SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH > Vienna, Austria > Firm Profile

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH
WÄCHTERGASSE 1
1010 VIENNA
Austria

Austria > Dispute resolution: commercial litigation Tier 2

Noted for its cross-border capabilities, SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH has recently been instructed in major construction, engineering and automotive disputes, which are also focus areas of practice head Markus Fellner, who is also regularly instructed by clients from sectors such as infrastructure, medical devices and logistics. Nina Pichler combines expertise in dispute resolution, corporate matters and M&A, while Rupert Kreuml supports Fellner in construction litigation and provides additional knowledge of medical and competition law. Ria Kucera was promoted to partner in October 2022 and advises along the whole spectrum of commercial law, litigation, and arbitration.

Practice head(s):

Markus Fellner

Other key lawyers:

Key clients

Bilfinger Bohr- und Rohrtechnik GmbH

HDI Global SE

LSW GmbH

HLSW GmbH

dm drogerie markt Verwaltungsgesellschaft m.b.H.

KTM AG

Pierer Mobility AG

HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft m.b.H.

ÖSTU-STETTIN Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH

Heaven Seven GmbH

Heaven Seven Swiss AG

Klenk & Meder GmbH

Work highlights

  • Represented LSW and HLSW in €1.2bn proceedings against a large furniture retail group.
  • Advised Bilfinger and its insurer HDI Global on claims arising from one of Europe’s worst industrial accidents.

Austria > Private client Tier 2

A robust offering in family and probate law underpins SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s private client team, which advises UHNWI and HNWI on post-marital claims involving shareholdings and assets, child custody issues, inheritance claims, as well as on corporate law questions of asset structuring, succession, and wealth management. The team is jointly led by Gerald Schmidsberger, who works on corporate succession, investments and trusts, and Birgit Leb, who is primarily engaged in contentious family and inheritance proceedings. Corporate and M&A-focused Bernhard Gonaus specialises in shareholder disputes and was promoted to partner in October 2023.

Practice head(s):

Gerald Schmidsberger; Birgit Leb

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘The team are excellent at treating complex and sophisticated matters. They have uncomplicated, simple and understandable procedures. The breadth of their team, their service level and their responsiveness are outstanding.’

‘SCWP have a perfect network and specialists in all sectors.’

Key clients

Greiner AG

Work highlights

  • Assisted the Greiner Group with a range of private client issues, including inheritance, charity and power of attorney matters, arising from the restructuring of the family office.

Austria > Public procurement Tier 2

Described by one client as ‘real partners,’ SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH acts for public authorities and private sector clients on both advisory matters concerning the tendering and bidding processes, and post-award disputes. The team’s expertise lies primarily in rail procurement, where it assists with both rolling stock and infrastructure projects, and is also frequently instructed by contracting authorities for healthcare-related undertakings. Hanno Liebmann, who merges procurement expertise with a deep knowledge of railway law, leads the team. Edwin Scharf, who represents a number of healthcare clients, handles challenges to tender decisions.

Practice head(s):

Hanno Liebmann

Other key lawyers:

Edwin Scharf; Jana Seywald

Testimonials

‘People at this firm are real partners, not just lawyers. They have a deep market knowledge and a clear understanding of our projects. They know how things are handled in practice and understand how to present complex legal matters in a client-friendly way.’

‘Hanno Liebmann is an outstanding expert and a reliable partner. We like his hands-on approach as well as his precise work. Performance is perfect.’

‘The entire team is highly competent.’

‘Trustworthy and constructive work alongside Hanno Liebmann.’

‘The strength of Saxinger, Chalupsky was the quick feedback’

‘Hanno Liebmann has distinguished himself through his professional expertise in complex railway law issues. Furthermore, he stands out for his adherence to deadlines and reliability.’

Key clients

ÖBB-Produktion GmbH

ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG

Bundespensionskasse AG

Schiene OÖ GmbH

Federal State of Upper Austria

Marktgemeinde Perchtoldsdorf

Marktgemeinde Wöllersdorf-Steinabrückl

skyline architekten ZT GmbH

Schiene Salzburg GmbH

Federal State of Salzburg

Federal State of Styria

Kepler Universitätsklinikum GmbH

Energie AG Oberösterreich

Oö Gesundheitsfonds

Social Aid Association Perg

Work highlights

  • Advised ÖBB-Produktion on the procurement of replacement cab radios for rolling stock in a cross-border mandate also involving Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
  • Assisted Schiene OÖ with “Regionalstadtbahn Linz,” a project to extend one of the most important rail junctions in Austria and improve regional connections.
  • Acted for skyline architekten ZT in its successful challenge to a tender decision concerning the construction of a rehabilitation centre.

Austria > Real estate Tier 2

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH boasts a ‘broad knowledge of the real estate sector,’ enabling it to provide tailored advice to domestic and foreign real estate developers and investors on a range of projects and transactions. The team also represents clients in disputes tied to real estate projects. Practice head Immanuel Gerstner handles the financing aspects of real estate transactions, with a notable cross-border practice. He and Lukas Leitner, who acts for several major real estate investors in regard to their acquisitions in Austria, are both admitted to the New York bar. Christoph Luegmair specialises in the structuring of real estate transactions and leasing agreements, while Irene Meingast handles real estate transactions and associated issues of corporate law.

