Dr Johannes Aehrenthal > Cerha Hempel > Vienna, Austria > Lawyer Profile

Cerha Hempel is active at the crossroads between private client and corporate law, supporting individuals, foundations and trusts across a range of matters. The team is sought after for advice regarding the structuring of foundations and businesses, and is active on generational succession, wealth management and real estate issues. One half of the leadership duo, Albert Birkner, also leads the firm’s takeovers and antitrust department and sits on the supervisory boards of a number of major Austrian foundations, advising on the structures of foundations and handling corporate matters for the businesses held within them. Birkner’s co-head, Heinrich Foglar-Deinhardstein, specialises in corporate reorganisations and international transactions, in addition to representing clients involved in familial and trust-related disputes. Thomas Trettnak and Johannes Aehrenthal are further key contacts in the team.

The cross-practice group at Cerha Hempel is a strong player in the Austrian market, with a client base is formed of both public and private entities; the group advises the Austrian state as well as Wiener Stadtwerke and all of its subsidiaries. In terms of sector specialisms, the group is active in energy, infrastructure, electronic tolling, oil and gas, and real estate. Hans Kristoferitsch, Clemens Hasenauer, Johannes Aehrenthal, and Peter Vcelouch are the key names at leadership level.

The ‘exceptional industry sector knowledge‘ within the team at Cerha Hempel reaches all areas of corporate and commercial work, and the team provides the full range of services, from strategic corporate governance advice to private equity and venture capital assistance to work on cross-border transactions. The cross-border work leans heavily towards the CEE region, owing to the firm’s offices in the region. Leading the team are Clemens Hasenauer, Albert Birkner and Johannes Aehrenthal. The trio are well supported by senior associate Wolfgang Sindelar, who regularly advises on high-value M&A transactions. Nadine Leitner was promoted to partner in February 2022.