The Legal 500

Schramm Öhler Rechtsanwälte is a four-partner boutique with an excellent track record advising state-owned companies on procurement and construction projects, including PPP work. The firm advised the City of Vienna and its Hospital Association on the construction and operation of six new retirement homes with a total value of over €100m. Other key clients include the Medical University of Graz and the Austrian Railways Group. Johannes Schramm, Georg Zellhofer, Matthias Öhler and Gregor Stickler are all highly recommended.

Binder Grösswang Rechtsanwälte is rated for its work representing bidders particularly in the financial services sector. Raoul Hoffer leads the team and ‘drives the process in a polite and quiet manner, taking into regard different political trends’.

CHSH Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati has a solid track record representing contracting and public authorities on tendering procedures. The two-partner team advised Vienna International Airport on the procurement of X-ray machines, displays, furniture and other equipment. Irene Wesler heads the team, and is assisted by senior attorney Michaela Siegwart.

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH is ‘absolutely reliable, experienced and solution oriented’; clients are ‘in good hands’. The team advises both public authorities, such as the Austrian Mint and Salzburg Airport, and bidders, particularly large construction companies such as Swietelsky. Bernt Elsner leads the team, which advised Brenner Basistunnel on a €7bn railway project. In 2010 the firm expanded the team with the hire of Thomas Hamerl from construction company Strabag.

Dorda Brugger Jordis has experience advising both bidders and public authority clients in the healthcare sector. In 2010 the team, led by Bernhard Müller, continued to advise the Province of Lower Austria on a hospital project.

Axel Reidlinger leads the procurement team at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, which has ‘wide knowledge and great experience’. The practice has a good pedigree advising on the contentious side, and regularly represents bidders and public bodies in review proceedings before the Federal Procurement Office and Administrative Court; recent examples include advising ASFINAG on the withdrawal of a public tender.

Stephan Schmalzl is the name to note at Graf & Pitkowitz Rechtsanwälte GmbH. In 2010 the firm continued to advise a German manufacturer on several hospital procurement proceedings in Vienna. Other notable clients include blind manufacturer Velux.

Heid Schiefer Rechsanwälte Gmbh is a highly specialised public procurement boutique with a strong reputation in the market. Stephan Heid is the name to note.

Katharina Trettnak-Hahnl leads the well-regarded practice at Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH, which has represented federal ministries and construction companies on a wide range of procurement projects. The firm has particular experience advising on major tunnelling projects.

Johannes Stalzer leads the team at the newly formed Nemetschke Huber Koloseus Attorneys at Law, which in 2010 advised Abbott Austria in relation to procurement and appeal procedures for medical devices.

The ‘great team’ at Siemer-Siegl-Füreder & Partner, Rechtsanwälte represented gas grid operator Wien Energie in 2010 in the tender procedure for the construction of a €70m gas storage facility. Michael Breitenfeld delivers advice ‘fast, cost-efficiently and in a very reliable manner’, and Robert Ertl is ‘an upcoming lawyer in public procurement and state aid’.

Austrian giant Wolf Theiss has a heavyweight reputation in the public procurement arena, and continues to hire into its ‘excellent team of young and committed lawyers’. Practice head Manfred Essletzbichler ‘has the ability to rapidly identify the most crucial problems and knows how to solve them’. The team continues to advise Vienna International Airport on an €800m construction tender for the terminal extension project.