Practice head(s):

Immanuel Gerstner

Testimonials

‘The team is good for complex tasks. Their service levels and responsiveness are very strong. I pick up the phone and I have them on the line. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion initiatives is strong.’

‘Lukas Leitner is reliable, efficient, diligent and responsive.’

‘One of the team’s most notable strengths is their broad knowledge of the real estate sector. Not least because of the size of the team but also because of decades of experience. You definitely get value for money.’

‘Easy to reach, quick response time, reliable, understands the needs of the customer, speaks the same language, understands what we want and shows a way to get there. Very experienced.’

‘Irene Meingast is exceptionally reliable, efficient and pragmatic and has a mentality to get the deals done – but always in a friendly and polite way. Not only does she understand our legal needs, but also sees the commercial picture and is very good at understanding technical details.’

‘The SCWP team was a great support in our real estate transaction. Very focused, high knowledge of the industry, creative and strong in negotiating.’

‘Immanuel Gerstner is very focused, an excellent negotiator and a really smart lawyer. Lukas Leitner gave us excellent advice and gets to the heart of even very complex issues.’

‘For me, they are the best real estate lawyers in Austria. We have also done cross-border deals with them, which have been handled perfectly by them.’

Key clients

Josef Rainer Privatstiftung

Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.

ARE Austrian Real Estate Development GmbH

Soravia Group

Rainer Group

W-One Capital GmbH

Lambert Immobilien GmbH

Meir Immobilien Gruppe

Raiffeisen OÖ RealInvest GmbH

IES Immobilien Gruppe

UBM Development Österreich GmbH

Raiffeisen Group

Morgan Stanley Real Estate

Flughafen Linz GmbH

Real-Treuhand Projekt- und Bauträger GmbH (RTP)

AVORIS Immobilien GmbH

Robert Wimmer Privatstiftung

Weyland GmbH

SCHMIDT’S Handelsgesellschaft mbH

Weyland Steiner Handwerks- und Industriebedarf GmbH & Co KG

Raiffeisen Landesbank Steiermark AG

Strenia engineering & invest GmbH

Meyer Logistik GmbH & Co. KG

PFEIFFER Beteiligungs GmbH

Ernst Nöhmer

RealRendite Immobilien GmbH

Work highlights

  • Advised the Josef Rainer Private Foundation on its acquisition of Kärntner Strasse 11 in Vienna’s 1st district in what was, at closing, the largest Austrian real estate transaction of the year.
  • Advised ARE Austrian Real Estate on the acquisition of the Inno Plaza office building in Vienna’s 12th district.
  • Advised the Rainer Group on various transactions and disputes with an aggregate value of €373m.

Austria > Data privacy and data protection Tier 3

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s team of ‘highly skilled’ data protection lawyers acts for clients seeking to undertake data transfers and ensure compliance with GDPR, while continuing to occupy a strong niche in advising public bodies on data protection matters. 2023 saw changes to the practice group’s leadership, with former co-head Philipp Reinisch moving to Fieldfisher Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG‘s new Vienna office in July 2023, and with data and IT security specialist Philipp Leitner stepping into the breach. Co-head Michael Pachinger utilises his ‘deep legal knowledge’ to support clients in data privacy matters and is also well versed in matters pertaining to IT, telecoms and e-commerce law.

Practice head(s):

Michael Pachinger; Philipp Leitner

Testimonials

‘One key strength of SCWP Schindhelm is its highly skilled and diverse team of legal experts. This diversity enables to bring fresh perspectives and creative, interdisciplinary solutions to client projects.’

‘What sets Michael Pachinger apart from competitors is not only his deep legal knowledge, but also his commitment to delivering outstanding results for his clients.’

‘The extremely competent advice and updates on decisions on data protection are what makes working with SCWP so special. Even in connection to related issues, possible impacts on all facets of the company were always pointed out to us.’

‘Working with Michael Pachinger is characterised by his suggestions and implementation tips. Matters were dealt with in such a way as to enable a feasible outcome. His extremely constructive and friendly manner supported his advice immensely.’

‘The team reaches a high level, they offer very useful help in negotiations as well as expert witnesses.’

‘Michael Pachinger is a leading expert in questions of data protection. He is straight to the point and responds quickly.’

Key clients

Resch&Frisch Holding GmbH

MatchMaker Sports GmbH

Peneder Holding GmbH

Conrad Electronic

Heyrise

Ulla Popken GmbH & Co.KG.

Work highlights

  • Won a tender to advise the Austrian government on ongoing initiatives for innovation in the digital, IT and data protection sectors.
  • Advised a central Asian tech company on the data protection permissibility of its collaboration platform.

Austria > Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation Tier 3

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH has a strong pedigree in handling disputes in the construction industry, and is equipped to comfortably deal with cross-border matters, with the team’s experience including advice on matters with complex expert surveys and post-M&A proceedings. Exemplifying this in particular is practice head Markus Fellner, who also offers a specialism in handling large-scale construction projects and is described by clients as ‘highly knowledgeable and dedicated.’ Ria Kucera advises on the whole spectrum of commercial law and is well versed in arbitration proceedings under VIAC and ICC rules.

