The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Austria > Dispute resolution: commercial litigation

‘The advice is provided promptly, attorneys are always available for discussion, the cooperation is very pleasant, easy and efficient as attorneys have perfect knowledge of the Austrian law and speak fluent English. The balance of the cost and quality of services is perfect.‘

‘High quality output, highly motivated and reliable, in depth knowledge, hands on mentality, great handling of difficult situations.’

‘Excellent dispute resolution team, very high professional standard, with a strong strategic focus.‘

‘The team of Binder Groesswang especially Ingeborg Edel are very professional. You will in good hands all the time. They meet every deadline. They remind you if something is outstanding.‘

‘Great problem-solving skills, high availability and reliability throughout the case. Pragmatic approach and strong focus on economically reasonable solutions.‘

‘Ingeborg Edel – she is just exceptional.‘

‘We appreciate that Christian Klausegger and Elisabeth Tretthahn-Wolski are personally involved in all legal matters they handle for us, they pay attention to every detail and always are very flexible in finding solutions of our legal problems.‘

‘Christian Klausegger and Elisabeth Tretthahn-Wolski are excellent lawyers with a strong client oriented focus. They are able to handle multi jurisdictional cases as well local Austrian ones, always with a strong strategic approach. They are well connected in the Austrian market, very responsive and have the necessary technical understanding and skills to manage also complex IT disputes.‘

‘Leading practice with broad focus, including D&O.‘

‘Felix Hörlsberger provided clear and pragmatic advice. He was able to focus on the key issues as distinct from others with whom I have worked.‘

‘Knoetzl provide thorough and practical Austrian legal advice. They are able to grapple with complex legal and academic issues and produce advice which is practical and easily understandable.‘

‘Compared to other Austrian firms Knoetzl can live up to the expectations of an international law firm seeking local counsel in Austria, in particular in terms of responsiveness, reliability and quality of the work product.‘

‘The team is solution oriented and also considers aspects that are not pure litigation questions; they think broader than required for the litigation (e.g. communication).‘

‘Katrin Hanschitz and Bettina Knoetzl are personable and are able to correspond in both German and English to a very high level. They have also been willing to deal with difficult issues in a firm manner, particularly when discussing complex disputed points with other lawyers.‘

‘Bettina Knoetzl made herself available whenever needed and was always on top of the case.  In addition, she displays a thorough knowledge of the case and the law and is always on the lookout to business-friendly solutions.‘  

‘Particularly outstanding is the ability to obtain a comprehensive overview within the shortest possible time when taking over cases that have been pending for several years and to ask and answer the decisive legal questions at the same time.‘

‘Extensive expertise, highly professional cooperation and based on mutual trust.‘

‘Work for the integrity of legal practice and not focus on the income that can be achieved from the service.‘

‘The unique feature is that all options for regulation or defence against claims are always identified and evaluated during the initial test. Then the tactics are discussed and the common procedure is determined. Irene Welser’s and Michaela Siegwart’s team never lose sight of the big picture and keep an eye on what is important.‘

‘Michaela Siegwart – excellent legal expertise as well as excellent conduct of legal cases.‘ 

‘I was mesmerized by the capability to break down complex legal questions into a clear, stringent legal strategy. The speed how challenging issues were identified and handled was amazing. As the team is small you receive excellent value for money.‘

‘The team is goal-oriented which is highly appreciated. The team has, besides legal, excellent business knowledge and great insight into the economic environment. The team is very responsive and able to provide business-oriented advice which the clients appreciate. Another important strength is strategic approach.‘

‘The team of DLA Piper (Vienna) has an excellent capability in both litigation and arbitration. They thoroughly analyse each and every step of the arbitration process and have a pro-active approach in leading the case. ‘

‘Schoenherr Rechtsanwälte has very talented and extrem highly motivated experts in each field, which I have ever worked with. They have a pragmatic approach, are fast and cost efficient.‘

‘Excellent knowledge, good client relationship, fast responses and perfect negotiation skills.‘

‘An outstanding individual for us is Bojana Vareskic. This woman is one of the brightest, most talented, and smartest lawyers we have ever seen and worked with. She possesses not only excellent knowledge, she has an incredible in depth knowledge. Bojana is truly an excellent negotiator. She makes the impossible possible. For us she is the diamond among the other gemstones.‘

‘Top insurance litigation practice led by Philipp Strasser.‘

‘The team from Vavrovsky Heine Marth is highly sophisticated, service oriented and dedicated to go the extra mile for their clients. The quality of work is simply extraordinary. They deliver outstanding results, work great under time pressure and handle even the most complicated issues in an astoundingly timely manner. The strength-in-depth and talent of each team member is outstanding. In our industry Vavrovsky Heine Marth stand out in expertise and service orientation.‘

‘Philipp Strasser and his team is very service orientated and knows the needs of his clients. He is absolutely willing to understand his clients’ business and to learn more about our expectations. The response times and the accessibility is perfect.’

