Some of the biggest law firms in Tel Aviv were busy preening their feathers last week for their colleagues from the well-known British law firm Mishcon de Reya, who had arrived in Israel for a brief visit to meet them and deepen bilateral ties. The group that came to visit included the entire complement of Mishcon de Reya's Israel desk, as part of the firm's plans to expand its operations in Israel.

The Israel desk consists of six lawyers, headed by Richard Taylor, who is also the head of the firm's commercial department. The firm also recently added a "supporting player" to its ranks: a Jewish lawyer, Joel Adler, who specializes in corporate and business law. Adler did his internship with attorney Ram Caspi and worked in Israel for several years.

During the visit to Israel, the team met with several of the most prominent law firms in Tel Aviv, including Herzog-Fox-Neeman; Yigal Arnon; Zysman, Aharoni, Gayer and Co.; Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co.; Weksler, Bregman, and Co.; Gornitzky and Co.; Weinroth; and Hamburger, Evron and Co. The purpose of the meetings was to comb the largest firms for a partner for joint activity in Israel.

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Mishcon de Reya is one of London's most well-known firms. Lord Victor Mishcon, who was a very well-known Jewish lawyer in England and died this year at age 90, established the firm in 1937. Mishcon had political and personal ties to Israel and even took an active part in the 1994 peace talks with Jordan. The firm, which has 150 lawyers, including 50 partners, is considered medium-sized.

The firm, via attorney Anthony Julius, represented via Princess Diana in her divorce from Prince Charles, and to this day, Julius serves as vice president of the fund in memory of Diana. Julius, who has been involved with the firm for over 27 years - previously as a managing partner and today as an external consultant - became the most recognized lawyer in England in the wake of the divorce case. Another publicized divorce battle that Julius recently took part in is the one between Paul McCartney and Heather McCartney, where he represented the latter.

Contrary to the practice in Israel, in England it is customary to publicize the yearly incomes of large law firms. Mishcon de Reya stated that it earned 30 million pounds sterling in 2006 and expects to earn 20 percent more in 2007.

The partners said that if it were up to them, they would not publicize the figures. But the norm in London is to publicize. "It's just 'showing off' and nothing more," explained Adler. "Does the fact that you make a lot of money mean that the service you provide clients is better or that the firm is better? I don't think it helps clients choose the firm that suits them."

The visitors from the United Kingdom, which also included Mark Hirschfield and James Libson, had only good things to say of the Israeli firms. "The good firms in Israel could easily fit into the English legal market," Taylor complimented his Israeli colleagues. He said that his firm's desire to operate in Israel "stems from a long history of activity in, and business and family ties to, Israel. The firm is identified as a 'Jewish firm' because of the many Jewish lawyers working there, and we aren't trying to and don't want to flee this identity."