Practice head(s):

Markus Fellner

Other key lawyers:

Ria Kucera; Nina Pichler; Lukas Biermayer

Testimonials

‘Very experienced lawyers who have studied worldwide and understand a wide range of legal systems.’

‘All team members were highly available, and I am very happy with the results.’

‘Markus Fellner was recommended to me for being highly knowledgeable and dedicated, and I have made the same experience. I fully trust his judicious counsel and especially value his particularly meticulous conduct of international arbitration proceedings. His high attention to detail was pivotal for the case.’

‘Lukas Biermayer showed much dedication throughout the arbitral proceedings and in our subsequent efforts to enforce the award.’

‘At the heart of SCWP’s uniqueness lies not just its legal expertise, but a distinctive commitment to client focused innovation.’

Key clients

Bilfinger Bohr- und Rohrtechnik GmbH

HDI Global SE

Heaven Seven GmbH

Heaven Seven Swiss AG

Klenk & Meder GmbH

Work highlights

  • Represented voestalpine in proceedings against the German metal company SMS.
  • Represented Heaven Seven in cross-border ICDR proceedings.
  • Represented Klenk & Meder in mediation proceedings related to enforcement of claims against a contractor.

Austria > EU and competition Tier 3

Working in a ‘goal-oriented and focused manner,’ SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH specialises in multi-jurisdictional merger filings and also represents clients in cartel matters before the courts. Practice head Christina Hummer marshals a ‘remarkable depth of knowledge’ of European antitrust law, and is instructed by clients seeking to submit merger filings and those facing cartel investigations. Markus Fellner frequently appears before Austrian and European courts in relation to cartel and abuse of dominance proceedings.

Practice head(s):

Christina Hummer

Other key lawyers:

Markus Fellner; Wolfgang Lauss; Kristina Madunic

Testimonials

‘The firm is particularly well positioned as it has 4 offices in Austria and hence, trained lawyers that can assist in case of a dawn raid everywhere in Austria.’

‘Christina Hummer is an extremely dedicated, engaged and highly competent competition lawyer. She manages to explain complex issues to the point to business people, which makes working with her extremely pleasant.’

‘What distinguishes SCWP’s antitrust law team is their unwavering commitment to providing advice that is consistently aligned with the client’s needs. This approach ensures that the team not only navigates legal intricacies effectively but also delivers practical solutions.’

‘Christina Hummer has a remarkable depth of knowledge and experience in antitrust law. She is committed to understanding the respective industry to provide tailored solutions. Wolfgang Lauss is particularly skilled at crafting innovative legal strategies and practical solutions.’

‘The practice is characterised by its excellent legal work at all levels, both by the partners and the other lawyers and associates. Due to the size of the practice, a broad professional spectrum is covered and clients are offered support in all areas of law.’

‘The partners and lawyers with whom we cooperate are characterised by a very high professional quality, good accessibility and timely completion of tasks.’

‘The team works in a goal-oriented and focused manner.’

‘Christina Hummer is a very experienced, client-focused antitrust attorney. She is particularly dedicated and always puts in 200%. On top of this, it is always a pleasure to work with her.’

Key clients

HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft m.b.H.

Energie AG Oberösterreich Umwelt Service GmbH

Pierer Industrie AG

KTM AG / Pierer Mobility AG

Hofer KG

Hexagon Composites ASA

Hexagon Purus ASA

Shareholders of RICO Group

State of Upper Austria

Heaven Seven GmbH

dm-drogerie markt Verwaltungs GmbH

Schmid Industrieholding GmbH

Invest Unternehmensbeteiligungs AG

EVVA Sicherheitstechnologie GmbH

Medlog Austria GmbH

Heaven S

Work highlights

  • Represented HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft in the Austrian construction cartel case.
  • Assisted Hofer with long-running competition matters arising from its relationships with suppliers and related pricing issues.

Austria > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 3

Debtors and creditors alike benefit from the corporate and economic expertise of SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s insolvency and restructuring team. Under the guidance of seasoned insolvency law expert Ernst Chalupsky in Wels, Sebastian Hütter and Nina Pichler share leadership from Linz and Vienna respectively, covering the range of insolvency, restructuring and distressed M&A. Wels-based Alexander Anderle is also frequently engaged in insolvency administration matters.

Practice head(s):

Ernst Chalupsky; Sebastian Hütter; Nina Pichler

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘The team gave clear and prudent advice with a view to obtaining the requested result at the earliest possible date.’

Austria > Administrative law and public sector Tier 4

A strong presence in the railway sector represents the core of SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH's practice, which specialises in infrastructure and public procurement matters and regularly provides advice on planning and zoning issues. ‘Outstanding expert’ Hanno Liebermann is well known for his work in the transport sector and leads the group, while Markus Nussbaumer handles a variety of energy and environmental mandates. Jana Seywald specialises in public construction and engineering law.

