The Legal 500

Binder Grösswang Rechtsanwälte is ‘proactive, pragmatic, flexible, and at the same time has high attention to detail’. The team recently advised Macquarie Group on its acquisition of Innovest Kapitalanlage from Siemens, and Kommunalkredit on the merger of its banking institutions following its nationalisation and subsequent restructuring. Michael Kutschera is ‘an outstanding lawyer with excellent economic understanding’.

CHSH Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati is ‘truly outstanding: it is dedicated to its clients and the advice rendered is highly practical and useful, and so is the value for money’. The team recently advised OMV on a €1.3bn increase in its stake in Turkish oil products company Petrol Ofisi. It also represented Ferrexpo on its €150m acquisition of EDDSG. Thomas Trettnak is ‘one of the few corporate lawyers who is also strong in the new insolvency laws’; Albert Birkner has ‘extraordinary knowledge and experience in M&A’; Georg Konrad is ‘business-oriented and draws on his in-house expertise’; Clemens Hasenauer is ‘extremely proactive’; and Benedikt Spiegelfeld is ‘the person you want at the table when negotiations reach a dead end’.

Dorda Brugger Jordis recently advised Banque Populaire Caisse d’Epargne on divesting its shares in Volksbank in the CEE region, and new client Astra Tech on the local aspects of selling its dental division to Dentsply. The team features the ‘pragmatic and practical’ Martin Brodey, the ‘client-friendly’ Andreas Mayr, and the well-respected Christian Dorda and Jürgen Kittel.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer’s lawyers provide ‘fast and accurate advice, and are real dealmakers’. The group recently advised Sberbank on the €585m acquisition of Volksbank International. The team also advised the family shareholders of Porsche on the sale of its shares to Volkswagen as part of the merger. ‘The high quality of the service offered justifies the “upmarket” price’, according to clients. Thomas Zottl and Konrad Groller are recommended, and Stefan Koeck heads the practice.

Schoenherr is ‘very responsive and advice is always to the point’. It has a great track record advising blue-chip clients on M&A, and recently advised Volkswagen on its €3.5bn merger with Porsche. Other standout deals included representing Volksbanken AG (ÖVAG) on the sale of its CEE operations to Russia’s Sberbank. Alexander Popp adopts a ‘hands-on approach and is creative in finding solutions’, and Markus Piuk is also recommended.

The ‘excellent and very responsive’ Wolf Theiss is comfortable on high-profile deals and recently advised Apax Partners on its acquisition of German fashion retailer Takko from Advent in an auction process. Other transactions included advising Erste Bank on its €500m acquisition of a majority stake in Intermarket Bank. Practice head Dieter Spranz is ‘a strong team manager’, Horst Ebhardt is ‘outstanding’, and Clemens Schindler is ‘extremely efficient’.

bpv Hügel Rechtsanwälte OG punches above its weight to advise on major cross-border deals, and recently advised Verbund on the sale of a 26% stake in a subsidiary to a hydropower company. The team also advised BP Austria and Shell on cross-border reorganisations. Hanns Hügel is a leading figure in the market for tax and corporate advice.

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH has seen an increase in wind and energy sector instructions. Peter Huber and Johannes Reich-Rohrwig jointly head the practice, which recently advised Japanese pharmaceuticals company Takeda on the local aspects of its €9.6bn acquisition of Nycomed. Other standout matters for the 13-partner group included advising Alstom on local aspects of its €3.2bn acquisition of power company Areva.

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners has an impressive roster of oil and gas and banking clients, and has advised on some major deals in recent years. Markus Fellner, Gregor Schett and Paul Luiki are highly recommended.

Baker & McKenzie Diwok Hermann Petsche Rechtsanwälte GmbH recently advised Japanese company Daifuku on purchasing a minority interest in logistics company Knapp. ‘Advice always proves useful and comes to the relevant issues quickly; no long memos, but short and practical advice’, says one client. Practice head Gerhard Hermann provides ‘top-level advice’ and ‘answers all questions to the satisfaction of management’. Mario Gall is also recommended.

Brandl & Talos Rechtsanwälte GmbH has an excellent record advising on M&A with a significant capital markets element. The firm has been kept busy advising bwin on its €2.5bn cross-border merger with Party Gaming, and represented Redevco Group during its acquisition of a Slovak real estate company. Christopher Schrank and Thomas Talos are highly recommended.

DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach recently advised Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction on its acquisition of an Indian boiler manufacturer from the insolvent Austrian industrial group A-Tec Industries. The team also advised London-listed PartyGaming on its €2.5bn merger with bwin. Max Becker is ‘a pleasure to work with’.

At Eisenberger & Herzog, ‘the level of service is excellent. All matters are well prepared, and the value for money is very good’. The team recently advised Österreichische Post on auctioning off certain local assets; and state-owned Hypo Alpe-Adria on privatising parts of its real estate and banking business. Peter Winkler is ‘extremely dedicated to his work and top in all negotiations’. Alric Ofenheimer and Dieter Thalhammer are also recommended.

