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 late 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 Denied Agreed Success Fee Following Land Rezoning - The firm successfully represented a law firm in a NIS 9 million fee claim arising from the rezoning of land near Or Akiva from agricultural to industrial and commercial use, increasing its value to approximately NIS 187 million. After decades of work under a success-fee arrangement, the defendants denied both the agreement and the plaintiff’s contribution. The Court upheld the claim and awarded approximately NIS 4 million by way of compromise.

Shareholder Oppression in an E-Commerce Company- The firm successfully represented a plaintiff in a shareholder oppression claim arising from his exclusion from the management of an e-commerce company. The matter was resolved through mediation, with the plaintiff’s shares purchased at fair value and a financial settlement reached between the shareholders.

Manager Exploited a YouTube Artist and Sued Him After Their Relationship Ended - The firm represents a defendant in an arbitration between a well-known YouTube creator and his former manager. The manager filed a NIS 4 million claim, while the artist counterclaimed for declaratory relief, an accounting, and financial reconciliation. Mutual claims for defamation and invasion of privacy were later added. The arbitration is ongoing.

3D Puzzles Alleged to Infringe Copyrights - The firm successfully represented defendants accused by several municipal companies of infringing copyrights, trademarks, and goodwill through 3D puzzles depicting four football stadiums. The precedent-setting case examined whether reproducing a permanently public structure in three-dimensional form is permitted under Israeli copyright law. The dispute ended in mediation, with official marketing licenses granted to the defendants and royalties agreed upon.

Breach of Commercial Agreement Following Sanctions on Trade with Russia -  The firm successfully represented a defendant in an international arbitration initiated by an Estonian company alleging breach of a commercial goods agreement. The dispute involved sanctions affecting trade with Russia following the war in Ukraine. The matter concluded in mediation with a settlement substantially below the original claim.

Frivolous Supreme Court Appeal Dismissed with Full Costs - Representation in a Supreme Court appeal following a Haifa District Court judgment awarding the plaintiff approximately NIS 5 million, plus linkage, interest, and NIS 750,000 in legal fees. Attorney Fridman was also appointed receiver over land valued at approximately NIS 90 million. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in full, affirmed the attorney’s fee award, and emphasized that parties pursuing frivolous proceedings should bear their full costs.