Practice head(s):

Hanno Liebmann

Other key lawyers:

Markus Nußbaumer; Jana Seywald

Testimonials

‘Real partners, not just lawyers. They have a deep market knowledge and a clear understanding of our projects. The team is certainly top in our industry sector. They know how things are handled in practice and understand how to present complex legal matters in a client-friendly way.’

‘Hanno Liebmann is an outstanding expert and a reliable partner. We like his hands-on approach as well as his precise work. His performance is perfect.’

‘Hanno Liebmann has distinguished himself through his professional expertise in complex railway law issues. Furthermore, he stands out for his adherence to deadlines and reliability.’

 

Key clients

ÖBB-Produktion GmbH

Bundespensionskasse AG

Schiene OÖ GmbH

Federal State of Upper Austria

Marktgemeinde Perchtoldsdorf

Marktgemeinde Wöllersdorf-Steinabrückl

Andreas Schmid

Schiene Salzburg GmbH

Federal State of Salzburg

Federal State of Styria

Cargo-Center-Graz BetriebsgmbH & Co KG

Güterterminal Werndorf Projekt GmbH

Ardex Baustoff GmbH

Work highlights

  • Advised ÖBB-Produktion, a subsidiary of ÖBB-Personenverkehr and Rail Cargo Austria, on the replacement of cab radios for rolling stock in a cross-border mandate involving Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.
  • Assisted Schiene OÖ with the project ‘Regionalstadtbahn Linz’, focusing on the extension of rail junctions to improve regional connections.
  • Advised the local government of Perchtoldsdorf on public and railway law issues arising from the planned expansion and reconstruction of a commuter line.

Austria > Banking and finance Tier 4

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s areas of expertise include real estate, construction and project financing as well as advice on crowd investment platforms, with the latter making up a cornerstone of practice head Immanuel Gerstner and Lukas Leitner's portfolios. Regulatory expert Clemens Harsch offers ‘exceptional competence in banking and capital market law’, while Franz Mittendorfer handles a large number of the team’s financing and M&A mandates. Thomas Ruhm left the firm in April 2023.

Practice head(s):

Immanuel Gerstner

Testimonials

‘Very competent team. Always reliable and very service-oriented.’

‘The lawyers have excellent expertise. The first contact with the firm is always nice and courteous. Issues are referred and handled quickly. They cover many fields of law.’

‘The legal questions at hand are answered quickly and competently. The expertise of Clemens Harsch is particularly noteworthy. He has exceptional competence in banking and capital market law and his commitment is outstanding. The cooperation with Clemens Harsch is always professional and can be recommended.’

‘I am very satisfied with all the services provided by the firm. ’

‘I especially appreciated the availability and the competent advice.’

‘Clemens Harsch: very accessible, quick and practical solutions, responsive to special requests and very friendly.’

‘They are very competent partners regarding banking and finance. They have good connections to authorities, a very good network within the banking and finance sector and to academic.’

‘Clemens Harsch is an expert in his field. His work stands out because he is always available for his clients. He gives you the feeling that your problem is his most important task. Documents are drafted very fast.’

Key clients

Raiffeisen Landesbank Steiermark AG

IFA Institute für Anlageberatung AG

Hexagon Purus ASA

Hexagon Composites ASA

IFA Invest GmbH

Federal State of Upper Austria

WBBS International GmbH

Strenia engineering & invest GmbH

SEA.AI GmbH

DF IOTA Holding GmbH

Freihof Project Development GmbH

Planquadr.at Klosterpark Holding GmbH

SoHotel Linz GmbH

Schnirchgasse KG

Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark AG

Oberösterreichische LandesbankAktiengesellschaft

LIGMA Lead Invest Management GmbH

Municipality of Linz

DFBG 1-3 Projektentwicklungs GmbH & CoKG

Work highlights

  • Advised Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark on the restructuring of its IT infrastructure division, with a focus on banking law issues arising from the associated spin-off of banking activities.
  • Advised several issuers on financings and related bonds issuances distributed via an online portal.
  • Advised a company on the structuring of two unique investment models, namely for a hotel and a mixed-use project, both located in Salzburg.

Austria > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 4

The SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s team is jointly led by Franz Mittendorfer and ‘very smart lawyer’ Immanuel Gerstner, with Gerstner advising domestic and foreign companies on M&A with a focus on the real estate sector and Mittendorfer offering experience with high-volume share sales and transactions with complex financing or structuring elements. Sebastian Hütter was promoted to partner in April 2023, while Gregor Haidenthaler joined in May 2023 and strengthens the firm’s corporate offering.

Practice head(s):

Franz Mittendorfer; Immanuel Gerstner

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Broad knowledge of both national and international law, wide industry knowledge, good global network, fast response, practical approach.’

‘Fast response, practical approach, solution oriented, structured process.’

‘The firm has an excellent M&A practice and general level of service.’

‘The team always  offers a solution and is able to translate complex legal topics in an easy language.’

‘Convincing performance and competence. The professional processing, fast and short response times, and the extremely convincing approach are very important and decisive for us.’

‘Due to our years of collaboration, a relationship of trust has developed that is based on reciprocity.’

