Event Report

Legal 500’s GC Summit: Austria 2026 took place on 17 March at the Vienna Marriott, bringing together general counsel and senior legal leaders for an afternoon of insight, practical discussions and networking. The event set the stage for candid exchanges on the challenges and opportunities shaping the modern in‑house role, with participants engaging actively throughout the programme.

Francisco Castro, research editor at Legal 500, opened the event by welcoming attendees and highlighting the benefits of gathering the country’s in-house legal community for an afternoon of meaningful discussions.

The first session, delivered in association with Baker McKenzie, explored the drawbacks in post‑M&A disputes through a format designed to be both informative and engaging. Claudia Fochtmann‑Tischler, Desiree Prantl, and Heiko Haller, partners at the firm, began with a concise introduction to the subject, outlining the recurring issues that arise in post‑closing conflicts and sharing insights drawn from their evaluation of more than 120 arbitration awards. After setting the scene, the speakers shifted into an interactive quiz designed to encourage audience participation and spark discussion. This informal, dynamic approach helped the panel connect with the attendance, creating a collaborative atmosphere while reinforcing practical lessons around the subject.

The conversation then moved to the fast‑evolving world of intellectual property in the age of AI, in a panel hosted with Anwälte Burger und Partner. Hannes Burger, Clemens Ofner, and guest speakers Dr. Christian W. Schaumann and Manuela Weixlbaumer, examined how AI is reshaping patents, trademarks and copyright. They noted that patent activity in AI is accelerating even as regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace, raising questions around inventorship, disclosure, and the responsible use of AI tools. In trademarks, automated name and logo generation has contributed to crowded registers, complicating clearance and forcing brand owners to rethink their strategies. The panel emphasised that while AI introduces uncertainty, it also creates opportunities for more efficient rights management and competitive advantage.

After a short coffee break, the discussions resumed with a session on executive liability in the expanding maze of EU digital regulation, presented with Fieldfisher. Philipp Reinisch and Thomas Ruhm from Fieldfisher, made an initial presentation on the subject, then moving to a more informal discussion with guest speakers Philipp Egger and Silke Schimmerl, focused on the practical realities of implementing GDPR, cybersecurity obligations and emerging AI governance rules. Rather than revisiting the text of the regulations, the speakers addressed where compliance efforts often falter: fragmented internal controls, complex supplier dependencies and the grey zone where administrative sanctions can feel quasi‑criminal. The discussion underscored that regulators increasingly expect not only compliance, but evidence of robust, well‑structured processes.

The final panel of the day, delivered in association with LexisNexis, examined how generative AI is transforming legal workflows beyond traditional research functions. Moderated by Markus Scheffler, along with guests Patrick Winkler and Nicole Christ, described the shift from AI as a search tool to AI as an embedded, workflow‑centric system capable of supporting complex, multi‑step legal tasks. As proprietary content, internal knowledge, and secure enterprise infrastructure converge, the strategic question for legal departments is no longer how to access information, but how to deliver faster, more consistent, and more valuable outcomes.

Francisco Castro closed the conference by thanking speakers and attendees for their contributions and highlighting the importance of continued collaboration within the legal community. The event concluded with a networking session, giving participants the opportunity to exchange insights, build new connections and continue the conversations sparked throughout the afternoon.

Legal 500 extends its sincere thanks to its partners at Baker McKenzie, Anwälte Burger und Partner, Fieldfisher and LexisNexis, for their invaluable support of the conference. The team looks forward to returning to Vienna soon for the launch of the annual GC Powerlist: Austria, the flagship publication celebrating the country’s most outstanding corporate counsel.