Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners > Vienna, Austria > Firm Profile

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners Offices

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners
SCHOTTENRING 12
1010 VIENNA
Austria
Visit website 43 1 537 70 43 1 537 70 70

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings

Austria > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 1

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners is known for its 'excellent track record' in the fields of insolvency law and corporate recovery. Team members often work on restructuring and reorganisation cases, and regularly advise clients on the banking side. Markus Fellner, founding partner, is a key name for the contentious work which the group undertakes. Fellner leads the team together with Florian Kranebitter, who focuses on international transactions in a variety of industries.

Practice head(s):

Markus Fellner; Florian Kranebitter

Testimonials

‘Very hands on. Good experience, as well as good knowledge of market behavior and market participants.’

‘Markus Fellner has excellent knowledge of the relevant law and markets and great negotiation skills. He is a reliable lawyer.’

‘Highly professional and experienced in the fields of insolvency law and corporate recovery. Excellent track record for many years.’

Key clients

Allianz Global Corporate & Speciality SE (AGCS)

National and international clients

Attestor Capital

Swiss Re

CoCom of lenders to Schur Flexibles

Work highlights

  • Advising lenders to Schur Flexibles on a proposed financial restructuring of Schur Flexibles, following accounting irregularities and compliance breaches.

Austria > Administrative law and public sector Tier 2

Environmental matters form the core of Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners' administrative law practice, with work including environmental due diligence processes and applications for environmental licences for real estate projects. In addition, the firm advises clients on the implications of EU directives for their businesses, and it is also able to assist with constitutional and energy law work as well as public-private partnerships. Team leader Michael Hecht represents state and federal bodies in addition to foreign and domestic companies, advising on questions of procurement and public commercial law. Markus Kabaja focuses on real estate and construction law alongside his public commercial law practice.

Practice head(s):

Michael Hecht

Other key lawyers:

Markus Kajaba

Key clients

ARGE Hausfeld

City of Feldkirch

DONAUTURM Aussichtsturm- und Restaurantbetriebsgesellschaft m.b.H.

Gemeinnützige Bau- und Wohnungsgenossenschaft “Wien-Süd” eGenmbH

Mischek Bauträger Service GmbH

ÖBB Infrastruktur AG

Province of Vorarlberg

Vorarlberger Energienetze GmbH

SORAVIA

Viadonau

Wirtschaftskammer Oberösterreich

Work highlights

  • Advising ÖBB Infrastruktur AG concerning the upgrade of new the Lower Inn Valley railway (Unterinntalbahn) in Tyrol.
  • Advising a consortium of several project developers on the implementation of the environmental impact assessment for an urban development project from the conception to the implementation of the procedure in all aspects of environmental law and nature conservation law.
  • Advising the State of Vorarlberg and the City of Feldkirch on approval proceedings for the Feldkirch city tunnel.

Austria > Banking and finance Tier 2

The ‘highly professional and well experienced’ banking and finance team at Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners has seen large growth in its provision of compliance advice for the banking and financial services sector, which includes handling regulatory work for banks and payment service providers, including changes to authorisation regimes. The trio leading the team is Markus Fellner, Gregor Schett, and Florian Kranebitter, and the group counts major Austrian banks such as UniCredit Bank Austria and Commerzbank as key clients. Stefan Adametz was made partner in July 2022, and adds to the group’s bench strength for multi-disciplinary mandates.

Practice head(s):

Markus Fellner; Gregor Schett; Florian Kranebitter

Other key lawyers:

Stefan Adametz

Testimonials

‘The services are always provided on time and are of high quality. The solution approach is usually pragmatic, as the team knows exactly what matters in banking business.’  

‘Highly professional and well experienced team especially in banking law. Excellent track record over many years.’

‘Very speedy answers and practical advice. Thinking outside the box. Very useful for in-house-lawyers.’

‘Markus Fellner is an exceptional lawyer who understands business and has outstanding expertise. He also has great negotiating skills.’

‘We consider Markus Fellner and Florian Kranebitter the best lawyers in Austria to represent our banks’ interests.’

Key clients

BAWAG P.S.K.

Commerzbank AG

GREENoneTEC Solarindustrie GmbH

Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederösterreich-Wien AG

Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich

SORAVIA Group

State of Lower Austria

UniCredit Bank Austria AG

Vorarlberger Landes- und Hypothekenbank

Aktiengesellschaft

Work highlights

  • Advising UniCredit Bank Austria in connection with the enforcement of its minority rights as a shareholder of 3Banks Group.
  • Successfully advised BAWAG Group on the acquisition of the leading online broker Hello bank! Austria from the French financial group BNP Paribas.
  • Advising SORAVIA Group on the cooperation between SORAVIA and Volksbank IMMO-CONTRACT Group.