‘A very well-coordinated professional team around Immanuel Gerstner, who advised us efficiently and purposefully on our restructuring. ’

‘Immanul Gerstner is very focused, gets things done and is a very smart lawyer. Lukas Leitner gave us excellent advice and gets to the heart of even very complex issues’

Key clients

Raiffeisen Landesbank Steiermark AG

Invest Unternhemensbeteiligungs Aktiengesellschaft

AVV Investment GmbH

DI Günther Haffner, MBA

Hexagon Composites ASA

Hexagon Purus ASA

State of Upper Austria

Energie AG Oberösterreich

Raiffeisen Beteiligungsholding GmbH

MONTENOR GmbH

Rupert Trawöger Privatstiftung

GRUPO ORENES S.L.

S.E. Holding GmbH

Medlog Austria GmbH

SUNEX SA

QbD Growth BV

Shareholders of RICO Group

MAGELLAN Privatstiftung

Pierer Group

ARE Austrian Real Estate GmbH

Voltlabor bzw. MIBA Battery Systems

MIBA Group

Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.

Hoppichler Gesellschaft m.b.H.

JR Investment GmbH

Soravia Group

PFEIFFER Beteiligungs GmbH

Pfeiffer HandelsgmbH

Soravia Investment Holding GmbH

Pollmann International GmbH

Morgan Stanley Real Estate

IFA Institut für Anlageberatung AG

Radius-Kelit Infrastructure GesmbH

Strenia Engineering & invest GmbH

Lambert Immobilien GmbH

Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich Aktiengesellschaft

Greiner AG

Work highlights

  • Advised Raiffeisen-Landesbank Steiermark on corporate issues relating to a restructuring aimed at creating the leading banking IT infrastructure company Austria.
  • Advised Invest Unternhemensbeteiligungs Aktiengesellschaft on the transfer of its interest in K-Businesscom to German IT giant Cancom.
  • Advised AVV Investment on the sale of its shares in Panthronics to Japanese Renesas Group.

Austria > Intellectual property Tier 4

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH's IP team has broad expertise spanning the divide between trade mark and patent enforcement, and more specialised areas such as the misuse of domains. The team is co-led by Maximilian Gumpoldsberger, who has vast knowledge of trade mark and patent prosecutions and defence strategies, unfair competition specialist Reinhard Paulitsch. Co-head Michael Pachinger combines his IT expertise with his knowledge of trade marks, designs and patents, in addition to being a registered European trade mark and design attorney.

Practice head(s):

Maximilian Gumpoldsberger; Reinhard Paulitsch; Michael Pachinger

Testimonials

‘SCWP Schindhelm’s diversity of expertise enables it to bring fresh perspectives and creative, interdisciplinary solutions to client projects. Their collaborative mindset fosters open communication and ensures that the experts fully understand the client’s goals, resulting in tailored and effective legal solutions.’

‘Michael Pachinger truly stands out due to his exceptional skills, expertise and dedication. What sets him apart from competitors is not only his deep legal knowledge, but also his commitment to delivering outstanding results for his clients.’

Key clients

MatchMaker Sports GmbH

GRT Spedition & Logistik GmbH

Work highlights

  • Advised a major Austrian retailer on management of its brand portfolio and represented it in contentious trade mark proceedings.

Austria > Employment Tier 5

Led by Roland Heinrich and Bettina Poglies-Schneiderbauer from Wels and Linz respectively, SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH has a strong presence in the Upper Austria region and operates across the whole spectrum of employment matters, with particular strengths in EU employment law issues. Heinrich is noted for his knowledge of collective agreements, social security matters, and cross-border transfers of employees, while Poglies-Schneiderbauer’s focus areas include temporary employment matters.

Practice head(s):

Roland Heinrich; Bettina Poglies-Schneiderbauer

Work highlights

  • Advised an Austrian recruitment agency on employment issues arising from part-time work undertaken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Represented an international automotive company in wide-ranging court proceedings involving dismissals and a case being heard by a specialist employment law court.
  • Advised a construction company on its review of existing internal employment practices covering issues such as work hours and employment contracts.

The firm:  SAXINGER is one of Austria’s leading business law firms. The firm’s roots date back to 1946. Based on this long-standing tradition, the firm’s focus is to provide comprehensive legal advice in all relevant fields of domestic and international business and commercial law by using their wide-ranging and in-depth experience and understanding of sectors, industries and markets.

SAXINGER has an excellent, ambitious team of lawyers eager to benefit their clients’ businesses. They differentiate themselves from other Austrian law firms with their excellent level of client care by explaining and summarising any legal problems and providing the respective tailored solutions to their client´s technical and/or commercial needs. Through its global network combined  with local expertise and in-depth know-how they can thus guarantee their clients the best possible legal advice in many different jurisdictions.

