Dr. Amnon Goldenberg

amnon

Dr. Amnon Goldenberg, Esq, 1935-2005

The S. Horowitz Institute for Intellectual Property is named after the late Dr. Amnon Goldenberg

Amnon, the third of four children of late Nehama and Yehezkel Goldenberg, one of the founding families of the city of Hadera, grew up with strong Zionist roots. After graduating from high school in Hadera, he studied at the Faculty of Law at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and graduated with honors in 1956. He completed his military service at the military prosecutor's office and, in 1959, completed his Ph.D. in London. Upon his return to Israel, he interned at the office of the District Attorney, Tel Aviv District and at the S. Horowitz & Co firm, which he hereafter joined as an associate

In 1965, Amnon became a partner at the law firm, and soon gained fame as a brilliant litigator and as a persuasive and exceptional jurist. More and more was his assistance sought in complicated cases and appeals. By the 1970s, he was already well-known throughout the country and his counsel was often requested by prominent Israeli government and economic officials as well as by lawyers. During this period, Amnon contributed substantially to establishing the firm’s reputation as one of Israel's leading law firms. Amnon’s integrity and collegial demeanor earned him the sobriquet ‘the gentleman of the profession’

Intellectual property law was always close to Amnon’s heart. During the years of his most intensive activities he was considered the leading figure in the field. He was the foremost expert, and handled all of the most complex and challenging cases in this area. Amnon laid the foundations and developed the various branches of intellectual property in Israel: he dealt with patents, copyright and performers’ rights, designs and trademarks, appellation of origin, trade secrets and unjust enrichment law. In each of these areas Amnon left his footprint and generated precedents which would guide the field during both his generation and generations to come. The legal precedents he generated were adopted later on by the legislature in more than one instance, for example concerning copyright protection for computer software, or the application of unjust enrichment law as a supplement to patent law

From 1979-1983, Amnon was President of the Israel Bar Association, chaired many important public commissions and served as a senior lecturer at Tel Aviv University Faculty of Law. He published numerous articles in law reviews and books, was a member of the teaching committee at the Law School of the College of Management, Chairman of the Israel Democracy Institute, of Yad Chaim Weizmann, and of additional organizations

Amnon was known always to strive for excellence. He was a man of many interests, immersed in languages and books. He was a master wordsmith and loved music deeply and thoroughly. One of his favorite roles was serving as Chair of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. However, the law was surely the field which reflected his personality the most, and to which he had decided since adolescence to devote his energy. Amnon was an exceptional person, a jurist of great stature, who left his mark in academia, in courtrooms, in social and economic life, and in important public organizations. His lawyer’s cloak, even if invisible, was always on his shoulders. Amnon rejected appeals regularly made to him to serve as a government minister or as a Supreme Court Justice, saying that his skills and expertise lay in being a litigator

In early 2000, Amnon resigned from the firm he headed due to poor health. He passed away in 2005.

His rich library, lovingly gathered over decades, was donated to the Sapir College in the Negev, and is named after him. Amnon is survived by his wife Ora, his children Adar, Efrat, and Arnan, and six grandchildren, only two of whom he had the chance to know. 

Tel Aviv University makes every effort to respect copyright. If you own copyright to the content contained
here and / or the use of such content is in your opinion infringing, Contact us as soon as possible >>