Austria > Public procurement Tier 2

Practitioners in the planning law, environmental law and public procurement group at Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners have significant cross-practice expertise in areas spanning corporate, financial and public law. Practice head Michael Hecht also heads up the firm’s real estate and construction law group, and his client base includes international companies and public authorities alike. The group’s public procurement practice extends to the structuring of joint ventures between public bodies and private entities, and Hecht plays an important role in this work.

Practice head(s):

Michael Hecht

Key clients

Viadonau

Province of Lower Austria

Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H.

City of Vienna

Work highlights

  • Assisted Viadonau with a Connecting Europe facility tender.

Austria > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 3

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners has recently extended its scope of work pertaining to M&A transactions in a range of sectors including the banking, IT, and payment services industries. Another key element of the practice is real estate transactions, and particularly those undertaken by Austrian banks. Founding partner Markus Fellner leads the group alongside Paul Luiki, who has a specific focus on cross-border transactions, Florian Kranebitter and Lukas Flener.

Practice head(s):

Markus Fellner; Paul Luiki; Florian Kranebitter; Lukas Flener

Work highlights

  • Advising UniCredit Bank Austria on the enforcement of its minority rights as shareholder of 3Banks Group.
  • Advised SORAVIA on the acquisition of the shares in Hospiz am Arlberg.
  • Successfully advised BAWAG Group on the acquisition of online broker Hello bank! Austria from the French financial group BNP Paribas.

Austria > Dispute resolution: commercial litigation Tier 3

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners is reputed for its strength in finance and banking-related litigation, particularly cases relating to M&A deals, joint ventures, capital markets transactions and insolvencies. Class-actions and cases with a white-collar crime nexus are also areas of expertise. Markus Fellner and Gregor Schett jointly head up the practice. In team news, Stefan Adametz made partner in 2022.

Practice head(s):

Gregor Schett; Markus Fellner

Other key lawyers:

Kurt Wratzfeld; Markus Kajaba

Testimonials

‘The team is extremely well connected and their standard of legal services is exceptionally high.’

‘Markus Fellner and Gregor Schett are absolute experts in their field and really tough negotiators.’

Key clients

UniCredit Bank Austria AG

Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederoesterreich-Wien

BAWAG P.S.K.

Work highlights

  • Advising UniCredit Bank Austria on the enforcement of its minority rights resulting from its position as shareholder of the institutions forming the 3Banken Gruppe.
  • Representing Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederoesterreich-Wien in litigation against several hundred investors asserting claims based on faulty investment advice when acquiring a share in closed funds.

Austria > Employment Tier 4

Austria > EU and competition Tier 4

Austria > Real estate Tier 5

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners has advised on some large domestic real estate transactions over the past year, and has also supported Austrian banks which have continued their divestiture process. The group also has a strong track record of litigation within real estate. Practice co-head Michael Hecht is described as ‘a real expert’, and runs the team with his counterpart Markus Kabaja.

Practice head(s):

Michael Hecht; Markus Kajaba

Testimonials

‘Michael Hecht is a real expert in the real estate industry. He is solution-oriented and focuses on what is possible.’

Key clients

ARE Austrian Real Estate GmbH

6B47 Real Estate Investors AG / JTP 3 Alpha GmbH & Co KG

City of Klosterneuburg

Donauturm Aussichtsturm- und Restaurantbetriebsgesellschaft m.b.H.

Fischapark Shopping Center GmbH

FoDo Holding GmbH & Co KG

IKEA Einrichtungen-Handelsgesellschaft m.b.H.

Österreichische Post AG

RK Privatstiftung

SK Projektentwicklung GmbH & Co KG

Soravia Group

Steinhoff Europe

UIV Urban Innovation Vienna GmbH

Viadonau

Wiener Immobilien Group

Work highlights

  • Advised UIV Urban Innovation Vienna, a Wien Holding company, on finding a location for a new multifunctional arena for staging concerts and sports events.
  • Advising IKEA Einrichtungen-Handelsgesellschaft on the process of building a branch at Vienna’s Westbahnhof station.
  • Advised Steinhoff Group on the sale of KIKA/Leiner to SIGNA Group.

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners > Firm Profile

The firm: Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners (fwp) was founded in 1999 by Markus Fellner and Kurt Wratzfeld as a law firm advising companies in all legal matters. Since then fwp has grown significantly. With a team totalling more than 130 employees, including more than 70 lawyers, fwp is one of Austria’s top business law firms.