SAXINGER’s major changes happened in 2009 after significant expansion which enlarged the firm’s wide-ranging expertise across many industries. The firm acted as a founding member of the international Schindhelm Alliance. Since then SAXINGER is a member of the Saxinger Schindhelm Services SE, an alliance of European business law firms with offices in Central and Eastern Europe and the Asia Pacific region with more than 230 lawyers in 14 countries at 32 offices, including: Ankara, Bilbao, Bodrum, Bologna, Bratislava, Brussels, Budapest, Bucharest, Denia, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Gliwice, Graz, Hanover, Imola, Istanbul, Linz, Madrid, Munich, Osnabrück, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Pilsen, Prague, Shanghai, Sofia, Taicang, Valencia, Vienna, Warsaw, Wels and Wroclaw.

In 2010, the firm started its commitment in the Asian market with an Asia desk and its alliance office in Shanghai, which was in 2015 extended and strengthened by the Asia network and an additional office in Taicang. The firm’s clients now benefit from the Asia network of the Schindhelm alliance and reliable partners in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as offices located in China.

Areas of practice
Corporate and M&A: whether it is the purchase or disposal of companies or share holdings – the firm’s advisory activities cover the entire range of possible transaction forms. The firm advises on all phases of the transaction, from the letter of intent, the structuring and control of the transaction to due diligence and contract creation, to post-closing.

Real estate: whether it is acquisition or sale, development or management, utilisation or financing of real estate, the firm advises in all aspects of real estate: from property and construction law to corporate and capital market, and tax and environmental law.

Banking and finance/capital markets: the firm advises large and medium-sized companies and international corporations, public institutions and national and international banks and funds on all issues of financial management from the formulation of contracts to possible proceedings and disputes, both out of court and before courts, arbitral tribunals and other authorities.

Litigation/dispute resolution: the renowned dispute resolution practice of SAXINGER has vast experience in both advising and representing foreign, multinational and international clients before national and European courts as well as before arbitral tribunals. The experts of SAXINGER litigate in all areas of law and represent their clients in all kinds of disputes such as post M&A, corporate and construction disputes. SAXINGER’s experts are among others especially experienced in the industry sectors automotive, energy, construction and industrial engineering, distribution and franchising, health care and pharmaceutical, financial services, real estate as well as transportation. Further, SAXINGER’s experts are also active as arbitrators and business mediators.

Department Name Email Telephone
Corporate/M&A, Insolvency, Dispute Resolution Ernst Chalupsky e.chalupsky@saxinger.com
Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A, Real Estate Immanuel Gerstner i.gerstner@saxinger.com
IP/IT Maximilian Gumpoldsberger m.gumpoldsberger@saxinger.com
Banking and Finance, Capital Markets, Corporate/M&A, Real Estate Wolfgang Lauss w.lauss@saxinger.com
Banking and Finance, Corporate M&A, Litigation, Real Estate Franz Mittendorfer f.mittendorfer@saxinger.com
Corporate/M&A, Banking and Finance, Insolvency and Restructuring, Private Client Gerald Schmidsberger g.schmidsberger@saxinger.com
Corporate/M&A, Insolvency and Restructuring, Real Estate Alexander Anderle a.anderle@saxinger.com
Litigation/dispute resolution, Antitrust/Distribution Markus Fellner m.fellner@saxinger.com
Antitrust/distribution, Compliance Christina Hummer c.hummer@saxinger.com
Corporate, Dispute Resolution, Private Client Birgit Leb b.leb@saxinger.com
Dispute Resolution, Public Construction and Environmental Law, Public Procurement Hanno Liebmann h.liebmann@saxinger.com
Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, Employment Law Irene Meingast i.meingast@saxinger.com
Procurement, Compliance, IP/IT Markus Nussbaumer m.nussbaumer@saxinger.com
IP/IT, Contracts and Standard Terms Michael Pachinger m.pachinger@saxinger.com
Commercial criminal law/compliance Oliver Plöckinger o.ploeckinger@saxinger.com
Corporate, Employment law, Dispute Resolution, Real Estate Bettina Poglies-Schneiderbauer b.poglies-schneiderbauer@saxinger.com
Photo Name Position Profile
Markus P. Fellner photo Mag iur Markus P. Fellner Position: Lawyer, partner; Titles: Mag. iur., LL.M.; Expertise: Markus P. Fellner is…
Immanuel Gerstner  photo Dr iur Immanuel Gerstner Position: Lawyer, partner; Titles: Dr. iur.; Expertise: Immanuel Gerstner advises domestic and…
Christina Hummer  photo Dr iur Christina Hummer Position: Lawyer, partner; Titles: Dr. iur.; Expertise: As Attorney-at-Law (New York), Solicitor…
Michael Kienzl photo Mag iur Michael Kienzl Position: Lawyer, partner; Titles: Mag. iur.; Expertise: Michael Kienzl was a member…
Ria Kucera photo Mag iur Ria Kucera Partner; Title: Mag. iur.; Expertise: Ria Kucera advises and represents domestic and…
Lukas Leitner photo Dr iur Lukas Leitner Partner; Title: Dr. iur.; Expertise: Lukas Leitner primarily advises in the field…
Hanno Liebmann photo Dr iur Hanno Liebmann Position: Lawyer, partner; Titles: Dr. iur.; Expertise: Hanno Liebmann is specialised in…
Irene Meingast photo Dr iur Irene Meingast Partner; Title: Dr. iur.; Expertise: Irene Meingast primarily deals with real estate…
Number of lawyers at this address : 78
Cantonese
Chinese
Croatian
Czech
English
French
German
Hungarian
Italian
Mandarin
Polish
Russian
Spanish
Turkish
Integrated Advisory Group International (https://iag.global/)
Legal Adriatic network (http://strawhost.net/sites/tla/)
Other offices : Ankara*
Other offices : Bilbao*
Other offices : Bodrum*
Other offices : Bologna*
Other offices : Bratislava*
Other offices : Brussels*
Other offices : Budapest*
Other offices : Bucharest*
Other offices : Denia*
Other offices : Dusseldorf*
Other offices : Frankfurt
Other offices : Gliwice
Other offices : Graz
Other offices : Hanover*
Other offices : Imola
Other offices : Istanbul*
Other offices : Linz
Other offices : Madrid*
Other offices : Munich*
Other offices : Osnabrück*
Other offices : Palma de Mallorca*
Other offices : Paris*
Other offices : Pilsen*
Other offices : Prague*
Other offices : Shanghai*
Other offices : Sofia*
Other offices : Taicang*
Other offices : Valencia*
Other offices : Warsaw*
Other offices : Wels
Other offices : Wroclaw*
Other offices : * associated office
Number of lawyers in this country : 77