‘The team around Philipp Strasser makes Vavrovsky Heine Marth one of our preferred partner firms on the market especially with regard to insurance and corporate law related services. They are extremely proactive and handle matters efficiently. The team expertly manages matters, every team member is highly professional and continuously delivering strong performance. They excel in client orientation and personal dedication.‘

‘The team delivers an outstanding performance in all areas of our cooperation, there is an extraordinarily high degree of identification with the tasks at hand, competence and great commitment paired with comprehensive knowledge and first class consultation. The development of suggestions and resolution always has a very short processing time. The working relationship is trusting and the output always more than satisfactory as goal-orientated problem solving never gets out of focus.‘

‘With regard to legal expertise, experience and economic understanding the firm is definitely among the big players on the Austrian market. Moreover, the Dispute Resolution team around Philipp Strasser offers cutting-edge services in insurance and corporate litigation and arbitration matters. Here, they are absolute market leaders. In addition, the firm sets itself apart in service orientation, the partners are personally and directly available at any time, the flexibility and short response times are impressive. They efficiently get to the heart of matters and are determined to achieve the best results for their clients, not only legally but also economically.‘

‘Nikolaus Vavrovsky is an outstanding legal professional, right at the top of his peers. He is particularly strong in real estate and construction-related disputes, a bright strategist with exceptional commercial judgement. Being exceptionally detailed oriented and forward thinking, he never loses sight of the big picture no matter how complex a case. He handles matters efficiently and finds ways to secure the best outcomes for his clients, a real problem solver with a strong presence and great communication skills. Nikolaus is an invaluable partner to us, proactive and completely reliable. Someone you can always count on.‘

‘Dieter Heine has an excellent standing on the market. His understanding for our industry, his comprehensive knowledge in dispute resolution as well as his specialization on media and competition law were the reasons we opted for him and his firm. I am impressed by his professional and personal service. Dieter Heine is efficient and a creative thinker, never misses a detail and quickly connects the dots.‘

‘The office has access to international partners, which is used without any complications.‘

‘It is a very dedicated team that also works very personally for the needs of the client.‘

‘Their commitment, preparation and, above all, winning attitude in a ethical manner all contributed to our victory. The preparation was of the highest order.‘

‘Filip Boras was extraordinary.‘

‘Quick response time and pragmatic approach.’

‘This firm brings a combination of excellent litigation expertise, and experience in working with complex cases and acting in high-profile commercial disputes in Austria. They are highly trusted in the area of commercial civil and criminal proceedings. The fact that Brandl & Talos are both excellent business lawyers and experienced litigators makes their advice highly effective. Their experience with the Austrian capital market is also very valuable. Brandl & Talos’ experience also shows in their ability to conduct settlement negotiations: on the one hand, they are very competent and know the ins and outs of complex financial instruments and business structures; on the other, there is also a lot of human emotional intelligence, both in handling the opponents, and in communicating with me as a client.‘

‘Highly qualified lawyers who also provide human kindness. it is an unusual mixture.‘

‘Christopher Schrank is an excellent litigator, he has a very strong presence in court and during negotiations and, as the length of our relationship (since 2008) shows, provides effective and professional representation that I am always happy to rely on. His professionalism also shows in his manner with clients, and in the clarity of his advice, both written and oral. When receiving his advice, I feel that he has complete mastery of these complex legal and business matters, yet at the same time I am able to follow and feel on top of what is going on in my proceedings, thanks to his clarity. He has built a good team around himself, and they have never disappointed me.‘

‘Graf & Pitkowitz’s litigation team has in-depth knowledge and experience of the substantive issues and procedural requirements. The team has a very practical hands-on approach and effectively manages communications with various stakeholders in litigation including the court, opposing counsel and the client.‘

‘The team is very experienced in both arbitration, litigation, and enforcement (execution). They are well versed in the law and, at the same time, very practical.‘

‘Nikolaus Pitkowitz provides astute legal advice and practical input.‘

‘Nikolaus Pitkowitz is a great leader, tactician and strategist.‘

‘The team is highly professional, responsive and easy to deal with. Straight to the point communication.’

‘Generally, they advised with speed, completeness, expertise and authority on all of the necessary issues.‘

‘Sebastian Mahr (IT/IP, competition law), a quite young but excellent lawyer.‘

‘Sebastian Mahr is an excellent and ambitious lawyer. Another outstanding lawyer at PHH is Matthias Preuschl.‘

‘Matthias Preuschl is always available. He is considering commercial relationships with customers in his proposals beside the mere legal thoughts.‘

‘Excellent commitment, excellent availability and excellent knowledge in commercial lawsuits.‘

‘Technically very strong. They work hard and appear totally committed to their client’s ’cause’, which is what a client wants in litigation. They are agile and imaginative in determining their litigation strategy, which I always like. Always looking for angles to enhance their client’s position, which is very important in complex, cross-border litigation. A lot of litigators in European civil law jurisdictions are quite process-driven. Hard-working but unimaginative and often lacking initiative when faced with, for example, intransigent judges or prolonged court timetables. SCWP, by contrast, have been a breath of fresh air in their proactive and imaginative approach to litigation strategy.‘

