Austria

Binder Grösswang is a leading commercial firm, with lawyers working across its Vienna and Innsbruck offices. Although the firm is exclusively based in Austria, it often leads on cross-border deals. 

Focusses / specialisms 

Lending advice is a strength of the firm. It advises most big domestic and regional banks and is known as one the country’s stronger banking regulatory firms. It regularly works with private equity firms and is recommended for leveraged finance. Project financing for wind power plants is another area the firm is more experienced than most firms are locally. 

The firm has a good capital markets team. The group is active on the debt side and often advises locally based lenders on commercial paper programmes and has recent IPO experience advising underwriters. 

The M&A team consistently secures roles on the market’s top deals and is often involved in cross-border inbound acquisitions involving financial sponsors, where it typically advises private equity firms as either buyer or seller.

Key clients 

Notable banking clients of the firm include ING Bank, Unicredit, Emirates NBD and Badder Bank. The firm has worked with leading companies in various fields, such as Mayr-Melnhof Group and Stienhoff Group. 

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in all areas of financial and corporate law including banking and finance, debt and structured finance capital markets, M&A, project development and restructuring.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for a mix of borrowers and lenders.

In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions and joint ventures for a mix of acquirers and sellers in the financial services, consumer goods and technology sectors.

In project development the firm worked on energy and infrastructure projects for clients connected with financial services, energy and construction.

In restructuring the firm worked on deals for creditors and shareholders in the banking, financial services and consumer goods sectors.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Bildungscampus Rappachgasse and Landgutgasse PPP project

Insight Partners €100 million investment in PSPDFkit

Steinhoff Group restructuring

VERBUND €500 million green bond issue

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Bank lending 

"Binder's Stefan Tiefenthaler is the premier legal adviser in Vienna for finance. Stefan manages to combine technical thoroughness and intellectual excellence in a way that results in straightforward practical advice."

Banking and finance

"Combination of technical thoroughness and intellectual excellence resulting in straightforward practical advice. De-escalating way to moderate negotiations. Wealth of experience to draw from."

Capital markets         

“Short response times; information is individually customised to the facts/situation of the client.”

“Competent and professional, resilient and flexible, good sense of humour.”  

“Understanding, competent and hands-on.”

Financial services regulatory          

“They have a quick response time and are client-focused.”

M&A   

“Reliable, trustworthy, know our culture.”

“High availability and very quick responses. Built up special know-how to serve our (extraordinary) needs. Fair fee structure.”

“Very professional and pragmatic approach.”

“Precise work; assembling a very qualified legal team in foreign jurisdictions.”

“Very responsive.”

“Binder Grösswang did a splendid job in the transaction.”

“Reliability, on schedule, within easy reach, empathy, involvement, commitment.”

“Excellent service and communication. Professional setup. Thinking out of the box and being creative in finding solutions. Deal-closing attitude.”

Project finance          

“Experience, flexibility, persistence, solution-orientated approach.”

Restructuring

“Extremely high problem-solving competence of the restructuring & insolvency team.”

“Short response times, hands-on approach to complex restructuring mandates, very structured way of working.”

“Binder Grösswang provided us with high-quality legal advice at very short notice. They found just the right balance of legal precision and pragmatism, which exactly met the client's requirements.”

Gottfried Gassner     

“Very responsive.”

“He understands how to go through difficult situations without agitation.”

Philipp Kapl   

“He is very reactive and pragmatic with high professional and social skills.”

“He is extremely responsive; addresses the key issues without losing the focus.”

Florian Khol  

“Highly competent and professional, resilient and flexible, good sense of humour.”

Thomas Schirmer      

“Extremely professional; deal-closing attitude; very knowledgeable in various industries.”

Stefan Tiefenthaler   

“Stefan is the premier legal adviser in Vienna for finance. Stefan manages to combine technical thoroughness and intellectual excellence in a way that results in straightforward practical advice.”

“Binder's Stefan Tiefenthaler is the premier legal adviser in Vienna for finance. Stefan manages to combine technical thoroughness and intellectual excellence in a way that results in straightforward, practical advice.”

“Expert, superb communication skills, convincing.”

Georg  Wabl   

“Georg Wabl is customer-focused and intends to achieve the best possible results for his clients. He goes beyond the necessary work to complete a project.”

“Excellent up-and-coming young partner, already very experienced. Very solution-orientated, easily accessible.”

“Georg Wabl is very competent. He provides high-quality legal advice on very short notice, precisely tailored to the needs of the client. The cooperation with him is very pleasant and refreshing.”

“Very quick response time; solution-orientated advice.”

Christian Zwick         

“Friendly, responsive, competent. Great know-how about our business.”        

“Christian Zwick is an excellent lawyer.”

Founded in 1921, CERHA HEMPEL is among Austria’s largest and leading firms. Since the late twentieth century, the firm has been growing a network of offices in Eastern Europe that now encompasses branches in Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and the Slovak Republic.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has a broad group of commercial law practices with good, experienced teams covering all areas of work relevant to the ranking tables. The firm’s corporate practices are especially strong and capital markets is an area of work the firm is renowned for.

The firm is experienced in the banking work. It is known for assisting large corporates and lenders (international and domestic) in negotiating loans and has done recent notable work in the swathe of bank restructurings undertaken by some of Austria’s largest lenders.

Historically the firm was renowned for its equity capital markets advice, particularly on the issuer side, it continues to represent a number of large Austrian listed businesses. In line with the market, in recent years its team has been more active on the debt side. It often acts as issuer’s counsel on bond issues by the country’s larger corporates.

The firm has strong relationships with Austrian leading companies that often call on it to advise on cross-border M&A.

Sectors of focus for the firm include banking, oil and gas, real estate and telecoms. 

Key clients

The firm has strong relationships within the banking sector, advising clients such as Commerzbank and Erste bank. It also represents large Austrian companies, including CA Immobilien, S IMMO, XXXLUTZ Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group and OMV – a longstanding client that is among the 500 largest listed companies in the world.

Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance, debt and equity capital markets, M&A, project development and restructuring.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for lenders and borrowers connected with the banking, manufacturing, energy and consumer goods sectors.

In debt capital markets the firm worked on bond issuances for clients linked to the financial services.

In equity capital markets the firm worked on IPOs and secondary share offerings for clients connected with financial services.

In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions for a mix of acquirers and sellers in the manufacturing, oil and gas and financial services sectors.

In project development the firm worked on projects for clients in the oil and gas, transport and utilities sectors.

In restructuring the firm worked on deals for a mix of shareholders and creditors in the construction, technology, energy and consumer goods sectors.

