The Legal 500

The well-regarded Burgstaller & Preyer Rechtsanwälte GmbH is a niche employment boutique that is rated for its international experience. Lead partners Helmut Preyer and Gerald Burgstaller are well known for advice on restructuring and pensions, and also for their expertise in representing clients from the IT/telecoms, pharmaceutical, transport and industrial sectors.

At CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH, employment matters deriving from restructuring mandates were a major driver for the practice, which advised both Austrian Post and Austrian Railways on labour law issues. Bernhard Hainz and Christoph Wolf lead the team, which advised mobilkom Austria and Telekom Austria on the employment aspects of a €4.8bn merger. The team also has a strong client base across the healthcare and university sectors; Vienna University of Technology and the Austrian Red Cross are key clients.

Dorda Brugger Jordis’ employment team continues to act for an impressive roster of blue-chip clients including General Electric, G4S Security, Bando do Brasil, Credit Suisse, Nokia Siemens Network and Warner Music. Thomas Angermair leads the team and ‘has in-depth knowledge of employment law but is also able to find practicable solutions for the business situation’, and Gabriele Härth is ‘supportive, professional and reliable’. ‘They are not cheap but offer fair value for money.’

Kunz Schima Wallentin Rechtsanwälte OG specialises in employment and is regularly involved in high-profile mandates. The firm has a great reputation for its work on D&O liability, large-scale redundancies, pensions, restructuring and insolvency, and also has niche expertise in the art and media sector. Name partner Georg Schima is highly rated.

Wolf Theiss handles many of the largest employment matters in the market, such as advising UniCredit Group and Bayerische HypoVereinsbank on the employment issues relating to their merger, which potentially sees 15% of staff at both companies affected. The team has seen a significant up-turn in work resulting from restructuring and the drive to save costs. The ‘pragmatic and sharp’ Ralf Peschek heads the team and is a favourite among clients. The team is valued for its impressive response times, and ‘workable, pragmatic solutions’.

Binder Grösswang Rechtsanwälte has a varied client roster that includes Capgemini, Hermes and the Wolseley Group. 2010 saw the practice advise DCC Energy on the labour law issues involved in the acquisition of Shell’s distribution business in Austria. Horst Lukanec leads the team, which also features the ‘brilliant’ Angelika Pallwein-Prettner.

Sieglinde Gahleitner, Roland Gerlach and Georg Griesser drive the practice at Griesser Gerlach Gahleitner Rechtsanwälte, which has a solid market reputation for employment work.

Baker & McKenzie Diwok Hermann Petsche Rechtsanwälte GmbH delivers ‘impressive’ response times and advice that is ‘very responsive and clear’. Simone Liebmann-Slatin leads the team, which picks up a good deal of work from the firm’s global network. Highlight mandates for 2010 included advising a US clothing chain on establishing a new company in Vienna, including all immigration and employment law issues. Associate Philipp Maier is also recommended.

Barnert Egermann Illigasch Rechtsanwälte GmbH has good experience in employment litigation as well as general company labour law. Lead partner Clemens Egermann continues to handle a class action against an Austrian trade union before the Austrian Supreme Court.

At Brauneis Klauser Prändl Rechtsanwälte GmbH, Orlin Radinsky and Arno Brauneis are recommended for their employment expertise, particularly in relation to collective bargaining, pension plans and stock options.

CHSH Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati is able to deliver ‘timely and accurate solutions to every single problem in a very sensitive and complex environment’. In 2010 the team picked up big-name new clients such as the Austrian motorway company ASFINAG, and continues to develop its expertise in data protection. The ‘pragmatic and hands-on’ Julian Feichtinger leads the team and has solid experience in employment litigation and collective bargaining issues. Barbara Klinger is also highly rated.

DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach is particularly strong on cross-border CEE matters, and also has experience advising healthcare providers such as Niederösterreichisches Gesundheits on labour and contractual issues. Practice head Franz Marhold has ‘outstanding tactical knowledge and a flexible approach’.

Wolfgang Kapek heads the ‘young and dynamic’ team at enwc Natlacen Walderdorff Cancola Attorneys at Law, which provides ongoing advice to the likes of Nokia Siemens Network, Lafarge, Pirelli and MediaCom. Dieter Natlacen is highly rated in this area.

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners is recommended for its experience in collective bargaining and representing employers in the courts. Kurt Wratzfeld handles the majority of work in this area, and in 2010 advised Constantia Privatbank on the restructuring of its labour force and on the amendment of the company’s collective bargaining agreement. Other notable clients include defence manufacturer Hirtenberger, public transport company Wiener Lienien and printer manufacturer Konica Minolta.

At Fiebinger Polak Leon Rechtsanwälte, Bert Ortner is recommended for his advice on large-scale employment matters, and Karina Hellbert is noted for her solid knowledge of data protection issues. In 2010 the practice advised an Austrian audio manufacturer on establishing an internal HR database, payroll system and expenses scheme.

The ‘highly business-orientated’ team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer is particularly recommended for employee benefit and pensions matters as well as for corporate restructuring following M&A transactions. The team advised General Dynamics on various redundancy matters as well as assisting on the structuring of its European operations. Practice head Stefan Köck is ‘efficient’ and a ‘valuable counsel’, and associate Karin Sommeregger is also highly rated.

Schoenherr leverages off its strong corporate/M&A practice, and is recommended for its work on restructuring and redundancies. Gerold Zeiler leads the six-partner team, which advised a multinational car manufacturer on restructuring issues including transferring employees and management undertakings.

Siemer-Siegl-Füreder & Partner, Rechtsanwälte is recommended for its experience in drafting employment contracts and dismissal procedures as well as flexible working programmes. Hannes Füreder and Gerald Gries lead the team.

At Zandl: Grundei Rechtsanwälte, Andreas Grundei is recommended for his knowledge of labour restructuring, social benefits, and company pensions.

Sole practitioner Dr Alexandra Knell is rated for her broad employment experience.

bpv Hügel Rechtsanwälte OG picks up employment work from its strong transactional practices. Dominik Leiter is recommended.

Hasch & Partner Anwaltsgesellschaft mbH is recommended for its experience in company restructuring and disposals, and contract issues, in particular stock option scheme matters. Christian Lutz is highly rated.

Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH is rated for its experience in employment issues resulting from corporate transactions. Helen Pelzmann leads the four-lawyer team.

PHH Prochaska Heine Havranek Rechtsanwälte OG has good experience advising company boards on strategic employment matters as well as drafting complex contracts for employees in large companies. The practice advised Austrian human resources company APS Austria on the development of its employment contracts.

Peter Baumann is the name to note at Saxinger Chalupsky & Partners Rechtsanwälte GmbH.