Cerha Hempel > Vienna, Austria > Firm Profile

‘By far most experience in real estate DCM in Austria.’

‘Volker Glas is very experienced, pragmatic and client-orientated, very pleasant to work with.’

‘We consider them by far the most competent and most professional M&A legal advisors in CEE region. The level of their professionality, their systematic approach to any topic that might arise and their dedication to such transaction and whole process is something you simply do not get from other legal counsels.’

‘Very renowned practice in Austria, with long track record.’

‘Thomas Trettnak is our go-to lawyer.’

‘Albert Birkner is, without any doubt, the best lawyer I have ever had privilege to work with. First of all, there is not a topic in M&A transaction that he does not know, in depth. Secondly, he is not just a pure advisor that rejects any responsibility, quite contrary, he truly leads the discussions, defends his clients’ points of view, negotiate on your behalf…I mean, I have worked with dozens of law offices and nothing can match the work of Albert Birkner. Extremely dedicated professional.’

‘Strong know-how, very good business relation, client focused, reliable.’

‘Full service law firm with excellent quality of advice and service in all legal areas. High quality of client updates.’

‘Clemens Hasenenauer: Exceptional legal knowledge and ability, exceptional negotiation skills and business oriented advice.

‘Johannes Prinz: Exceptional legal knowledge and ability, excellent negotiation skills and business oriented advice.’

‘The team of Cerha Hempel is very knowledgeable and extremely responsive. It is able to advise clients on and represent them in the most complex white-collar crime matters with highly qualified staff.’

‘Univ.-Prof. DDr. Peter Lewisch is one of the most well-known criminal lawyers. Despite being very busy, he is still able to react very swiftly and, due to his wealth of knowledge, he is able to bring the most complex issues to the point very easily. Dr. Lewisch is an admirable practitioner, very competent and with a fair billing practice.’

‘Dr. Hans Kristoferitsch is another notable member of the Cerha Hempel team providing very excellent work and advice. Clearly this is due to his deep knowledge and experience in the field of white-collar crime law and practice.’

‘We decided to work with Cerha Hempel because of their background in white-collar crime cases and the very good impression their specialised team and especially professor Peter Lewisch made on me personally.’

‘Our main contact is professor Peter Lewisch. Over the time we also worked with Mr. Stefan Huber. I can underline their extensive knowledge of the white- collar crime domain, sophisticated analysis of the procedural issues, well-organised working style, all in all, high professionalism.’

‘Peter Lewisch: I most appreciate his professional competence, i.e. deep understanding of the business processes (which is fundamental, in my opinion, for success in white-collar crime cases), innovative approach of the legal issues, out-of-the-box thinking, friendly attitude, extensive availability.’

‘Cerha Hempel’s white-collar crime practice is to be considered top notch in Austria. It is known for its vast knowledge in criminal law and able to deliver outstanding results.’

‘The fabulous Prof. Peter Lewisch is undoubtedly one of Austria’s top defence attorneys. His legal knowledge and his ability to understand the issues of a case in no time are second to none in the industry. He is surely the safest bet one can make when a white collar-crime issue arises in Austria.’

‘Speed of processing: The receipt of the respective request is confirmed at short notice. A substantive answer is given quickly, usually within 24 hours.’

‘Pragmatic solutions: Risks in the case of consequences under labor law are raised and the potential consequences are presented.’

‘Great wealth of experience in respect of ruling practice of labour courts.’

‘Accessibility: RA Mag. Peitsch is very accessible.’

‘Perfect knowledge of Austrian and European labour law, fair billing, great value for money;’

‘Julian Feichtinger is an exceptional labour law expert, able to think outside of the box, always available and a perfect sparring-partner. It’s always a pleasure to be working with him.’

‘Cerha Hempel has a very hands-on approach and is keen to understand the company’s problems and provide tailored solutions. Also, the employment team has a great international network and can also help with cross-border issues.’

‘CERHA HEMPEL has a great team, which is knowledgeable about Austrian employment law – the deliver advice that the clients really appreciate.’

‘Business oriented and practical advice, very responsive and great to work with.’

‘Bernhard Kofler: outstanding lawyer and great to work with.’

‘Very strong competition law practice. They are very familiar with the Austrian Federal Competition Authority, where they have good relationships.’

‘Anna Wolf-Posch is a superb lawyer–always impressive, insightful, and authoritative. Organized, reliable, and precise, she is one of the finest lawyers I have encountered in Austria.’

‘Very reliable team. Always a pleasure to work with them especially on merger control issues.’