Fiebinger Polak Leon Rechtsanwälte has good experience advising clients on corporate matters, particularly in the paper and energy sectors. The team recently advised Montana Tech Components on a capital increase and buying out a major shareholder. Practice head Peter Polak is ‘a creative negotiator who finds solutions that work for all concerned’. Bert Ortner ‘presents arguments in a determined but friendly manner’.

Barnert Egermann Illigasch Rechtsanwälte GmbH provides ‘very hands-on advice, which is always in at the right time’, and has a great track record of advising investment funds and private equity houses. The practice recently advised Alpine Equity Management on the sale of dental company Amann Girrbach to TA Associates. Michael Barnert has ‘excellent knowledge and a creative approach’.

The ‘outstanding’ Benn-Ibler Rechtsanwälte GmbH is particularly recommended for real estate M&A. Additionally, Wieland Schmid-Schmidsfelden recently advised on the acquisition of a Turkish packaging business division. Stefan Eder is recommended.

enwc Natlacen Walderdorff Cancola Attorneys at Law recently advised Immeo Wohnen Service on its acquisition of three Austrian property companies from conwert Immobilien Invest. Its lawyers ‘understand the client’s business and offer appropriate advice’. Raimund Cancola heads the team, which also includes Claudia Steegmüller.

Eckert & Fries Rechtsanwälte GmbH is a smaller firm with a good reputation for mid-market deals and which has developed a good practice for clients from emerging markets. Vitus Eckert is recommended.

Hanno Schatzmann of mid-sized firm Gassauer-Fleissner Rechtsanwälte GmbH is recommended for its CEE expertise.

Griss & Partner ‘combines the advantages of a smaller firm – personal attention of the senior partner – with the qualities one expects of a major firm: first-rate legal service and a highly motivated team of lawyers’. The firm has a strong industrial client base that includes Binder + Co and BDI BioEnergy. Gunter Griss is ‘poised and calm’.

Hauser Partners Rechtsanwälte GmbH has a solid reputation for cross-border CEE work. Wulf Gordian Hauser is the main contact.

Hausmaninger Kletter Rechtsanwälte GmbH recently advised a subsidiary of Ventizz private equity group on its acquisition of Contec Steuerungstechnik und Automation Gesellschaft. Clients praise the high level of partner involvement in deals. Christian Hausmaninger and Mark Kletter are recommended. In 2012, the well-respected Robert Bachner joined Schoenherr.

Herbst Vavrovsky Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH has good links to venture capital funds and a strong track record advising on mid-market M&A. Phillip Kinsky, Wolfgang Schwackhöfer and Christoph Herbst are recommended.

Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH has a niche advising Brazilian and CEE clients on corporate and M&A work with an Austrian element. The practice recently advised pharmaceuticals company Quintiles on corporate restructuring. Helen Pelzmann and team head Gerold Wietrzyk are highly recommended.

Hannes Füreder heads Siemer-Siegl-Füreder & Partner, Rechtsanwälte’s team, which continues to advise a leading gas grid operator in the east of Austria on its corporate structure.

BLS Rechtsanwälte (Attorneys at Law) Boller Langhammer Schubert KG recently advised a major Austrian gaming entity on aspects of a new business venture. Practice head Thomas Boller ‘impressed us by building up an in-depth knowledge of our industry’, says one client.

Arno Brauneis, Felix Prändl and Stefan Geppert are the main contacts at Brauneis Klauser Prändl Rechtsanwälte GmbH.

Cabjolsky & Otto Rechtsanwälte OG is ‘faster and more cost-efficient than the big firms’. In 2011, the team advised Austrian wastepaper dealer Bunzl & Biach on its shares in a Hungarian company.

Graf & Pitkowitz Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s Ferdinand Graf is recommended for his experience advising international clients. The team recently advised Petrobas on corporate and financing matters in Austria.

Graf Patsch Taucher Rechtsanwälte provides ‘great service for a better rate than the big firms. You always get one of the partners and there is little fluctuation, so the lawyers know you and your business’. The team recently advised a subsidiary of Head USA on corporate matters including distribution agreements and licensing. Bernd Taucher and the ‘smart and strategic’ Wolfgang Graf are recommended.

Hasch & Partner Anwaltsgesellschaft mbH is best known for its work for insurance and life sciences clients. Alexander Hasch is recommended.

Lansky, Ganzger & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s make the effort to learn clients’ businesses. The firm is also noted for its white-collar crime experience. Gabriel Lansky and Gerald Ganzger are recommended.

PHH Prochaska Heine Havranek Rechtsanwälte OG’s entrepreneurial team recently advised affiliates of City of Wiener Neustadt on several demergers and asset deals. Clients praise the team’s ‘business sense and astute approach’. Stefan Prochaska and Hannes Havranek are recommended.

Saxinger, Chalupsky & Partners Rechtsanwälte GmbH is recommended for deals with a strong CEE element. The firm recently advised Asamer Group on reorganising several of its companies.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP recently represented Citigroup Global as financial adviser to Raiffeisen International Bank on its merger with Raiffeisen Zentralbank Österreich AG. Rainer Wachter is the sole partner.

Weber & co. uses its excellent banking and capital markets reputation to win spots on M&A deals. Stefan Weber is a favourite with clients.