Orly established and now heads Herzog Fox & Neeman’s labour and employment department, with over 25 years of experience in the field. Widely regarded as the leading employment law attorney in Israel, Orly advises international and domestic clients in the public and private sectors on all aspects of labour and employment law and labour relations, as well as employee benefits, executive compensation, collective relations, pensions, privacy and immigration.

You have a practice that assists clients operating in variety of sectors and industries. How important is knowledge of a specific sector to modern labour and employment lawyers?

In-depth knowledge of a specific sector is crucial and often sets excellent employment lawyers apart from good ones. Modern labour and employment lawyers should have a keen understanding of the nature of their industry and they should be well acquainted with the profiles of employees to be able to provide the most accurate legal advice to their clients. Employment lawyers who hold a wealth of knowledge of a specific sector can successfully pinpoint with ease the goals, beliefs, and challenges that any industry they are working with is facing.

What qualities do clients look for in an effective labour and employment lawyer?

Clients are constantly looking for knowledgeable employment lawyers with whom they can build long-lasting relationships. At Herzog, we work equally hard on both fronts. We encourage all of our lawyers to refine their knowledge and expertise through international forums, offering them the opportunity to learn about the laws and cultures of other jurisdictions from other leading experts in the field, which they can implement in their practice. By doing so, we prioritise practical and commercial advice, understanding the culture and the DNA of the clients, thus assisting them to make the right decisions. We also emphasise how important it is to preserve existing clients and ensure they continue to receive the highest quality work that meets their needs and surpasses their expectations.

What impact will technological innovation have on the labour and employment law in the next five to 10 years?

Rapid technological innovation such as the use of artificial intelligence for processes in the workplace and the acceleration of remote work is expected to trigger many legal, precedential, and unique challenges that employment law will play a significant part in. Just as the labour market will ultimately have to accept and adjust to a new reality – with certain professions disappearing, and others needing to adapt to new working environments and ways of working, we believe that the legislation, case laws, and court rulings will do the same. Employment law will evolve accordingly with an emphasis on fields such as privacy and issues employers are facing such as how to measure productivity in a hybrid-friendly work environment.

What steps can employers take to ensure they maintain a transparent and considerate approach towards their employees during the covid-19 crisis?

The covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on workplaces, employers, employees, and employment relations in Israel, and has created uncertainty as to what the future holds. The covid-19 crisis has taught us that there is no “one size fits all” solution and employers should not rush to assume what their employees need. Instead, employers are encouraged to implement specifically tailor-made prognoses to support their employees dealing with a variety of individual issues, whether relating to physical health, mental health, taking care of loved ones in need, and more. Employers can do this by establishing a concrete program with personal benefits for their employees. One such example is offering employees convenient access to professional counsellors who can support them in challenging times.

What is a major trend you see when advising clients today?

We’ve found that our clients’ focus has moved beyond purely financial employment entitlements such as wage, annual leave, pension, severance, etc., to a greater interest in creating a more holistic, accommodating (but no less productive) working environment. We carefully consider HR, managerial and internal communications when giving legal advice today.

What do you think will be the greatest challenge faced by the next generation of employment lawyers?

The next generation of employment lawyers will have to adjust to an increasingly international, innovative, and interdisciplinary workplace and the legal aspects involved. In many cases, our partners and associates are qualified in multiple jurisdictions or have worked overseas, and we have excellent international networks, giving our lawyers the chance to familiarise themselves with the legal, cultural, and linguistic aspects of such work. We also make sure we have the resources we need to be pioneers in new technology fields as we continue to put great effort into coordinating the legal field so our legal advice will be holistic and beneficial for the client.