Deal highlights: 32nd edition (2022/2023)

AT&S €350 million note issue

Celebi restructuring

EG Group €614 million acquisition of OVM's Southern Germany filling station business

Client Feedback: 32nd edition (2022/2023)

Bank lending : Borrower side

"They were very timely in their advice and availability. They were very knowledgeable and professional."

Banking and finance

"They had extensive knowledge and expertise in the area required, which was extremely helpful in the negotiation of the agreement."

Capital markets : Debt

"Preparation, review and examination of all documents involved. Representation of AT&S with regard to the legal side of the investment banks as well as to other parties involved (auditors, legal/risk representatives of investment banks). Submission and negotiation of the bond prospectus with the Austrian Capital Market authorities. - guidance and close attendance of the processes around the execution and tender period "

Capital markets : Equity

"They provide fast feedback to our requests, they know our industry very well and they are interested in understanding exactly what we do in order to provide their advice."

"Reliable, highly accessible, pragmatic and solution-driven, excellent knowledge."

"High competency, very pragmatic and solution-driven, reliable, hands-on mentality, always available when it matters."

Financial services regulatory

"Vast experience, quick turnaround, highly available, very well reputed, deep knowledge."

M&A

"1. Profound knowledge; 2. quick and professional responses; 3. available 'round the clock'; 4. international network."

"To the point, flexible, look over the edge."

"The CERHA team is always there when you need it, which is basically 24/7 in some transactions. Professional, experienced, knowledgeable, providing the right team for the respective task, very dedicated, result oriented, quick and flexible. Value for money."

"Very business-minded and responsive; great value for money."

"Thorough, hands-on, quick."

"They are fast, responsive, to the point, solution-oriented and apply a commercial mindset; they seek pragmatic positions rather than following endless dogmatic discussions."

"The firm has been providing us with very comprehensive advice on corporate transactions for many years, pointing out all the benefits and risks involved. "

"The firm goes the extra mile. They have advised us in M&A, PE/VC, insolvency, restructurings, litigations, everything. They offer great quality, are available whenever I ned them. It is just pleasant to work with them. "

"Responsive, well organised, high-quality, full service in the relevant jurisdictions."

"Professional, pragmatic, solution-oriented, fast and flexible."

"Most experienced; reliable; quick; very commercial."

"It is a full-service firm. Mostly we need corporate support. However, if it comes to labour, data protection, compliance or any other issue, the firm is well equipped and can support with quality advice. "

"In Austria, they are a leading firm in both corporate and M&A. They are particularly good at steering clients and finding viable solutions."

"Highly responsive, great industry knowledge, practical advice, top quality."

"Great understanding of business requirements, negotiation support, legal due diligence, high-quality legal support, very responsive."

"Good value for money and business-oriented approach."

"For us, the firm regularly is the perfect fit since it offers a perfect combination of utmost responsiveness, top-level legal advice, great value for money, a team that knows our firm very well and a great international network for partner firms to extend the team for further jurisdictions. "

"Excellent legal knowledge and ability. Business-driven and problem-solving advice. Depth of team and international network."

"Excellent client relationship management. Excellent depth of team. Excellent legal knowledge."

"Best M&A and one of the best corporate firms in Austria. On top of outstanding expertise, there is a true understanding of the client."

Project development : Energy

"Excellent depth of team. Excellent legal knowledge and ability . Excellent sector knowledge. Innovative solutions."

Project development : Infrastructure

"They are unique when it comes to client-oriented, top-notch legal work. They understand what we want to do and their input always brings added value to the project. Their knowledge as well as their quick turnaround times are to my experience unparalleled."

Registered funds

"Extremely thorough and proactive; they help us see 'around the corner'."

Restructuring

"Keep an overview when many issues at once get complicated. Experts in every required legal field."

"We (I and our client) were impressed by the high-quality and accurate advice provided, in a rather brief timeframe. In fact, the case has developed according to client’s wishes. "

Retail funds

"The firm is proactive and advises us of local changes/requirements before we know that we need to comply. Also, the firm takes care of all the local requirements, i.e., liaising with local bodies. This is particularly helpful as we don't have a local presence."

Albert Birkner

"Excellent lawyer and partner, accompanying us for more than 20 years now"

"Very experienced, very efficient, real M&A expert, deep knowledge, solution-oriented."

"No. 1 M&A lawyer in Austria. Brilliant. Very rounded and always on top."

"He is the leading individual in the firm and one of the leading individuals on the Austrian corporate M&A market; he is fast, always on top of things, a strong negotiator and his legal skills are impressive. He regularly outperforms his competitors."

"No. 1 in M&A in Austria; an outstanding lawyer and deal maker; a delight to work with."

"He has advised us for more than 18 years. He is our lawyer of trust. Albert is reliable, skilled, always dominating negotiations when we need it, at the same time rational and focused on our business aim. We always know that we have the best lawyer on our side. "

"He is the no. 1 in Austria for M&A, and one of the top five for corporate work. Simply brilliant."

"He is THE lawyer with the firm. He has been with the firm for 27 years. There is nothing he has not seen in his career. And still, he is very active in each file, drafts, negotiates. Great guy, could not think of anyone better. "

"Very experienced, excellent communicator, top M&A lawyer."

"Very business-oriented. Great focus on customer relationship."

Heinrich Foglar-Deinhardstein

"Knowledgeable, user-friendly, quick to respond. "

"Works very fast, understandable, very polite, solves and explains complicated problems very quickly, always available, solution-oriented, always offers economically reasonable solutions."

"Very good legal knowledge, very good communication."

Volker Glas

"Highly accessible, pragmatic, solution-driven, excellent knowledge, reliable."

"Highly proficient with huge experience in this area; calm and positive attitude; always available; perfect time management."

Claudia Hanslik-Schneider

"Her diligence and patience with impatient clients is unparalleled, as is her legal knowledge. "

Clemens Hasenauer

"Always keeps the overview, even in complex situations. Thinks strategically, extremely knowledgeable regarding legal expertise as well as industrial knowledge.
Friendly, positive attitude, problem-solver."

"Outstanding legal knowledge and ability. Outstanding negotiations skills. Outstanding innovative legal solutions."

"Excellent knowledge, translates knowledge easily into solutions, high reliability."

"Top negotiator. Understands business implications of legal issues. "

"One of the best lawyers in Austria, great negotiator, finds solutions that really work."

"He stands out as a market-leading M&A lawyer who really understands our business needs and always comes up with sustainable solutions due to his vast experience and great technical and negotiation skills. Also, he is available day and night and regularly makes the difference in tough and long-lasting negotiations."

