. Following his certification, Yonatan worked as a young lawyer in the international litigation department at S. Horowitz & Co. He spent 9.5 years in the commercial litigation department at S. Fridman, Abramson & Co., including two years as a partner.
Attorney Fridman specializes in commercial, administrative, and constitutional litigation, with extensive experience representing clients in these areas before all judicial instances in Israel, including the Supreme Court, as well as in arbitration and mediation proceedings. He represents corporations and private clients in business disputes related to commercial transactions, disputes between partners or shareholders in corporations, breaches of contracts and agreements, litigation related to higher education, and complex class actions. He volunteers as Deputy Chair of the District Court Committee and Chair of the Business Promotion Committee of the Haifa District Bar Association. Additionally, he is active in community service as a member of the Rotary Club Haifa, a club that leverages the skills and connections of its members to assist others.

Litigation and Dispute Management

Yonatan Fridman & Co. handles and manages complex disputes requiring deep business and economic understanding. The firm represents corporations and private clients in various fields, including contracts, corporations, real estate, planning and construction, tenders, intellectual property, infrastructure, taxes, insurance, higher education, banking, and more. Representation spans all judicial tribunals, from Magistrate Courts to the Supreme Court, as well as mediation and arbitration forums. The firm handles disputes involving financial claims, enforcement of agreements, shareholder disputes, director conflicts, derivative claims, partnership disputes, investment agreement disputes, fee disputes between attorneys and clients, class actions in various fields, declaratory relief claims, temporary remedies, appointment of receivers, liens, injunctions, and representation in the High Court of Justice and administrative courts, with an emphasis on tenders.

Commercial Law and Ongoing Consultation

The firm provides comprehensive legal advice and ongoing business support to companies and corporations from various sectors throughout the company’s lifecycle: establishment, ongoing operations, advising shareholders, boards of directors, and management, as well as opinions on various matters including corporate law, corporate governance, contract law, necessary business regulation, guidance on proper conduct with public and governmental bodies, and more. The firm also offers ancillary services such as drafting founders’ agreements, bylaws, asset purchase agreements, service agreements, distribution and agency agreements, cooperation agreements, franchise agreements (representing networks and franchisees), confidentiality agreements, advice on the Freedom of Information Law, guidance on public and private trusts, and more.

Selected Cases from the Past Year

Representation in Arbitration Involving NIS 24.3 Million
Representation in a dispute between two project management companies concerning project management work for the Tel Aviv Light Rail Red Line. The dispute involves contractual interpretation related to project delays beyond the agreed period, where the defendant received a significant sum for the delay but refused to pay the claimant accordingly.

Attorney Sought to Change Land Designation Without Receiving Appropriate Fees
The firm represents an attorney in a NIS 9 million claim for changing land designation from agriculture to industry and commerce. The claimant alleges handling the defendants’ land for about 30 years to ensure its proper path to rezoning. However, after the rezoning was completed, the defendants denied the fee agreement and/or the claimant’s contribution to the rezoning and refused to pay.

3D Puzzles Alleged to Infringe Copyrights
Representation of defendants in a lawsuit filed by several municipal companies claiming that 3D puzzles produced by the defendants, depicting four football stadiums, infringe the plaintiffs’ copyrights (architectural works) and trademarks, harm their reputation, and constitute unjust enrichment. This is a precedent-setting case bringing to court for the first time whether a 3D creation based on a publicly displayed structure (stadiums) is permissible under copyright law.

Breach of Commercial Agreement Due to Sanctions on Imports and Exports to Russia
Representation of a company sued in international arbitration by a foreign company from Estonia for alleged breach of a goods agreement. The complex international dispute involves sanctions imposed on imports and exports to Russia following the war with Ukraine.

Defendants Filed a Frivolous Appeal to the Supreme Court and Bore Full Costs
Representation in a principal appeal to the Supreme Court against a judgment by the Haifa District Court. The district court awarded the plaintiff (represented by Attorney Fridman) approximately NIS 5 million plus linkage differentials and interest, and NIS 750,000 in attorney’s fees. Additionally, Attorney Fridman was appointed as a receiver over land valued at NIS 90 million to secure the judgment payment. The defendants’ appeal was dismissed in its entirety by the Supreme Court, which emphasized that those causing unnecessary proceedings with frivolous claims must bear the full cost of the proceedings. Therefore, the Supreme Court did not alter the attorney’s fee, which was set at the higher end.