Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG > Vienna, Austria > Firm Profile

Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG
SCHUBERTRING 6
1010 VIENNA
Austria

Austria > Banking and finance Tier 1

Wolf Theiss‘s sizeable banking and finance group is well equipped to guide financial institutions, funding and investment platforms, payment services providers and investment companies through a wide range of sector-specific matters. Its offering includes regulatory and transactional support with the latter including distressed situations, subsequent non-performing loan transactions and financial restructurings. Andrea Gritsch is a key contact in this space and also handles fintech-related matters. She is a core member of the team led by Nikolaus Paul, who specialises in financing transactions in Austria and the CEE and SEE region with a focus on infrastructure and real estate projects. This focus is shared by Marika Lomashvili, who made partner in June 2021 and also coordinates the firm’s Russian desk, and projects team head Andreas Schmid. As another key individual, Markus Heidinger‘s broad banking and finance expertise extends to dispute resolution and regulatory investigations.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

‘The team is truly a very down-to-earth team with lots of experience, very calm, always capable of solving the issue at hand, you just feel always well taken care of.’

‘Andreas Gritsch and Claus Schneider are the main contacts. They solve problems in a very calm and professional way. It is just a delight to work with them.’

‘Excellent market and industry knowledge, depth of expertise in the area of derivatives, banking regulation and capital markets.’ 

‘The advice is very practice-oriented and professionally sound. The individual lawyers have a very good understanding of the needs of the client.’

‘Our legal advisor (Leopold Hoeher) is always available for a call and answers emails extremely fast, usually understands the requirements and needs of the client. He and his team are good at explaining the legal requirements of their country and provide pragmatic rather than dogmatic advice.’

‘We mainly work with Andrea Gritsch and her team. Andrea is highly recommendable in all fields of banking and has a very detailed knowledge of banking regulation. In addition, Andrea is very familiar with the market side, she has deep knowledge of innovative business models and is always very responsive; thus, clients just feel very comfortable in working with her and her team.’

‘Marika Lomashvili is extremely hardworking, goes the extra mile, understands the client’s business. She offers pragmatic solutions. Always a pleasure working with her.’

Andreas Schmid is a very experienced B&F lawyer. Solution-oriented, responsive, understands clients’ needs.

Key clients

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Black Sea Trade and Development Bank

International Finance Corporation

UniCredit S.p.a.

UniCredit Bulbank

UniCredit Bank AG

Societe Generale

Kommunalkredit Austria

DSK Bank

Edmond De Rothschild Asset Management vehicles

Deposit Solutions

Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A.

Hauck & Aufhäuser Privatbankiers AG

Sberbank Europe AG

Work highlights

  • Advising European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, the International Finance Corporation, UniCredit S.p.a., UniCredit Bulbank, UniCredit Bank AG, Societe Generale, KommunalkreditAustria and DSK Bank on the financing granted to the consortium comprising the French investment firm Meridiam, Austria’s Strabag and the operator of Munich Airport to whom the concession of Sofia Airport has been awarded.
  • Advising Edmond De Rothschild Asset Management vehicles in connection with Enery’s acquisition of the ACWA Power CF Karad Park.
  • Advising Deposit Solutions on the first open deposit banking business model operating officially in Austria.

Austria > Capital markets Tier 1

Wolf Theiss enjoys an excellent reputation in the DCM and structured finance space, resulting in a steady flow of instructions from predominately financial sector clients on the issuance of bonds, including blockchain-based and green bonds, regulatory matters and on debt issuance programmes. This specialism correlates with team head Claus Schneider‘s set of expertise, which combines skills in banking and finance, including blockchain and crypto assets, with wide-ranging capital markets capabilities. Richard Wolf is another key member of the team and a key contact for work at the intersection between banking and finance, corporate and capital markets, as is Alexander Haas, whose expertise extends to derivatives. Counsel Christine Siegl is a name to note for regulatory matters.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

‘WT provides practical solutions.’

‘Claus Schneider has substantial knowledge about bank-specific processes.’

‘The Wolf Theiss team provides top quality legal services across all practice groups and provides advice on all relevant aspects for financial institutions.’

‘Dr. Claus Schneider is very responsive and efficient, has excellent expertise and experience, provides valuable advice that focuses on solutions instead of risks and problems.’

Dr. Nikolaus Paul provides excellent advice in relation to investment funds.’

‘Strong position, strong team.’