"Extremely knowledgeable; convincing performance in every M&A transaction; great listening skills; highly intelligent and dedicated, puts himself in your shoes and develops legal solutions from there; educated; friendly; quick mind, great speaker."

"He is an excellent professional and very prudent adviser."

"Excellent legal knowledge and ability, innovative legal solutions. Excellent negotiation skills, business-driven and problem-solving work approach."

Stefan Huber

"Besides being an excellent regulatory lawyer, he is maybe the fastest lawyer I have ever worked with."

Peter Knobl

"Incredibly proactive, technically excellent and very personable."

"Extensive knowledge and expertise in the area required, which was extremely helpful in the negotiation of the agreement."

"Very responsive, meets deadlines, interested in finding good fee solutions for us."

"Highly experienced, hands-on, deep legal knowledge, highly accessible, always on the point."

Hans Kristoferitsch

"He is a great strategic thinker and has in-depth legal skills. He is very well connected with peers and politics. "

"Excellent know-how, clear analysis."

Thomas Trettnak

"Very business-minded, responsive and efficient; very good communication skills and team management."

"Provides comprehensive solution for clients."

"The high-quality and accurate advice provided and the perfect communication, verbal and in writing."

"Reachability; problem-solver; perfect knowledge; extremely helpful."

Founded in 1976, Dorda is a leading Austrian firm based in Vienna that is strong in financial and corporate transactional work.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is active and strong in all areas of work covered by Austria’s ranking categories and is among the leading advisers in the country for public M&A and equity capital markets work. It is also active in banking and finance, debt capital markets, structure finance and securitisation, project development, and restructuring and insolvency.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Kreisel Electric, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Greiner, Sandoz, Novartis Pharma Austria, Apeiron Biologics, and Attestor Capital.

Client feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Banking and finance

We deal exclusively with Patricia Backhausen and were extremely happy with her work. She was not only very knowledgeable and professional but was also able to provide a fast turnaround.

Capital markets         

Fast, responsive, to the point, results-orientated, successful.

Financial services regulatory          

Super-responsive and detail-orientated.

M&A   

“Very detail-orientated team and strong negotiators that helped us get the terms we want in the SPA. Patricia Backhausen in particular was someone that spearheaded our deal, and she was very on top of drafting every document in time and ensuring we were always well positioned when it comes to negotiating the SPA terms.”

“Leading Austrian firm with excellent M&A practice and broad general practice capabilities.”

“Very professional, pragmatic and service-orientated.”

“Great expertise in M&A, constructive negotiators, profound knowledge of M&A process.”

“Responsive with clear and practical advice.”

“Very high organisational skills, very experienced in the field, high level of accessibility.”

“Service approach, responsiveness, industry knowledge, advice to the point.”

“Extremely great client service, completed all legal workstreams in a timely manner. Provided great guidance on the carve-out as well as related employment matters. Very skilled in navigating cross-border deals and working with North American clients, able to communicate with us effectively and work through the time differences in a productive manner. In particular, our lead counsel on the deal was Patricia Backhausen and she was amazing to work with. She was always available to guide us and holds a wealth of knowledge in the technology space. For future deals, I would definitely request to work with her again! Legal diligence report was very clear and concise, one of the best I have received from a law firm in terms of layout and summaries of red/yellow flags with subsequent detail.”

“Quick, pragmatic and business-orientated.”

“Understands the customer, offers business solutions, offers pragmatic solutions, not overcautious.

“Very fast, precise and competent.”

Private equity

“Dorda is up to date and has a unique approach to obtaining the best deal.”

Project development

“Covering a wide scope of legal sectors.”

“Quick and reliable answers; down-to-earth-approach, with implementable solutions; sparring partners in the search of viable solution of ECJ decisions; fine tuning of privacy policies, contracts etc.”

“Fast, precise, competent.”

“Their legal expertise is excellent. They are a pleasure to work with, happy to tackle challenging issues and they are extremely client-orientated.”

Restructuring

“The Dorda team is very proactive and diligent in their legal advice. Always to the point even in complex matters and unchartered territory.”

Axel Anderl    

“Axel has extensive industry knowledge and is a very passionate and tough negotiator. This is a huge benefit, especially when you are a client in the highly regulated industry and have to deal with major international IT providers. He is super-smart, attentive and extremely responsive. Axelʼs drive and dedication make a real difference.”

Patricia Backhausen

“Ms Backhausen delivered the required work very quickly. She was also able to explain everything in a way that allowed those of us not well-versed in legal terminology to understand what was going on. This is a skill that many other lawyers lack.”

“Strong negotiator, very detail-orientated and works very quickly/hard on all deliverables. These are key attributes we look for in a great legal counsel as the basis of our work/deal process in ensuring it: i) closes on time and stays on the timeline we originally proposed; and ii) we get the terms we're comfortable with for the SPA. She never hesitated to jump on a call to discuss any issues even if it was very late at night (was a common theme given we're in North America), and that made it easy for us to progress forward throughout the deal.”

“Very responsive, clear and positive.”

“Strong communication skills and very knowledgeable in her field. Took the time to understand our expectations as a client and also our business so legal diligence was more effective. Timely diligence without delays. Really appreciate her ability to summarise legal issues in a way that is easy for non-lawyers to understand without all the legal jargon. Puts all her time and effort into serving us as a client, especially having to work through cross-border time differences. Very productive and efficient at delivering results. Patricia definitely stepped up on our file and acted like a partner (we barely had direct communication with her partner). That shows how experienced she is and how capable she is at running a deal with clients - all in all, Patricia is great!”

“Patricia Backhausen works with a 'hands-on' mentality and is a great partner in developing and documenting new solutions.”

Martin Brodey           

“Pragmatic; hands-on; business-orientated; easily accessible.”

“Very high organisational skills, very experienced in the field of M&A, high level of accessibility, fun to work with, high level of problem-solving.”

“Friendly, competent, customer-orientated, flexible.”

Alexandra Ciarnau    

“Alexandra's key strength is being able to understand her client's needs right away. Thus, she gives spot-on legal advice considering the practical technical requirements of her clients and always sees the bigger picture. This makes working with her really easy and effective.”

Lukas Herrmann       

Jürgen Kittel 

“Excellent corporate/M&A lawyer, has all necessary attributes - knowledgeable, experienced, responsive, quick thinking, pragmatic.”

“Fast thinker, excellent communication, business-minded.”

Heinrich Kühnert      

“Competent, friendly, can explain complex antitrust issues understandably, gives pragmatic solutions.”