The firm’s work is as international as its cases and clients, and fwp’s close and long-standing co-operation with international law firms is a major key to its success.

Areas of practice: The firm has a team of more than 70 highly qualified legal personnel supplying comprehensive support and advice for their clients. This is ensured through the perfect mix of long-standing, experienced specialists with added sector expertise, working in banking and finance, corporate/M&A, real estate, infrastructure and procurement law, reorganisation and restructuring, and dispute resolution.

Since 2010 fwp has been the exclusive Austrian member of the leading global referral network TerraLex (which has currently been awarded as “network of the year” by The Lawyer) and has actively participated in TerraLex’s business initiatives and meetings. This has resulted in a plethora of referrals both from our firm to TerraLex and from TerraLex member firms to fwp. The emphasis fwp places on cross-border work also is highlighted by our long-standing membership in the Association of European Lawyers (AEL), which provides a strong platform for pan-European cross-border transactions and legal advice.

Main Contacts

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Banking and finance Markus Fellnermarkus.fellner@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 311
Banking and finance Gregor Schettgregor.schett@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 314
Capital markets Paul Luikipaul.luiki@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 315
Corporate/M&A Markus Fellnermarkus.fellner@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 311
Corporate/M&A Paul Luikipaul.luiki@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 315
Insolvency and restructuring Markus Fellnermarkus.fellner@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 311
Insolvency and restructuring Florian Kranebitterflorian.kranebitter@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 325
Labour Kurt Wratzfeldkurt.wratzfeld@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 316
Intellectual property Markus Kajabamarkus.kajaba@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 322
Real estate and construction Michael Hechtmichael.hecht@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 317
Real estate and construction Lukas Flenerlukas.flener@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 330
Real estate and construction Markus Kajabamarkus.kajaba@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 322
Public law and public procurement Michael Hechtmichael.hecht@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 317
Antitrust and competition Lukas Flenerlukas.flener@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 330
Antitrust and competition Florian Kranebitterflorian.kranebitter@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 325
Dispute resolution Markus Fellnermarkus.fellner@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 311
Dispute resolution Gregor Schettgregor.schett@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 314
Environmental and planning Markus Kajabamarkus.kajaba@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 322
Environmental and planning Michael Hechtmichael.hecht@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 317
Private equity Markus Fellnermarkus.fellner@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 311
Private equity Lukas Flenerlukas.flener@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 330
Central and Eastern Europe Paul Luikipaul.luiki@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 315
Central and Eastern Europe Markus Fellnermarkus.fellner@fwp.at+43 1 537 70 311

Lawyer Profiles

PhotoNamePositionProfile
Stefan Adametz photoMag Stefan AdametzStefan Adametz is partner at fwp. He specializes in Litigation, Trade/Retail, Life…View Profile
Markus Fellner photoMMag Dr Markus FellnerPartnerView Profile
Lukas Flener photoDr Lukas FlenerPartnerView Profile
Michael Hecht photoDr Michael HechtPartnerView Profile
Markus Kajaba photoMag Markus KajabaPartnerView Profile
Florian Kranebitter, LLM photoDr Florian Kranebitter, LLMPartnerView Profile
Paul Luiki photoDr Paul LuikiPartnerView Profile
Gregor Schett, LL.M photoDr Gregor Schett, LL.MPartnerView Profile
Kurt Wratzfeld photoDr Kurt WratzfeldPartnerView Profile

Staff Figures

Number of lawyers : 70

Languages

English
French
German
Italian
Croatian
Serbian
Dutch
Czech
Slovak
Japanese
Romanian
Spanish
Bosnian
Slovenian
Persian

Memberships

TerraLex
Association of European Lawyers

Press Releases

fwp extends its expertise by appointing a new junior partner from its own ranks

31st October 2018

Vienna, September 2018. Motivated and energetic - this is how the new junior partner of Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner (fwp) presents himself. One of Austria’s leading law firms acclaims Clemens Gabriel’s new status as attorney-at-law registered since 19 September 2018.

“The quality of our performance is based on the successful development of our teams – this includes taking on board long-serving associates who wish to work with us as attorneys after having successfully passed their exam and being admitted to the Austrian bar association”, emphasises founding partner Markus Fellner.


fwp strengthens areas of competence by appointing a new junior partner from its own ranks.

10th September 2018

Vienna, September 2018. Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner (fwp) adds valuable competence and expertise to the team by promoting Michael Froner to junior partner.

“The quality of our performance is based on the successful development of our teams – this includes taking on board long-serving associates who wish to work with us as attorneys after having successfully passed their exam and being admitted to the Austrian bar association”, explains founding partner Markus Fellner.