‘Anna Wolf-Posch is clearly the rising star in Austria. She is smart, business oriented, efficient and has a great knowledge of the way the Austrian competition authority will react in all situations. I would recommend her without any doubt to anyone that faces merger control or antitrust issues in Austria.’

‘They have a very pragmatic and commercial view. Their advice is clear.’

‘Very responsive.’

‘The team are highly professional and service-oriented.’

‘Benjamin Twardosz is a leading practitioner and gives clear and timely advice.’

‘CERHA HEMPEL supported us in a very complex cross border operation. They have been very reactive, with a very strong result oriented mindset and very constructive. They have been successful in the discussion with the tax authorities with a process which has been very well managed.’

‘Benjamin Twardosz has been instrumental in the operation. He has a very strong knowledge of the Austrian tax law and good connection with the tax authorities. He came up with a solution which solved the issue we had.’

‘The team is very responsive and is able to coordinate with different offices of the firm to provide pan-European advice covering several Eastern EU Member States.’

‘Armin Schwabl in the Vienna office is very dedicated, responsive and reliable. He provides good practical advice and can be trusted.’

‘Customer-minded. Flexible fees.’

‘The team from CERHA HEMPEL is unique in its legal knowledge – combining a hands on approach with academic excellence, in their responsiveness and their knowledge not only of our market, but also of the politically sensitive environment.’

‘They are always available and come up with out of the box solutions, built on their impressive legal capacities.’

‘As regards billing, they always offer solutions that also benefit the client.’ ‘

‘The project team from CERHA HEMPEL is being led by Hans Kristoferitsch, who has not only in depth legal knowledge but brilliantly manages authority contacts as well as requests from our company’s top management.’

‘Stefan Huber’s responsiveness is impressive, and he has a clear view on strategic as well as technical questions.’

‘In-depth knowledge of the regulatory and finance landscape tailored to specific needs of clients.’

‘Accustomed to work under tight timeframes with creative legal solutions for hardship situations.’

‘Volker Glas gets directly involved in many sensible matters that require specialised knowledge.’

‘CHSH has in-depth knowledge of arbitration and broad practical experience in international proceedings. Both help to effectively navigate through all arbitration processes. Apart from this, we experienced awareness of problematic legal issues plus solution-oriented work to approach and solve them.’

‘Close liaison with clients, understanding of client’s internal structures and work style, fast and efficient in case of emergencies while not losing track of details, listens to client’s concerns.’

‘The team around Irene Welser works very professionally and has given me perfect advice on my long court proceedings and has always given me the best advice on how to deal with my case.

‘Irene Welser tried very hard to win the case. The pleadings were extraordinary, which you can see in comparison with the pleadings of the other side.’

‘I find it unique that no matter how complex the topic is, a complete and comprehensive review takes place within a very short time. All aspects are regularly examined.’

‘Michaela Siegwart leaves nothing to chance, nothing escapes her attention. She always points out all problems and possible solutions that present themselves. The same applies to Irene Welser, who does an outstanding job, especially in mediation.’ 

‘The team around Holger Bielesz and Irene Welser is outstanding and smart. They have been a tireless and indispensable resource for our group of companies.’

‘Their advice and transparency, advising against actions just to increase the amounts on their billing statements have been a true lifesaver in countless instances. This leads to much more precise and focused attacks and better outcomes for their clients.’

‘Their knowledge in commercial litigation and their insights into the specifics of forensics and the software and IT landscape let them stand out in a very small market like Austria but even shine in an international setting.’

‘The team around Dr. Bielesz and Prof. Welser is one of the rare occasions, where you feel they are just as fired up to win the battles  as you are, with you in the trenches and still later on the victory road.’

‘The individually composed team of CERHA HEMPEL under the leadership of Heinrich Foglar-Deinhardstein and Florian Wünscher offers an absolutely flexible support for all our investments. Especially in the area of billing, we are offered attractive models for each case that – unlike rigid and outdated hourly billing – fit us perfectly.’

‘Heinrich Foglar-Deinhardstein is a profound expert in all aspects of corporate law, a relaxed negotiator in stressful situations and has an eye for all essential details at all times.’

‘CERHA HEMPEL operates a strong team in the areas we are active in. We use them in Corporate/M&A, real estate, commercial and private clients business. We always talk to the same people at Cerha Hempel, which makes dealing with this firm very easy and unique. You don’t have various partners you need to talk to but can rely on a one stop shop principle.’

‘Albert Birkner needs to be singled out. He has been our main contact partner for nearly 20 years now and has never disappointed our expectations. When others go home, Albert goes the extra mile and we always get our work in time and in the quality that we expect.’