‘The team is certainly one of the top teams in our industry sector: straightforward and always to the point. They have a deep market knowledge and extensive professional experience. If we need them, they are available. They are value for money.‘

‘Hanno Liebmann is an outstanding expert and a reliable partner. We like his hands-on approach as well as his precise work. He knows everything but does not make a case more complicated than it is. Moreover, he is very strong in negotiations and court hearings.‘

‘Taylor Wessing ensured an efficient handling of the dispute we had in Austria, ensured a good outcome for our business by providing practical solutions which resulted in an out-of-court settlement.’

‘The strength lies in the direct communication and rapid implementation of the client’s wishes.‘

‘The advice is always to the point & considers the commercially important considerations of our company. When giving advice they provide you not only with the legal aspects and limit it to the lawyer aspects but also to commercial facts (costs vs expected success/impact etc). Also excellent litigation know how compared to other average Austrian litigators. The team really knows the law without the need of previous intense research. You always get immediately an advice on the phone in case of urgency.‘

‘Taylor Wessing has a very professional and competent team. Furthermore there is a perfect availability and fast response which is very helpful in urgent cases.‘

‘Stefan Turic has an excellent on-the-ground knowledge. We appreciated to work with him and absolutely can recommend him for dispute resolutions in Austria.’

‘The team speaks our language in terms of everyone can understand them without the need having an Austrian law degree. Hence, they speak human which is highly appreciated and do not bother us with too lawyer-ish talks. When it comes to the excellent litigation know-how we want to mention Stefan Turic. He is an extraordinary skilled litigator and knows the litigation rules like we have not seen before. His skillset is especially obvious when he litigates your case in front of the court. Very strong litigator who counters objections from counter-party and/or the judge with convincing arguments and referring to the procedural rules. He is not afraid of a judge which we see as an asset. It seems he knows all the relevant rules and regularly convinces the court of our legal point of view.‘

‘Martin Prohaska is a brilliant and reliable lawyer especially in cases or claims regarding unfair competition practises. The processing times are very short, so that fast results can be achieved.‘

‘Beside his excellent knowledge, Wolfgang Kapek stands out in particular also through his great understanding of economic interrelationships. He adapts the peculiarities and specific requirements of the different business models and submits pragmatic and business-oriented solution proposals. This distinguishes him from most attorneys who focus solely on the legal aspects.‘

‘Strong team – led by Lukas Aigner who is outstanding.‘

‘The team is very dedicated to their customers. They check and analyse a case from different sights. They work night and day on a case if it is time-critical.‘

‘Lukas Aigner – CEO, founder, real estate law expert, strong government know-how, good relations to press and know-how about public opinion and official cases.‘

‘Lukas Aigner is the founder and oversees the operation takes care of the cases in all aspects he works for personally.‘

‘Johannes Lehner pays attention to details and works hard for the clients.‘

‘Perfectly organised, they work very rapidly.‘

‘The team is highly responsive and supports the client a lot in complex matters.‘

‘The team is up to all challenges. We felt in very good hands throughout the litigation process.‘

‘I immediately had great confidence in their work and I always felt immediately understood and at no time that my concern was not of great importance.‘

‘When it comes to litigation, Florian Neumayr stands out. He makes the right points at the right time in the court room.‘ 

‘Highly motivated and well interacting team that has proved how efficient proper cooperation can be and juridical advice can be provided.‘

‘A group of very experienced lawyers with the partners still highly engaged in the daily business. They do not only know the law but also their clients’ needs or, in new cases, make it a top priority to understand these. As a result, you get extremely good value for your money.‘

‘Always available also outside of business hours and immediately giving advice and help. Experts in civil law and litigation.‘

‘Gerald Otto impresses with his quick understanding of the task and the facts. He regularly comes to creative solutions for problems with a focus on our economic requirements. Always thinking one step ahead.‘

‘The team is highly regarded for their banking litigation work and their skills to act before court.‘

‘The team is well educated and have a view how to manage. All legal advices are very practical and balanced between overview and details.‘

‘The law firm has a very high level of specialist expertise in consumer protection law and civil law.‘

‘Markus Kellner is always very well prepared for court hearings and knows his cases in great detail.‘

‘The partner of the law firm, who works with us, is a legal expert, very committed, and he informs us proactively about legal changes. He also successfully represented us in legal proceedings.‘

‘Markus Kellner is really an expert, also of the relevant jurisdiction. It’s always a pleasure to have him on your side.‘

‘Always available, highly efficient and structured, flexible attitude to reach customers’ goals and creative approach in difficult situations.‘

‘Besides being highly skilled and experienced experts in criminal defence work, Simone Petsche-Demmel and Andreas Pollak attorneys are pleasant to work with on a personal and professional level.‘