Cerha Hempel

Takeovers & Antitrust

Partner, Head of Competition Practice Group, specialised in Antitrust & Competition, Compliance & Investigations, Distribution Law, Mergers & Acquisitions

Bernhard leads CERHA HEMPEL’s Competition Practice Group, which he has built from the ground up, shaping it into one of the largest and most respected competition law teams in Austria. He is widely acknowledged by clients and peers for his deep expertise across all areas of competition law. In November 2024, Bernhard was elected by his peers as President of the Austrian branch of the Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht and, in December 2024, Bernhard was elected to the board of the Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht in Germany, reflecting his standing in the market and recognition by his peers.

Bernhard regularly advises on high-profile cartel and abuse of dominance cases on both the national and EU level.  He is also highly regarded for his work on merger control, handling proceedings both at the Austrian and the EU level.

His reputation for navigating complex tech and Phase II merger cases continues to grow and he has also significantly expanded the team’s private enforcement portfolio.

Admitted 2006, (Attorney at Law), Austria

German, English

Vienna Bar Association International Bar Association Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht Lex Mundi - The World's Leading Association of Independent Law Firms

Fordham University (LL.M. 2002), Fulbright Scholarship; Robert Schuman Prize; University of Innsbruck (Mag. iur. 1999, Dr. iur. 2001)