Moriel Matalon is Chairman of the firm’s Executive Committee.
While a student at the Hebrew University during the 60’s, Mr. Matalon served as Vice-Chairman of the Student Union and as chairman of the Likud Party Students Organization (known at that time as “Gahal”).
Mr. Matalon served as an assistant to a Minister in the Israeli government from 1969 to 1970. From 1970 to 1975 he served at the Military Advocate-General Unit of the Israel Defense Forces, first as a military prosecutor, and later as the Deputy Head of the International Law department of the Israel Defense Forces. After completing five years of service, he moved to New York where he worked as an associate at the law firm of Amen, Weissman and Butler in New York City from 1975 to 1978.
Mr. Matalon returned to Israel and joined Gornitzky & Co. in April 1978, becoming a partner in 1981. Between the years 1991 and 2017, he served as managing partner of the firm.
In addition to a commercial and broad general practice, he has had significant experience in large infrastructure projects. In this capacity Mr. Matalon has represented the firm, inter alia, in the following matters:
- Serving as the leading lawyer on behalf of the government of Israel in the Cross Israel Highway Project;
- Serving as the leading lawyer on behalf of the government of Israel on the Tel Aviv Light Railway Project;
- Leading an international consortium for the world’s largest sea-water desalination project in Ashkelon, with an estimated investment value of $300 million.
As one of the leading commercial lawyers at Gornitzky & Co., Mr. Matalon represented clients in significant commercial matters, including:
- Involvement in the launching of Israel’s first satellite TV company, by representing the group awarded the license to establish and broadcast satellite television, including receipt of license from the government and regulatory and legislative aspects up until appeals to the Israeli Supreme Court;
- Representing the government of Israel in the privatization and IPO of the government owned company, Shekem, from 1990 to 1993;
- Acting on behalf of the Government of Israel in the privatization and sale of the Paz oil company, from 1984 to 1987.
Significant aspects of Mr. Matalon’s general practice have included involvement in:
- Hotels and Tourism, where he represents leading international and Israeli hotel chains in industry related matters as well as in day to day legal matters;
- Investments, where he has acted on behalf of leading local and foreign investors.
Additionally, Moriel Matalon serves as the Chairman of the Israeli Fund for UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund) and has served as a director of Bank Hapoalim (Switzerland).