Andreas Mayr

“Approachable, responsive, knowledgeable, focused.”

“Strong negotiator, 24/7 availability.”

“Very supportive and knowledgeable.”

“Brilliant capital markets and transaction lawyer.”

Magdalena Nitsche   

“Very competent, precise and reliable: especially good communication.”

Veit Öhlberger           

“Open, direct, courageous, competent, good person.”

Christian Richter-Schöller

“Super-responsive, deep knowledge.”

“Super-professional, team player, smart and very good in negotiations, super-responsive and deep business understanding.”

“Very competent, precise and reliable.”

Nino Tlapak

“Extremely quick responses; clear answers; sharp and apt explanations; short meetings, even on short notice.”

“I worked with Nino on major cloud projects and complex data protection topics and was more than happy. He has excellent market knowledge, provides superior service and is always willing to go the extra mile. Nino has extensive legal knowledge of the subject matter as well as the required technical knowledge. This combination helped a lot in our recent negotiations.”

Andreas Zahradnik   

“Know-how. Network. Reliability. Experience.”

Pelzmann Gall Größ (EY Law Austria) is an independent law firm and part of the global EY Law network which has over 2,400 employees in over 80 countries. The firm has four offices in Austria.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has a focus on M&A matters including cross-border transactions and joint ventures. Other areas of focused work include restructurings.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include BWT, Link Mobility Group, Erber Group and Anticimex.

Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance as well as M&A.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for clients connected to financial services, real estate, manufacturing and consumer goods sectors.

In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions for clients linked with the consumer goods, construction and financial services sectors.

Deal highlights: 32nd edition (2022/2023)

Irish Zeus Packaging Group acquisition of Petruzalek

Established in 1999, Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner is full-service Austrian law firm based in Vienna.

Focusses / specialisms

The domestic firm and one of its name partners in particular have an outstanding reputation for all manner of domestic restructuring (both corporate and financial) and insolvency law advice.

Since the firm’s formation it has always had a focus on restructuring or distressed work. In the 20 years since it opened, co-head Markus Fellner’s name has become synonymous with distressed work in the Austrian legal community. He is widely revered as a market leader for advice on all manner of deals where restructuring or insolvency expertise is required.

Fellner’s reputation was in part built working on Austrian restructuring cases which used novel or rare structures for the market, such as convertible loans, subordinated financing bail-ins, debt for equity swaps, participation notes and securitisations.

The firm has strong, long-standing relationships with a number of Austria’s leading banks, which it often represents as creditors on restructuring or insolvency matters, with Fellner the preferred counsel.

The firm does represent debtors too, but conflicts limit the amount of this type of work it does domestically.

The firm’s expertise also sees it called on for insolvency law regulatory advice. It is a member of relevant EU committees and advised Austria’s ministry of finance on the implementation of BRRD (Austria was the first country to implement the EU directive).

The firm also has an experienced public law practice recommended for its expertise in advising on environmental impact assessments. 

Key clients

The firm has advised important companies in Austria, such as Stienhoff group, UniCredit Bank Austria and IKEA.

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance, M&A and project development.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for clients in the banking sector.

In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures for clients in the banking, financial services, real estate, energy, consumer goods and technology sectors.

In project development the firm worked on projects for clients in the public, real estate, transport and consumer goods sectors.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

ARVAL Austria acquisition of UniCredit Leasing Fuhrpark management

Feldkirch city tunnel project

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Banking and finance

“Clients are always FWP's top priority.”

“Excellent reputation in the market; outstanding experts.”

“Timely delivery of clear and concise memos and materials. Deep and broad legal knowledge complemented by strong tactical negotiation skills.”

Capital markets

“Very good in the area of advanced capital instruments, combining a deep knowledge of financial regulation (capital requirements) and capital market transactions.”

M&A   

“Great and quick understanding of our needs. Great expertise and very fast response times.”

“Proactive approach, thinking outside of the box for the best interest of the client, proactively anticipating potential issues in the future and proposing ways to mitigate such risks.”

Project development

“Supreme ability to cope with complex infrastructure projects. Perfect skill in communicating with technical and project management staff. Sure-footed insight into and approach to developing issues on the national level.”

“Competent and very fast handling of our request.”

Markus Fellner          

“Markus Fellner is our go-to guy for corporate law.”

“Comprehensive knowledge of Austrian banking and corporate law. Strong negotiation skills. Timely delivery of concise responses even under pressure.”

Michael Hecht

“One of very few lawyers in Austria who can really claim to be infrastructure specialist. Long and excellent track record in railway, energy, road and air infrastructure planning and permit procedures. Perfect communication skills.”

“Fast and competent support in permitting issues in building law.”

Florian Kranebitter

“Excellent knowledge of the industry and its standards, very responsive and practically orientated approach.”

“Great and quick understanding of our needs. Great expertise and very fast response times.”

“I have never had a lawyer that is more proactive and follows the customer's business and industry than Florian Kranebitter. He identifies potential problems independently and often before we as customers have identified the problems.”

Josef Peer     

Sure-footed expert in environmental and infrastructure planning and permit procedures. Perfect knowledge of the sector, strong communication talents and a knack for integrating into multi-professional teams already place him among the best reputed of the new generation.”

Gregor Schett

“Out-of-the-box thinker and outstanding expert in banking law.”

Founded in 1994, Graf Isola is an Austrian law firm with offices in Vienna and Graz.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm has a focus on banking and finance work and handles matters in debt financing, refinancing and restructuring. The team is also active in the M&A practice and acts for clients in the advertising, marketing and IT sectors.

Industry sectors where the firm receive work include infrastructure, energy and real estate.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Lukoil International, Tyson Foods Europe, Schukra Berndorf, Hubert Burda Media, Dexia Crédit Local, VKR Holding and GL Pharma.

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2022/2023) 

Restructuring

“Top-level professionals with matter-oriented approach being experts in their business sector.”

Rautner is an independent commercial law-focused boutique based in Vienna.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm focuses on banking and capital markets work.

The firm provides advice across the full spectrum of financial services including syndicated lending, project/ real estate finance, restructuring, insolvency, financial services regulatory work, debt and equity capital markets.

The firm has strong relationship with international investment banks and is, therefore, often seen on bank-side debt capital market transactions.

Key clients

Key recent clients include Banco Santander, Generali Bank, Kommunalkredit Austria, BNP Pariba, Niederlassung Österreich, Oekostrom, UniCredit Bank Austria, UNIQA Insurance Group, Windkraft Simonsfeld, Barclays Bank, Erste Group Bank, Goldman Sachs International, Merrill Lynch International, Société Générale and UBS Europe.

