Devora Snyder with US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.
Devora Snyder with US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.

La dolce vita, “The good life,” Joie de vivre—every language has a phrase that encompasses the idea of exploring life’s big questions with verve, and Hebrew is no different. Laasot Haim is a way of life here in Israel. A team of Greenberg Traurig attorneys recently experienced this firsthand, combining practice enrichment, panel participation and network building, while attending the 2015 Israeli Bar Association Conference in the sunny town of Eilat, Israel. Attorneys from across Israel and the world traveled to the south of the country for a sun-filled week of top-notch workshops, hot-topic panels, and valuable networking. As always, Greenberg Traurig was an active participant, representing our international presence on multiple panels, attending events with Israeli peer firms, and hosting notable guests ranging from American Ambassador Daniel Shapiro to the ever-effervescent Dr. Ruth Westheimer (who taught the attending attorneys a thing or two about Joie de Vivre at a particularly lively evening event).

Hillarie Bass with Knesset member Tzipi Livni.
Hillarie Bass with Knesset member Tzipi Livni.
Bob Grossman and Dr. Ruth Westheimer.
Bob Grossman and Dr. Ruth Westheimer.

Attending the Conference were four Greenberg Traurig Tel Aviv-based attorneys as well as several of our prominent colleagues from our Miami, New York, Washington D.C., Tampa and Boston offices. Israeli media coverage of the Conference was widespread and we’re pleased to present a selection of articles for our readers’ review.

Gary Epstein and Hillarie Bass receiving awards from the Israel Bar Association.
Gary Epstein and Hillarie Bass receiving awards from the Israel Bar Association.

Ken Minesinger shared his thoughts on the future of Israel’s energy sector and the opportunities and obstacles ahead. Pete Hoekstra spoke alongside EU Ambassador Lars Faaborg Andersen and the former head of the Mossad, Major General Danny Yatom, about the strategic, moral and legal perspectives of coping with terrorist organizations. Greg Kehoe sat on a panel about the status of Israel’s right to self-defense in international tribunals, together with retired Israeli Supreme Court Justice Dalia Dorner, Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, and Israel Chief of Police Yohanan Danino (more information). John Pappalardo discussed the balance between bank secrecy and protecting against international money laundering with Paul Landes, head of the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Authority, and the Director General of the Israel Tax Authority Moshe Asher. Hilarie Bass participated in a lively panel about the current state of Israel-US relations, joined by Dr. Yossi Beilein, former Israeli Minister of Justice, MK Dr. Nachman Shai, and Former Minister of Justice and Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Livni. Also in attendance were Greenberg Traurig attorneys Gary Epstein, Bob Grossman, Joey Shabot, Adam Snukal, Aaron Katz and Devora Snyder.