CLIENT: Nikolaus Lallitsch, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: Raiffeisen Landesbank Steiermark
TESTIMONIAL: Für uns ist SCWP Schindhelm längst die Nummer eins in allen Immobilienangelegenheiten.

SCWP Schindhelm has become the number one in all real estate matters for us.


CLIENT: Petra Riffert, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: WGD Donau Oberösterreich Tourismus GmbH
TESTIMONIAL: Ich darf Ihnen das Kompliment der wirklich angenehmen und sehr kompetenten Zusammenarbeit aussprechen.

I would like to compliment you on the really pleasant and very competent cooperation.


CLIENT: Markus Auer, CFO
COMPANY/FIRM: Beck Fastener Group
TESTIMONIAL: Ich möchte mich bei Ihnen für Ihre grandiose Unterstützung bedanken! Hat auch Spaß gemacht, mit diesem Team zusammen zu arbeiten!

I would like to thank you for your great support! It was also fun to work with this team!


CLIENT: Marc Rieker, attorney
COMPANY/FIRM: GKN Group Legal
TESTIMONIAL: Im Namen des ganzen GKN Teams danke ich Ihnen vielmals für die geleistete hervorragende Arbeit! Man konnte ja leicht den Überblick verlieren, aber Sie hatten die Sache jederzeit fest im Griff. Zudem waren wir sehr angetan von Ihrer präzisen und verlässlichen Art zu arbeiten.

On behalf of the entire GKN team, I would like to thank you very much for your excellent work! It was easy to lose track of things, but you had the situation under control at all times. We were also very pleased with your precise and reliable way of working.


CLIENT: Thomas Fleischanderl, CEO
COMPANY/FIRM: eMagnetix Online Marketing GmbH
TESTIMONIAL: Von der Erfassung unseres Anliegens bis hin über Ausarbeitung und abschließenden Klärung von Fragen lief alles sehr professionell, verständlich und sympathisch ab. Wir sind mit dem Ergebnis sehr zufrieden. Herzlichen Dank, gerne wieder!

Everything went very professionally, smoothly and sympathetically, from taking on our concerns to the clarification of all our questions. We are very satisfied with the results. Many thanks, again!


CLIENT: Leopold Windtner, Chief Executive
COMPANY/FIRM: AVE CEE Group
TESTIMONIAL: With its multinational competences and in-depth legal guidance, SCWP Schindhelm gave us top advice on the successful implementation of the sale of the AVE CEE group.


CLIENT: Franz Ömer
COMPANY/FIRM: bet-at-home AG
TESTIMONIAL: SCWP Schindhelm has advised us practically since the very beginning of our entrepreneurial activities. They have been and remain competent and reliable partners during all key stages of our corporate development


CLIENT: Manfred Kaulich, Head of legal and risk department
COMPANY/FIRM: ELIN GmbH & Co KG
TESTIMONIAL: The SCWP team represented us to the highest standard during this lawsuit. Due to its complexity, the facts had to be assessed meticulously, in particular in order to “bring down” the contractual limitation of liability. By virtue of the professional quality of the pleadings, this eventually succeeded


CLIENT: Herbert Kubasta
COMPANY/FIRM: Schiene OÖ GmbH
TESTIMONIAL: SCWP Schindhelm advised Schiene OÖ GmbH to the highest standard on several legal issues during our first big project. The results are convincing.

Immanuel Gerstner, Senior Partner

Senior Partner Immanuel Gerstner about the importance of technological progress in the legal field and what differentiates SCWP Schindhelm from other Austrian law firms

What do you see as the main points that differentiate SCWP Schindhelm (Saxinger, Chalupsky and Partners) from your competitors?