‘Albert Birkner is an excellent lawyer, a reliable person and always on top of things. When Albert is in fighting mode, you cannot stop him. His work product is excellent, his legal skills are awesome and on top of that he simply is a nice person.’

‘The teams works for the clients’ needs with great commitment and endurance. Always responsive, on time with great flexibility when needed.’

‘Flexibility, commitment, know how and determination to achieve clients needs, also sensible when needed in special cases /situations.’

‘The team from CERHA HEMPEL is unique in their legal knowledge combining a hands on approach with academic excellence, in their responsiveness and their knowledge not only of our market, but also of the politically sensitive environment.’

‘They are always available and come up with out of the box solutions, built on their impressive legal capacities.’

‘The whole team was brilliant.’

‘As regards to billing, they always offer solutions that also benefit the client.’

‘Their seamless work with other specialists from their firm (if required) as well as with technical advisors has to be stressed.’

‘The project team from CERHA HEMPEL is being led by Hans Kristoferitsch, who has not only in depth legal knowledge but brilliantly manages authority contacts as well as requests from our company’s top management.’

‘Peter Vcelouch was a very valuable support because he has not only excellent knowledge of the legal aspects involved but has also outstanding skills as a negotiator even under difficult circumstances.’

‘Peter Vcelouch stands firm also under pressure and does his utmost to support his client.’

‘The firm firm stands out with its high quality.’

‘Dr. Kristoferitsch is among the best data protection lawyers because he also brings a lot of practical experience.’

‘Excellent expertise in data protection law and excellent service also with regard to strategical issues’

‘The firm delivers high quality output which is understood by lawyers AND management.’

‘In addition to Hans Kristoferitsch’s legal knowledge, he knows how and when to give credit to the inhouse lawyers.’

‘Growing team with wide experience.’

‘Thomas Ttrettnak is a terrific practitioner and Holger Bielesz is a great contribution to Trettnak’s team as he brings 20 years of litigation experience.’

‘The team stands out in handling cross-border aspects of restructuring and insolvency law. They have in-depth knowledge with a practical approach.’

‘I was impressed by the high-quality and accurate advice provided by Thomas Trettnak in a rather brief time frame. In fact, the case has developed according to the client’s wishes.’

‘Very quick and great service.’

‘High legal quality.’

‘Very knowledgeable insolvency team in Austria; quick and experienced.’

‘We appreciate the firm’s deep knowledge in both corporate and real estate law, especially when it comes to real estate transactions (in particular share deals). What we have recognised is the firm’s strong network in the real estate sector.’

‘The real estate team of CERHA HEMPEL shows a great level of empathy for our needs and implements our desired solutions without any compromise, no matter what it takes.’

‘Besides outstanding legal knowledge you will benefit from a high degree of transaction experience, giving you access to alternative solutions for stuck situations.’

‘They also cover new issues affecting the real estate industry such as the EU Taxonomy, which many competitors seem not to care about.’

‘We regularly work together with Mark Krenn, in particular in transactions in the CEE region. Mark is a highly experienced transaction lawyer, who has lifted transaction management to a new level. We very much appreciate his negotiation skills as a real bonus. Most important, he is very easy to work with and flexible; you can always expect him to be available when needed. Besides, you can discuss legal topics also on a non-billable basis with Mark.’

‘Mark Krenn: Extremely good collaboration, full commitment to his customers, fully represents the customer in front of other parties, highly experienced, full trust.’

‘CERHA HEMPEL responds very quickly and offers a very wide field of expertise. Their network in SEE and CEE countries, which are quite important markets for us, is excellent.’

‘Mark Krenn and his team offers excellent work in our real estate transactions. He points out the legal issues but at the same time offers solutions, which also consider economic factors. With his team he can also cover other languages (Croatian, English, Slovenian, Hungarian etc.).’

‘CERHA HEMPEL’S IP practice provides excellent legal advice in any field of IP and unfair competition law.’

‘The team provides precise legal advice also on non-contentious IP matters such as copyright, trademark and patent licensing agreements. While the practice might not be the largest in the market, its members deliver high-quality products with a remarkable responsiveness. Apart from their legal work the team’s ability to understand the clients‘ businesses to offer pragmatic solutions is noteworthy.’

‘Kind and welcoming. Flexible, easy to talk to, easy to work with and committed. Different teams (IP, employment, corporate) worked very well together and coordinated very effectively.’

‘We had the pleasure to work with Irmgard Nemec who handled all our IP challenges. Working with her was a seamless experience. She was always flexible, kind and well-prepared. Her legal advice and communication was clear and concise and the execution efficient and reliable.’