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance, and equity capital markets.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for clients in the power generation and financial services sectors.

In equity capital markets the firm worked on secondary share offerings for clients connected with the financial services sector.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

KIC InnoEnergy €3.9 million loan

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Banking and finance

“Rautner are always cost-efficient, commercially minded and increasingly know what truly matters to the client – very highly recommended.”

Established in 1950,  Schoenherr is a leading Austrian firm with a European network that includes offices in 15 jurisdictions. In Austria the firm is based in Vienna and has a smaller branch in Linz.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has talented teams for all areas of work covered by the ranking tables. 

In banking and finance the firm is often mandated to advise on large syndicated loans, debt restructurings and acquisition financings. With good relationships with large Austrian banks and local and international corporates and investors, the firm does a mix of borrower and lender work. 

The firm’s capital markets practice is one of only a handful on the local market with experience of advising on large structured finance and securitisation transactions. It is also well-versed in more conventional deals and will generally be seen, on one side or the other, on some of whatever significant bond sales by domestic issuers and primary or secondary equity issues there are in Austria. 

The firm has an outstanding M&A practice that, even among the other top tier M&A firms, is notable for the volume of high-end deals it secures roles on. Its work spans most important and regulated sectors and it has, in the recent past, been involved in key deals in the automotive, banking and power sectors.

Another area where the firm is considered a market leader – thanks to its regulatory expertise – is in project development work. It acts for the state and private sector on PPPs and purely private sector projects and has recent experience working for sponsors on large transport and power projects.

Restructuring and insolvency is an area where the firm has a dedicated team and prominent position in the market. Over recent years it’s built a name for itself for representing banks in restructuring or pre-insolvency scenarios but, as with its lending practice, the firm often advises banks as creditors in large domestic or regional matters. 

Key clients

The firm has attracted many prominent domestic and international clients, including the international banks; JP Morgan, Citi and Crédit Agricole CIB, as well as the EBRD. The firm has advised industrial clients across a range of industries, such as OMV in oil and gas, and UNIQA in insurance.

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance, debt, equity and structured finance capital markets, M&A, project development and restructuring.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for clients in the financial services, manufacturing, consumer goods and technology sectors.

In debt capital markets the firm worked on bond and note issuances for clients in the financial services sector.

In equity capital markets the firm worked on secondary share offerings for clients in financial services.

In structured finance and securitisation capital markets the firm worked on deals for clients in financial services.

In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions and joint ventures for clients in the financial services, technology and pharmaceuticals sectors.

In project development the firm worked on energy and infrastructure projects for clients in the energy, natural resources, manufacturing, construction and public sectors.

In restructuring the firm worked on deals for creditors and debtors in the financial services, consumer goods and manufacturing sectors.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Austrian Airlines restructuring

Starwood Capital Group €4.3 billion acquisition of CA Immobilien Anlagen

Tyrol hydro pump power plants project

UNIQA Insurance Group €375 million note issue

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Capital markets         

"Schoenherr Austria's lawyers are very focused on client needs, highly committed and very responsible."

M&A   

"Smart, proactive, precise, very knowledgeable, very good adviser overall, not only on law topics."

Project development

"Consultancy state of the art, available 24/7, delivers on time or ahead of schedule, personally great people, far out performance."

Robert Bachner         

"Very quick in understanding the issues and finding suitable solutions for the client."

Christoph Cudlik      

"Very energetic young counsellor, outstanding in what he is working on."       

"Excellent knowledge."

Angelika Fischer       

"Angelika Fischer is a very responsive and committed lawyer to her clients, having a deep understanding of capital markets and the industry of their clients. She is always very responsive and committed.

Sascha Hödl  

"Smart, very good adviser, professional, good communicator, can-do attitude, proactive."

Christoph Moser       

"The positive attributes I listed earlier in this survey obviously relate to the individual Christoph Moser. He has the perfect speed and terminolgy to lead us through legal agreements, taking the time to explain pros, cons and implications of certain wordings / amendments. It feels like we're meeting at same eye level (when others partners in other law firms sometime make you feel they're too senior to waste their time guiding you through). He has a very well appreciated pragmatic approach, and a pleasant communication style

"Christoph is a highly committed partner with a deep and profound understanding of the needs of his clients. He has an excellent understanding of the Austrian capital markets and a good relationship with his clients, always being very responsive. If you have Christoph as your adviser you are very well advised.        

“Christoph is a highly committed partner with a deep and profound understanding for the needs of his clients. He has an excellent understanding of the Austrian capital markets and a good relationship to his clients always being very responsive. If you have Christoph as your advisor you are very well advised.”

Roman Perner           

“Roman is very knowledgeable of local issues and calm, flexible, and practical in complex and contentious negotiations."

Ursula Rath   

"Great thought leadership and knowledge of the local market."

"Very knowledgeable in DCM transaction. She knows her stuff."

Ursula is great to work with, always responsive and on the top of things."

Christian Schmelz     

"Most experienced senior consultant, personally and professionally absolutely top."

“Fast, team-facing, technical expertise, solution oriented, innovative, sets the direction."

"Most experienced senior consultant, personally and professionally absolutely top.”

TAIYO Legal is a boutique law firm with a unique focus on CEE and East Asia. The firm’s offices are located in Vienna and Tokyo.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm primary focus is on banking and finance work, most often with cross-border dimensions. The firm is often seen advising various domestic and foreign clients on regulatory issues in Austria.

Key clients

Recent key clients include Anglo Austrian AAB, Bank Gutmann Aktiengesellschaft, fair-finance Vorsorgekasse and Corum Asset Management.

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in restructuring.

In restructuring the firm worked on deals for shareholders and arrangers linked with the technology & telecommunications and financial services sectors.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Anritsu restructuring

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Banking         

"They are knowledgeable, consistent and flexible in their approaches. We owe them much for their clarity and guidance during difficult times."

Restructuring

"They provided us with rich legal expertise for the achievement of our goal, understanding the Japanese employment culture and the way Japanese companies proceed in this type of mission."

Alexander Taiyo Scheuwimmer

"Dr Scheuwimmer's commitment to the cause is impeccable, and so is his competence."

"Significantly good understanding and knowledge of the Japanese company culture, and the efficiency in combining it with the Austrian legal environment."

Völkl is a boutique based in Vienna, with a focus on banking sector work. It is a member of IR Global, a UK based network that provides legal and financial advice.

Focusses / specialisms

One of the firm’s core strengths is its expertise in banking supervisory law and regulations. It is also notably experienced in banking M&A.

