Afik Turgeman, Attorney and Notaries (a Euro-American Lawyers Group member firm) has been awarded Acquisition International’s Israeli M&A Law Firm ofthe Year. AI speaks to Doron Alik and Shlomi Turgeman who are both senior partners of Alik Turgeman.
How did it feel when your firm won the Israeli M&A Law Firm ofthe Year?
“There are some very good M&A lawyers in Israel and we were very happy to hear that the magazine chose our firm.”
A happy team is aproductive team. How much emphasis do you place on team culture and what elements ofthat would you point to in helping you achieve this award?
“We believe that our team is our most valuable asset. Firstly, we put a lot of attention to our hiring process - we do not only use legal head-hunters but we will sometimes review hundreds of CVs and conducts dozens of interviews before we will find the person that tits the Afik Turgeman’s DNA. We invest many hours in tutoring our employees and they enjoy a very close attention of the partners - we make sure that any document leaving our firm bears the “Afik Turgeman signature.”
Closing deals is obviously the culmination ofmonths ofhard work, what strategies have you developed personally to deal with the recognised stresses oftransaction management?
“Our experience showed us that unlike the common beliefthat it is all business - everything is personal. A good M&A lawyer has to be an expert in the games theory on the one hand, and virtually a psychologist on the other. It is as important to understand the counterparty and its needs, as it is to understand your own client and its needs”
No one can rest on their laurels in this marketplace. What are you and your team doing to make sure you win the award next year?
“We are at all time thriving to better ourselves and our team. We are constantly looking for new business contacts and clientele, and we at all times opening our doors and our minds to new opportunities.”
How do you differentiate yourself? What is the one thing you’d leave in someone’s mind ifyou were pitching for new business?
“We believe that the personal attention is what differs us from others. Even as we get bigger, the partners are always involved and the clients will always receive a personal touch.”
How do you see the legal market changing and how will it affect you?
“The legal market is always changing. For years, the market is becoming more and more global and we are doing our best not only to adopt, but actually to lead. Our firm works in international standards but at very reasonable prices, which makes us compatible to the international market and competitive in such market. We are also members ofthe Euro-American Lawyers Group (www.ealg.com) and are thus part of a team of hundreds oflawyers in more than 25 countries and are able to supply excellent service in each such jurisdiction.”
How do you see your business in 3 years’time? How will it have changed shape? Will you (the firm) be recruiting?
“We are constantly recruiting. We do not have a vision as to size of the firm in 3 years time but we have promised ourselves to grow only at a rate that will enable us not to jeopardize the quality of our services.”
Ifyou could offer one piece ofadvice to the other nomineesfor your award, what would that be? What do you think made you and your team lead the pack?
“We believe that the best piece of advise in the M&A area would be to get to know your client as if you are about to purchase your client’s business, but always try and see the transaction from the eyes of the counterparty.
פורסם ב אפיק משפטי 090 07.12.2011