How to Choose an Israeli Lawyer

Are you looking for a lawyer in Israel? Here you will find useful tips

In this article, Advocate Joshua Pex, an Israeli lawyer from our Law Office, will give useful tips how to find the best lawyer for you in Israel.

The population of Israel, a nation of less than 9 million residents, has more than 80,000 lawyers registered at the Israeli Bar association. Israel in fact is said to be the leading country in the world regarding lawyer per capita ratio, with one out of every 130 residents a lawyer.

In order to be a lawyer in Israel one must have studied law, completed the one-year internship and passed the exam. However, not all registered lawyers in Israel who have been licensed by the Israeli Bar Association actually practice law. All in all, it is said that the state of Israel has the highest number of lawyers per capita in the world.

In light of the high number of Israeli lawyers, the question is: How can a person, especially a non-Israeli, know how to choose the best lawyer in Israel suitable for his/her specific case?

10 Tips on How to Choose the Best Lawyer in Israel for Your Case

Area of Practice: What is the area of legal practice you are looking for legal assistance in? Lawyers in Israel are free to practice any legal field of law. However, most law firms will focus on specific areas of practice where they develop a special expertise. Some examples of legal fields practiced by lawyers in Israel are: criminal law, labor law, Israeli immigration law, business law, real estate law, etc.

Experience: Find out in advance whether the Israeli lawyer has experience in the desired area of practice. This can be done by reading the lawyer’s bio, which will usually appear on the website, or by simply asking.

Geographical Area: Israel is not a large country, however, if the case in hand is in the Tel Aviv area, for example, it would be more convenient for all parties involved to seek an Israeli lawyer from the center of Israel.

Language and Communication: For the success of the legal issue at hand, whether it may be a complicated court case, immigration to Israel issue, buying or selling of real estate in Israel, and so forth, it is important to have good communication with the lawyer that will be representing your interests. The most obvious issue is the language, therefore, it is important to make sure you can communicate well and understand each other.

Availability and Willingness of the Israeli Lawyer: You need two for a tango, so it is not enough for the client to choose a lawyer. The client must make sure that the lawyer wants to take the case and has the time to do so.

Legal Fees and Agreement: It is important to make sure to agree upon the legal fees with the Israeli lawyer in advance and to make sure to outline the payment of legal fees, as well as the obligations of the lawyer in the case. As obvious as this may sound, many lawyers in Israel will not bother to sign a legal fees agreement with the client, which may lead to misunderstandings and frustrations for both parties.

Power of Attorney for the Israeli Lawyer: For an Israeli lawyer to be able to legally represent a client in Israel, the lawyer in Israel needs to receive a power of attorney document signed by the client. This document is prepared by the lawyer and signed in front of the lawyer. If the client is outside of Israel, the power of attorney will need to be authenticated by an apostille or signed at the Israeli Consulate. It is important to make sure that all the information in the power of attorney is correct, and more importantly, to give power of attorney to carry out the relevant legal task.

Confidentiality: Israeli lawyers, as lawyers all over the world, are legally obligated to confidentiality. There is no need to sign any separate document regarding the issue of legal confidentiality. However, if the case is especially sensitive, it would be best to express this to the Israeli lawyer you are working with.

Recommendations regarding an Israeli Lawyer: Try to look for recommendations by previous clients regarding the lawyer you will be working with in Israel.

Personal Intuition: Lastly, choosing a lawyer is a personal issue. Therefore, it is best to also listen to your instinct regarding this choice.

Contact Us

In case you are looking for a lawyer in Israel in one of our areas of practice, including US citizenship for descendants of US citizens, rental contracts, hiring expert foreign workers, or looking for a reference to an Israeli lawyer, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will get back to you as soon as possible.