Key clients

Key clients include WSK Bank, Österreichische Ärzte- und Apothekerbank, Dornbirner Sparkasse Bank, Marchfelder Bank, Dolomitenbank Osttirol-Westkärnten, Kommunalkredit Austria, Land Vorarlberg, Hutchison Drei Austria and Austrian National Football League.

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for a mix of borrowers and lenders in the financial services, technology, real estate and travel sectors.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Schiebel Antriebstechnik loan

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Banking and finance

“Consulting and negotiation.”

Financial services regulatory

“Very pleasant to work with, extremely knowledgeable and experienced, great standing in court and supervisory authorities.”

Clemens Völkl

“Wise, experienced.”

“Extremely knowledgeable and experienced lawyer, great to work with. Solves most complex problems and finds innovative solutions.”

Established in 1957 in Vienna, Wolf Theiss is now one of Austria’s largest and leading firms with a network of offices across Central and Eastern Europe spanning 13 countries.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has relationships with Austria’s leading banks and advises these lenders on a variety of corporate finance and real estate finance transactions, both nationally and cross border to borrowers in the wider region.

In the capital markets area, the firm is one of the most active in the country on the debt side. The firm often advises its bank clients on debt programmes and in recent years has established itself as the most experienced firm on the market for regulatory capital issues by local lenders, working on the vast majority on either the buy or sell side.    

Structured finance and securitisation work with an Austrian originator is rare but the firm is one of the few on the market with experience of work of this type, and picks up work on deals with an Austrian element.  

The firm’s M&A practice is active and always generally present on a few of the country or region’s largest deals. It’s experienced on deals involving financial sponsors on the buy and sell side.

The firm’s projects team is among the market’s best. It has experience on deals relevant to all key industries and on PPPs.

In the restructuring area the firm is experienced too and has had roles on several large Austrian cases advising debtors recently.

Key clients

The firm has advised internationally renowned clients such as Goldman Sachs, Blackstone, Raiffeisen Bank International and Erste Bank. The firm has also worked closely with locally important clients, like Miba, Boehringer Ingelheim and Vienna International Airport.

Research period review: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

During the research period, the firm was active in banking and finance, debt capital markets, M&A, project development and restructuring.

In banking and finance the firm worked on loans and financings for a mix of lenders and borrowers in the banking, financial services, real estate and consumer goods sectors.

In debt capital markets the firm worked on bond and note issuances for mainly issuers in the banking and financial services.

In equity capital markets the firm worked on secondary share offerings for clients in financial services.

In structured finance and securitisation capital markets the firm worked on deals for clients in financial services.

In M&A the firm worked on acquisitions for a mix of acquirers and sellers in the financial services, energy, technology and telecommunications.

In project development the firm worked on project work for clients in the transport, healthcare, public, social infrastructure, technology, manufacturing and construction sectors.

In restructuring the firm worked on deals for clients in the financial services, consumer goods and investment management sectors.

Deal highlights: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Adler Modemärkte restructuring

Bausparkasse Wüstenrot €300 million covered bond issue

CPI Property Group €3.2 billion acquisition of IMMOFINANZ

Hanusch Hospital pavilion 6 project

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

Asset finance

“Engaged, trustful, work done in time.”

Bank lending 

“Correctness, flexibility, speed and professionalism.”

Banking and finance

“Quick response, goal-orientated, good experience.”

“They draft and finalise the documents, negotiate some conditions (with our clients), explain consequences, they are flexible and helpful.”

“Efficient project management, good legal advice, very responsive.”

“We fully rely on their timely and proper guidance.”

“Responsive, quick, industry know-how, well connected through our CEE region.”

Financial services regulatory          

“Swift and clear advice.”

M&A   

“They are known as the pre-eminent law firm in central and eastern Europe. Horst is a highly talented attorney.”

“Wolf Theiss were very responsive to emails and calls, answering queries quickly and providing follow-on responses in very short timescales. Additionally, they were able to bring in sector specialists (in this case, healthcare and antitrust) very quickly to assist with some complex regulatory and antitrust considerations which arose during our diligence.”

“They were very very astute, experts, and communication was flawless."

“Great business sense. Excellent quality of legal work. Good network.”

“Customer-orientated, deep knowledge, flexible, international expertise (Europe).”

Proactive time, expectation and cost management; legally sound assessment with adequate risk assessment and, if necessary, practicable solutions.”

Strong presence in the region of central Europe, very good network of cooperating legal advisers, high level of professional expertise, pro-business thinking of the legal team, ability to take over responsibility for the deal.”

“Professional approach, experience, availability, versatility.”

“We received excellent support throughout the process. Team was led by Lukas Tadic-Colic: excellent M&A corporate lawyer, highly reliable, business-orientated and pragmatic. Very good team internal coordination, great responsiveness, availability and engagement from all team members.”

“They work efficiently and provide high level of quality and are very responsive. Great collaboration, which allowed us to provide the client with a seamless service."

“Flexibility and commitment. Strong, multidisciplinary knowledge. Very nice ad skilled team to work with.”

“Very responsive and focused on the commercially relevant matters.”

“High level of expertise and fully committed to the transaction, including when deadlines are challenging.”

“Their outstanding response time and high quality of advisers.”

“Highly responsive, knowledgeable of legal issues, good at proposing solutions to problems, good English skills.”

PPP/PFI          

“Professional, diligent and agile.”

Private equity

“Strong can-do attitude, quick delivery of the agreed- upon work.”

Project development

“Very responsive, fast, experienced.”

Restructuring

“Quick response time; pragmatic and solution-orientated.”

Markus Aigner           

“Fast thinker, very responsive, sound legal knowledge.”

Robert David 

“Professionalism; competence; tries to accommodate.”

“Long-time career, good experience.”

Horst Ebhardt

“I have worked with Horst for many years in various contexts. He is unfailingly gracious and humble, but truly pre-eminent in the market.”           

“Our main contact person is Horst Ebhardt. Horst is an exceptional person with the highest level of professional expertise. Throughout the entire period of our cooperation (lasting more than 12 months), he was fully committed to the transaction. He always manages and supervises his team in an efficient manner so that all the different work streams are well coordinated. In addition, Horst always follows the transaction very closely and himself contributes with detailed legal work, which is not usual for professionals of his seniority. Horst has a great feel for the commercial aspects of the transaction and brings a great value to our M&A team with his ability to find solutions and move the project forward. He also makes a significant contribution to the deal even in areas that go beyond legal services. In summary, Horst represents a combination of professional legal expertise, top managerial skills and a great sense for finding pro-business solutions. His work reflects years of legal practice. It is an honour to be represented by such a professional.”