Saxinger, Chalupsky & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH (SCWP Schindhelm) is one of Austria’s leading CEE-operating law firms. Our roots date back to 1946. Based on this long-standing tradition, our focus is to provide comprehensive legal advice in all relevant fields of domestic and international business law by making use of our wide-ranging and in-depth experience and understanding of sectors, industries and markets. Our clients include businesses, private investors, government agencies, private individuals and families.

We have an excellent, ambitious team of lawyers eager to win great clients and to benefit our clients’ businesses. We are not just experts at law. We differentiate ourselves from other Austrian law firms with our excellent level of client care by identifying a client’s needs, explaining and summarizing any legal problems and providing the respective tailored solutions to our clients. We can thus proudly guarantee our clients the best possible legal advice. Our people strive to assist clients with all the issues they face, and to think and go beyond traditional lawyering.

In independent ratings of renowned industry publications, SCWP Schindhelm regularly ranks among the top 10 corporate law firms in Austria and the CEE region in numerous fields of law. Legal Directories hold that the firm’s M & A practice is “second to none” in its original home market upper Austria. Upper Austria is the leading state in Austria in terms of industry, exports and technology. Around one quarter of industrial production and exports in Austria stem from this region. At the same time, as member of the SCWP Schindhelm Alliance, an alliance of European corporate law firms, focusing on Central and Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific active in 12 countries to date (see question 3. below), the firm’s practice is predestined to advise clients on all cross-border matters. Said legal directories have in particular also recognize that the growing Vienna practice has gained significant market exposure and reputation throughout the last years and is active for reputable national and international clients. The Vienna practice with its cross-border orientation hence has attracted a new-client segment, i.e. institutional foreign investors.

We are of the opinion that this combination of strong local roots on the one hand and cross-border focus on the other is unique and makes the firm’s practice special.

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

We believe that Corporate/M&A which has always been one of the core practices of our firm as well as banking and finance will continue to grow in light of a stronger economy and the growing importance of compliance standards.

Moreover, with reference to our observations over the last few years, we expect the real estate sector to grow steadily. Although there is a general post-Brexit slump in sentiment towards the UK, investors continue to see value in real estate across many parts of Europe.

Another sector that we expect to grow is intellectual property and data protection with reference to an environment of increasing competition, globalization and rapid data transfer.

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

One of the major changes happened in 2009 after a significant expansion which enlarged our wide-ranging expertise across many industries. We acted as a founding member of the international Schindhelm Alliance. Since then SCWP Schindhelm is a member of the SCWP Schindhelm Services SE, alliance of European business law firms with offices in Central and Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific with more than 200 lawyers in 12 countries at 24 offices.

Our alliance sees itself as an international network and it goes without saying that the lawyers speak both German and English, as well as the respective local language.

Personal contact with our clients – here in Austria or abroad – has always been important to us and in this respect our clients benefit significantly from the alliance and our cooperation offices. Now we can support our clients in all topics and pool the competence of colleagues abroad quickly, professionally and unbureaucratically.

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

No business remains unaffected by technology. Social Media, rapid technology adoption and changing behaviors are driving massive changes to the channels through which we communicate. Technology has positively affected the way we interact with our clients. We are now able to easily and transparently communicate with our clients 24/7 from everywhere in the world, including telephone and video conferences, file sharing etc. providing the possibility to develop, maintain, and strengthen the relationship with our clients. As such, we are constantly developing and improving our client relationship management (CRM) and we provide a substantial amount of information and articles on our website as well as newsletters which we send out regularly to our national and international clients.

Furthermore, we also believe that technological progress in the digital field can make an important contribution to increasing the efficiency of our services. At this point, we would like to refer to SimpLex Doks: SCWP Schindhelm recently won the award “Best Legal Tech Innovation 2018” for SimpLEX Doks at the first edition of “Promoting the Best Award”. SimpLEX Doks increases the efficiency of all commercial law firms and legal departments by highly automating applications to the commercial register (Firmenbuch).

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

We want our clients to be successful and to achieve their goals. For us, excellent services are creative, pragmatic and commercially expedient results that are tailored to our clients’ requirements and that help them to move forward. Our experts undergo continuous further training and develop new ideas and approaches for solving a problem. We thus keep an eye on all entrepreneurial hurdles and stumbling blocks for our clients.

With regards, particularly to cross-border transactions, which involve several jurisdictions, the international character of the SCWP Schindhelm alliance offers a special added value for the client: a one-stop-shop for legal advice. However, outstanding specialist legal expertise is not enough for us. As a lawyer, it is always very gratifying if a client grows up from a small “start-up” to a publicly listed corporation and we can take part in the process as advisers. Over the years, the outcome is reciprocal trust as well as real friendships.

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three year’s time?

Our aim is to evolve, together with our clients and their businesses and to remain one of the most respected full service law firms in Austria. In order to achieve this goal, we t continue assisting our clients in a world that´s becoming more complex every year.

Moreover, we are planning to substantially invest in strategic acquisitions and team hires, and will build capabilities through emphasizing collaboration and talent development. This orientation is emphasised, for example, by the recent hiring of our new partner Matthias Steyrer, who expands the expertise in the field of Banking & Finance at the Vienna office.