In the Spotlight: Kobre & Kim
In the Spotlight:
In our ‘In the Spotlight’ table, we catch up Principal Udi Karklinsky, experienced litigator and key member of the firm’s Israel Desk.
- What opportunities do you foresee for expanding the firm’s presence and influence in Israel?
We are uniquely situated as one of (at most) very few law firms that have a team of experienced U.S. litigators on the ground in Israel, embedded in the Israeli market, that can handle the type of sophisticated, high-stakes matters our firm focuses on.
We are able to advocate in situations overlapping interests across multiple jurisdictions, as well as provide differentiated solutions in areas where few firms have deep expertise, including, for instance:
- cross-border disputes concerning enforcement of distressed debt claims, acting on behalf of either creditors or debtors to develop and implement strategies to deliver on a client’s commercial goals;
- cross-border enforcement of judgments, an area likely to expand with Israel’s recent adoption of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) Model Law;
- multi-jurisdictional matters pertaining to claims against ultra-high net-worth individuals, including threats to their assets, reputation and liberty; and
- patent enforcement and trade secret theft disputes.
- What are the primary strategic objectives for the Israel-focused legal team in the upcoming year, and how do they align with the overall goals of the global law firm?
As our presence in Israel continues to expand, our strategic objectives remain true to the firm’s global appeal and mission. We are focused on cross-border matters, and with that in mind, aim to connect Israel with key jurisdictions around the world (North America, Offshore, Asia Pacific, Latin America), representing Israel-based clients in U.S. and international matters as well as assist non-Israeli individuals or companies that have commercial or legal ties to the country.
Our model encourages collaboration with Israeli law firms, especially given our different offerings and our one-time “special counsel” approach. With that in mind, we hope to continue building strong bonds with local firms and complement their capabilities with our expertise on cross-border matters.
- How does the team collaborate internally and externally to stay abreast of the latest legal developments in Israel and globally?
We have 15 offices worldwide, with U.S. litigators, English barristers and solicitors, Hong Kong solicitors and offshore lawyers, with various different expertise. To make the most of this diverse group, we take a tailor-made approach, and assemble teams depending on the specific strategy, expertise, and skills required for a particular matter. This leads to greater integration and focus, and allows us to work seamlessly across Kobre & Kim offices and time zones.
To keep the firm on the cutting-edge of cross-border disputes and investigations, we also put a constant emphasis on learning, innovation and creativity, for instance, through internal idea generation initiatives.
- What are the challenges facing the firm’s Israeli desk? How does the team address potential cultural or jurisdictional challenges when working on cases that involve both Israeli and global legal perspectives?
Like everyone else in Israel, for us too, the biggest challenges over the past year had less to do with the legal work, and more with the ongoing war. We have been focused, first and foremost, on making sure team members and their families are safe and supported during these very tough times.
Work-wise, the nature of the firm’s complex, cross-border work means that we often deal with various (sometimes challenging) jurisdictions. We are well accustomed to such situations, including working in different languages and with different cultural backgrounds, often in the very same matter. Diversity and the appreciation of cultural differences are part of Kobre & Kim’s values, and the same goes for our Tel Aviv office specifically. With that in mind, we certainly benefit from our team’s deep familiarity not just with the Israeli legal system, but also with the Israeli market and society, and, even more basically, the Hebrew language.