Clara Gordon

“Same as the firm overall – very responsive, knowledgeable of legal issues, good at proposing and implementing solutions.”

Andrea Gritsch                      

“High level of expertise, hands-on, fully committed, good communicator.”

“I am delighted to give feedback on the exceptional services provided by Andrea Gritsch, a skilled and knowledgeable banking transactional lawyer whom I have had the pleasure of working with on multiple projects. Throughout our engagements, Andrea demonstrated an impressive depth of legal expertise and a keen understanding of our business needs. She consistently provided practical and tailored advice that was both actionable and effective. Moreover, I was consistently impressed by Andrea's responsiveness and proactive approach to communication. She was always available to discuss matters and provided clear and concise updates, ensuring that we were fully informed and able to make informed decisions. Overall, I have nothing but the highest praise for Andrea and I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone seeking a top-tier banking and regulatory lawyer. She is a true asset to her firm and the legal profession as a whole.”

Leopold Höher          

“Client acquisition and relationship management, involvement and hands-on approach.”

Michael Kienzl           

“Pragmatic. Quick thinking. Very dedicated.”

Katerina Kraeva        

“Competence, experience, impeccable client relationship.”

Katerina Kulhankova

“She organised the process well and was a single point of contact for us.”

Michael Kienzl           

“Communication and teamwork. Multidisciplinary skills. Flexibility and problem-solving. Managing live negotiation sessions, alignment of parties.”

Hartwig Kienast

“Responsiveness and accountability for the project and his outstanding legal knowledge compared with extraordinary commercial and financial know-how.”

“Responsiveness and accountability for the project and his outstanding legal knowledge compared with extraordinary commercial and financial know-how.”

Florian Kusznier       

“Florian knows what he is doing and what is needed to bring a deal over the finish line.”

Tjaša Lahovnik       

“She is full of knowledge, solution-orientated, responsive, resourceful. Sharp enough when necessary, but otherwise fair and calm.”

Jitka Logesova      

“Very responsive and service-orientated; pragmatic work attitude, we work together very well.”

Marika Lomashvili    

“Very responsive, looks for solutions, easy to contact by phone and in person.”

Filip Michalec

“Clear and swift advice.”

Christian Mikosch    

“Strong communicator, trustful relationship, flexible and fast responding.”

Tereza Naucova        

“Tereza is a very experienced lawyer who always puts client needs first – very responsive and detail-orientated, but pragmatic and focused on the relevant issues.”

Maciej Olszewski      

“Friendliness, legal knowledge, availability, reliability.”

Rahim Rastegar        

“Rahim Rastegar is a member of Horst Ebhardt’s M&A team. His work is highly professional and diligent.”

“Rahim was always willing to help and worked hard throughout the time we worked together. Rahim has a great expertise, backed up by excellent legal knowledge.”   

Aleksandar Ristic     

“Quick response, informative reactions.”

Eva Spiegel

“Very nice to work with; very knowledgeable; solution-orientated.”

Luka Tadic-Colic      

"Team was led by Lukas Tadic-Colic: excellent M&A corporate lawyer, highly reliable, business-orientated and pragmatic.”

Andjelka Todorovic  

“Professional, diligent, fast, agile, responsive.”

Sarah  Wared

“Highly responsive, very pleasant to work with, solution-orientated, excellent at explaining complex legal assessments.”

“Very responsive and committed to delivering a very high standard of service. Great knowledge and drive in problem-solving.”

“Her knowledge is absolutely on point and her communication is outstanding."

Greenlake Legal is an independent law firm based in Vienna, Austria. The firm was founded in 2018 by partner Michael Raninger.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm focuses on finance transactions including financial restructurings. The firm is also active in banking and finance cross-border transactions. It regularly advises corporate and commercial banks and advises on debt funds and private equity funds.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include AMAG, Constantia Flexibles, Credit Suisse International, Greiner, Semperit, and Volkswagen.

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2022/2023) 

Banking and finance

“High quality, pragmatic, efficient.”

Part of a cooperation between four independent law firms in Central and Eastern Europe, bpv Hügel is an Austrian firm based in Vienna. The firm was established in 1979 and currently employs more than 100 staff and around 50 lawyers.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm has a presence in capital markets, especially equity, where it routinely advises on both equity and equity-linked products, as well as innovative finance and acquisition structures with shares.

The firm often works on transactions with multi-jurisdictional elements and acts on capital markets compliance matters for issuers and investors alike.

M&A has traditionally been a source of strength for the firm. It works on public, private and distressed mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and corporate reorganisations, and provides general corporate advice. The firm has a strong multi-jurisdictional focus with more than half of its work in any given year often including cross-border elements.

Key clients

Key clients of the firm include Immofinanz, RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria, Valneva, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Verbund, AnaCap Financial Partners and ISS Group.

CMS Austria is based in Vienna and was founded in 1970.The firm has over 75 lawyers.

CMS is an international full-service law firm with more than 5,000 lawyers and over 8,000 staff globally, working from 80 offices in 75 cities across 45 countries.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is recognised for its work in banking and finance, debt and equity capital markets, M&A, project development, and restructuring and insolvency practices.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Green Source Holdings, UniCredit Bank Austria, Deutsche Bank, Alpla, Bloomberg, Greiner, REWE and Equitix European Infrastructure I.

Hauser Partners is an independent business firm established in 1987 and based in Vienna.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is a corporate boutique experienced in joint-ventures and M&A.

Key clients

The firm regularly advises Mondi Group, a worldwide packaging and paper groups as well as ERSTE Foundation, and Schweighofer Group

Research period review: 31st edition (2020/2021)

In terms of M&A work, the firm advised buyers in acquisitions, both local and foreign. Clients were assisted in structuring takeovers and share acquisitions.

Deal highlights: 31st edition (2020/2021)

Schweighofer Group acquisition of saw mill

Client feedback: 31st edition (2020/2021)

M&A

"Stringent execution, up-to-date, understanding business needs."

Held Berdnik Astner & Partner is a full-service law firm with offices in Graz, Vienna, Klagenfurt and Zurich.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm has a focus on M&A.

LeitnerLaw Rechtsanwälte | Edthaler Leitner-Bommer Schmieder & Partner Rechtsanwälteis a dynamic law firm in Austria that specializes in business law, with locations in Linz, Vienna, Graz, Prague and an office in Ried. 

