The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a first tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis has a good track record advising international banks and has increasingly attracted work for clients investing in Brazil. The team recently advised a local subsidiary of Brazilian Odebrecht Group on a $900m project finance loan for the construction of two oil drill ships. Tibor Varga focuses on banks, and Andreas Zahradnik is known for his regulatory work in banking and funds.

Within Capital markets, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a first tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis ‘gives high-quality advice applying international standards’. The team was kept busy with corporate bond issuances for issuers and underwriters, and recently advised Intercell on the €33m issuance of convertible notes with two increase options. The team also represented a syndicate of international banks including Nomura and Goldman Sachs as initial purchasers and arrangers on the purchase of €375m of high yield bonds relating a bond issuance and parallel bank finance deal for the acquisition of Hyva group by a private equity investor. Andreas Mayr heads the team, which also features the ‘highly responsive’ Christoph Brogyànyi.

Within Central and Eastern Europe, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis’ best-friends network has seen an increase in alternative energy projects, and it recently advised energy utility RWE on the competition law and electricity regulatory aspects of its Nabucco gas pipeline project. The practice also advised Focus Invest on the financing, development and construction of a large shopping centre in Zagreb, Croatia. Real estate expert Stefan Artner ‘thinks like a lawyer and a businessman’, and Martin Brodey is also recommended.

Within Corporate and M&A, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a first tier firm,

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.

Within Dispute resolution, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a first tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis is ‘worth the money’ and ‘absolutely first rate’. It has been advising Chubb Insurance in a dispute with Notartreuhandbank and the Austrian Notaries Association regarding losses totalling €117m caused by a former notary. Practice head Florian Kremslehner practises litigation and arbitration, and is ‘a brilliant strategic thinker’. On the arbitration side, Christoph Stippl is ‘a great counsel and advocate’, and Christian Dorda is ‘a very experienced arbitrator. His gentlemanly manner, great legal know-how, and good sense of humour mean he is a real asset’. For litigation, Felix Hörlsberger and Georg Jünger are recommended.

Within EU and competition , Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis was particularly active in cartel cases in 2011, including advising a sugar producer in the sugar cartel investigation. The team also advised the Austrian Federal Railway in ongoing logistics cartel proceedings. Stephan Polster is recommended for competition law, as is Axel Anderl for antitrust and unfair competition. ‘The client and its needs come first’, according to one client.

Within Employment , Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis’ ‘excellent’, ‘very responsive and proactive’ team is particularly recommended for contentious employment matters. Practice head Thomas Angermair has been leading advice to JSC VTB Bank regarding ongoing employment matters including the pension fund entitlement of executives. The team also advised pharmaceuticals group Gedeon Richter on employment issues relating to its establishment of a local subsidiary. Credit Suisse and BT are major clients. Gabriele Härth left the firm in 2011.

Within IT and telecommunications, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a first tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis’ ‘brilliant’ team is ‘a real gem and a rare find’, and ‘provides reliable fee estimates’. It has an impressive roster of tech clients, and continues to advise eBay Austria on local IP and IT matters. On the telecoms side, it recently advised Telekom Austria on the sale of a major Spanish subsidiary. The ‘outstanding’ and ‘straightforward’ IT lawyer Axel Anderl has ‘the rare ability to explain and transform complex issues into clear language’. Stephan Polster is recommended for telecoms.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis has good experience advising on large restructurings, particularly on pre-insolvency issues. In 2011, the team advised AE&E Austria, Atlas Estates and Immofinanz on various insolvency and restructuring matters. Tibor Varga and practice head Andreas Zahradnik are recommended.

Within Intellectual property and media, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis has ‘deep industry knowledge and always balances efforts and costs against the potential gain’. The team recently advised various artists including Herbert Brandl in a cyber-squatting case, and InQnet in a criminal case relating to the marketing of a website service that enables copyright infringements. Axel Anderl has ‘strong negotiation skills’, and is ‘a real gem’; ‘if you have a big, prestigious case you must to go to Axel’, says one client. Senior associate Martina Grama is ‘extremely accurate and reliable’.

Within Private client, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a first tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis provides ‘good service levels’ and ‘technically sound responses that are practical too’. Theresa Jordis heads the practice, which recently advised high-net-worth clients of the Austrian branch of Julius Baer Bank in tax planning issues. Paul Doralt is recommended for cross-border work.

Within Public procurement, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis represents public authorities and bidders in the healthcare sector, and advised the Austrian Red Cross, ÖRK, in tender proceedings launched by the Austrian Ministry of Interior. The team also advised the public authority in a tender process for a diagnosis information system for four hospitals in a model region in the Province of Lower Austria. Practice head Bernhard Müller is recommended.

Within Real estate and construction, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis is ‘an industry specialist and provides an excellent service to clients’ with an ‘entrepreneurial style’. It acted for various European investors in 2011, and advised NH Hoteles and German LHI Leasing on the sale of a €170m hotel portfolio to Invesco Real Estate. Practice head Stefan Artner is ‘an excellent transactional lawyer with particular expertise in real estate’.

Within Tax, Dorda Brugger Jordis is a second tier firm,

Dorda Brugger Jordis’ team is ‘practical, down-to-earth, and has a very good relationship with the Austrian authorities’. The practice advises on the full range of private client and corporate tax work, and recently represented Brazilian company Odebrecht Oil & Gas on its Austrian corporate and tax structuring. Paul Doralt is ‘technically strong, yet very pragmatic and easily accessible’.