Focusses / specialisms     

The firm is strongest in the corporate space. The team is experienced in all types of M&A transactions, including acquisitions of private and public companies, domestic and cross-border mergers, demergers, conversions, contributions, accruals, minority investments as well as joint ventures and private equity transactions. 

Key clients   

Key clients of the firm include Crédit Mutuel Equity, NordCap & Co, GeotechnikTauchmann, Dynatrace Austria, and L&A International. 

Research period review: 32nd edition (2022/2023) 

During the research cycle, the firm was active in the M&A area and advised for both buy and sell sides. The firm consults clients across different industry sectors including retail, consumer goods, energy, technology, automotive, and transportation.   

Client Feedback: 33rd edition (2023/2024)

M&A   

"High quality approach, fast, hands on."

"Experienced team with a hands-on-mentality; short response times."

Project development

"Leitner Law is an excellent firm and handled the escort in a professional and businesslike manner."

Restructuring

"They know the legal aspects on both sides of the border very well and got the needed contacts to set up the process."

Johannes Edthaler   

"Mr. Edthaler is a very good and professional partner. He is always available for his customers."     

Gerald Gahleitner     

"Very good in comunicating and having a good back office in place to get the process managed."

Daniel Lungenschmid          

"Mr. Lungeschmid and Mr. Edthaler looked after us perfectly.”

"He was very eager and also always available."

Vedran Obradovic

"Good communication, and advices; friendly and quick answering."

PHH Rechtsanwälte is a commercial boutique firm based in Austria.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is recognised for its work in the banking and finance practice. It is also active in project management, refinancing, restructuring and financing-related regulatory matters. Active sectors include aviation, fintech, healthcare, TMT, energy and infrastructure.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Sova Capital, Bank of Communications, Pegasus Capital, DZ Bank, MUFG Bank, and Freie Internationale Sparkasse.

Launched in 2016, Oehner & Partner is the Austrian arm of PwC’s legal network. PwC Legal is one of the largest legal networks, with more than 3,500 lawyers in 100 countries.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm has a strong M&A team and focuses on M&A and corporate matters. The firm is also active in banking and finance and debt capital markets.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Seedblink Crowd, Institutional Investment Partners, Catella Residential Investment Management, LGIM Managers, Firstbird, Sennheiser Electronic, and Schachinger Logistik Holding.

Schindler Attorneys is an Austrian firm based in Vienna.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm has a focus on banking and finance, debt capital markets, private equity and M&A. It is also active in the real estate and corporate space and has experience advising on distressed M&A projects and on shareholder syndicates and joint ventures.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include 6B47 Group, Ares Management, Aptean, SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa, and Evoco.

Client feedback: 32^nd edition (2022/2023) 

M&A

“Professional, pragmatic and solution-oriented, deep knowledge in the area of M&A.”

Private equity

“Very entrepreneurial thinking combined with outstanding knowledge and proactive problem-solution approach.”

Torggler is an Austrian firm based in Vienna. The firm offers legal advice for entrepreneurs and private clients.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is active in the corporate M&A practice area including structuring of joint ventures, management buy-outs, and the acquisition of companies involved in insolvency proceedings. Covered sectors include healthcare, real estate, manufacturing and food & beverages.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Gurktaler Aktiengesellschaft, Swarovski Group, MTH Group, TÜV Austria Holding, MaxLinear, Frey Wille, Cura Domo Holding and Segnal Beteiligungs.

Established and based in Vienna, Weber & Co is a local law capital markets specialist that frequently secures roles on prominent Austrian transactions of this type.

Focusses / specialisms

The firm is an outlier among those based in Vienna that advise on big ticket capital markets deals. In an area largely dominated by larger domestic and international full-service firms, the majority of which have regional networks, the firm has a small team with a narrow focus. What the firm lacks in scale and breadth, however, it makes up for in expertise.  

The firm was founded by one of the country’s leading securities law academics, Stefan Weber. Now he rarely takes the lead role on deals, but the relationships and reputation he built locally with underwriting banks and issuers are being maintained through the work of his team.

The firm also advises on public M&A.

Key clients

The firm has established relationships with leading European wide such as Erste Group, DZ bank, Commerzbank and Raiffeisen, to name a few.

Research period review: 30th edition (2019/2020)

The firm was active in baking, capital markets and restructuring during the research cycle.

The firm was heavily involved in IPOs, working on two of the three Austrian deals that launched in 2019, working on the side of underwriters or managers. In debt work the firm assisted in bond issues on the side of issuers, managers and bookrunners. 

The firm’s other work included advising on multi-tranche bonded loans and syndicated financing, as well as restructuring mandates. The firm usually advised banks but also did work for borrowers. 

Deal Highlights: 30th edition (2019/2020)

Immofinanz €500 million 2.625% bond issue 

Marinomed Biotech Vienna Stock Exchange IPO

Addiko Bank Vienna Stock Exchange IPO

Oberbank €250 million 0.75% bond issue

OMV €1 billion bond issue 

S&T €144 million bonded loan

Voestalpne €1 billion syndicated financing 

Wolford restructuring

Client feedback: 30th edition (2019/2020)

Capital markets: Debt

“Very high expertise in the relevant fields, pragmatic and supportive approach, high focus to "understand" the client's business and, thus, provide optimal service. They give a very short response time and are sociable and easy to connect with.”

Capital markets: Equity

“Very knowledgeable in capital markets transactions and the Austrian market in particular. Their pragmatic approach is outstanding.”

“The legal advisors have a high level of competence. The cooperation is smooth and uncomplicated and open questions are answered professionally and quickly. Overall, we can only report positively about Weber & Co.”

M&A

“Boutique firm tailored to the clients' requirements with hands-on approach and outstanding expertise. All the heavy lifting is done by the partners themselves.”

“Prompt re-action (just in time response) detailed and experienced response.”

Restructuring and insolvency

“Very responsive and very much to the point. Christop is very sharp minded and is our go-to-guy when it comes to complex restructuring scenarios with an Austrian angle.”

Katharina Kitzberger

“Very professional and had a good knowledge of the business needs.”

Stefan Weber

“Client oriented, clear and pragmatic approach with excellence in a broad scope of legal areas, covering many transactional aspects by himself.”

Wiedenbauer Mutz Winkler & Partner (WMWP) is a law firm specialising in business law. The firm is based in Vienna and has offices across Europe.

Focusses / specialisms 

The firm is recognised for its work in banking and finance practice. It also focuses on corporate and restructuring work and is active advising clients on transactions in Austria. The team advises investors and sellers.

Key clients 

Key clients of the firm include Volksbank Wien, MED-23, WIG Group, and Anadi Bank.