Key clients

Austrian National Bank

Erste Group Bank AG

Oberbank AG

BNP Paribas

Unicredit Bank Austria AG

Hypo-Bank Burgenland Aktiengesellschaft

Raiffeisen Bank International AG

Hypo NOE Landesbank für Niederösterreich und Wien AG

MUFG Securities (Europe) N.V.

Sparkassen-Haftungs GmbH

Attestor Limited

Interritus Limited

Kommunalkredit Austria AG

Eurex Clearing AG

BdB – Bundesverband deutscher Banken e.V.

Work highlights

  • Advised the Austrian National Bank (OeNB), the Austrian Central Securities Depositary (OeKB CSD), the Austrian Treasury (OeBFA), Raiffeisen Bank International and Erste Group on the issuance of the first Austrian blockchain-based bond.
  • Advising Erste Group with regard to its blockchain-based debt issuance platform Dealfabrix and the first bond issue thereunder.
  • Advising numerous banks on issuances of sustainability and green bonds.

Austria > Construction Tier 1

Wolf Theiss‘s close cooperation with its offices across the CEE and SEE region makes it an attractive partner for construction companies, joint ventures, project developers and employers requiring assistance with large-scale national and cross-border construction and infrastructure projects, while its cross-practice cooperation also enables the team to provide associated public procurement and real estate advice alongside litigation and arbitration support. This combined approach is also reflected in Wolfgang Müller‘s expertise, which spans contentious and non-contentious construction and development law. He jointly heads the practice with Thomas Anderl, who covers an equally broad spectrum and has substantial expertise in FIDIC contracts and, together with Michael Müller (counsel since May 2021), is among the key contacts for Building Information Modelling (BIM). Senior associate Hannah Schaflinger has a specialism in construction litigation and construction insurance law.

Testimonials

‘Excellent knowledge and competency across all team members. Business-driven approach, open mindset, reachable, able to provide solutions under high time pressure, ability to provide excellent support and strategic guidance. Focus on risk areas and not afraid to speak up if potential risk factors are identified.’

‘Thomas Anderl has a broad legal expertise in construction and contract law and the competency to describe and explain complex legal matters in a language that is understandable for upper management and technicians. His sharp mind always finds solutions for complex situations and he always offers solution-oriented legal advice. His excellent communication and social skills and technical knowledge are a very valuable resource, which brings added value for his clients. And he is always available for his clients and provides pragmatic supports even in tense and crisis situations.’

‘Our cooperation with the construction team of Wolf Theiss is based on great trust and works smoothly in every respect. They not only have a broad legal knowledge in the construction sector but also a deep understanding of the technical side of our business. We can always rely on their hands-on experience and their track record in handling construction and infrastructure topics. Their network is really remarkable and extremely useful when dealing with our matters.’

‘Our contacts and advisors within the team are Wolfgang Müller and Michael Müller. Both of them are very structured and absolutely present on the market. Wolfgang Müller is a leading person and not only an excellent lawyer, he also has a technical education and job experience, so his technical understanding is essential and helpful when handling issues with both legal and technical aspects. Michael Müller has a very good reputation in the construction business, his communication skills and personality are very helpful in difficult situations, either during preparation of the case in-house or during the proceedings. We are totally satisfied with them and are looking forward to our further cooperation.’

‘Perfect coverage of all relevant disciplines with respect to construction contractual issues.’

‘Individuals have sufficient technical background to understand the topics easily; this in combination with very competent and experienced legal experts enables us to work on the issues in a very focused way.’

‘The firm is always keen to help and deliver services in accordance with the client’s expectations. Instructions are understood and therefore no surprises show up at billing stage.’

‘Thomas Anderl is an exceptionally trustworthy partner for his clients. Work is always delivered on time by Thomas and his associate.’

Key clients

PORR Bau GmbH

BeMo Tunnelling GmbH

STRABAG AG

Marti Group

VAMED Standortentwicklung und Engineering GmbH

Itinera Spa

Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG

DYWIDAG Dyckerhoff & Widmann Gesellschaft m.b.H

Implenia Baugesellschaft m.b.H

Bernegger GmbH

Ing. Hans Bodner Baugesellschaft mbH & Co KG

G. Hinteregger & Söhne Baugesellschaft m.b.H

HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft m.b.H.

Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH

Alu König Stahl

ÖSTU-STETTIN Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH

Art-Invest YesZinglbau GmbH

Steiner-Bau GmbH

Alubau Puhlmann GmbH & Co KG

Lenzing AG NoCA Immobilien GmbH

Swietelsky AG NoGLS Bau und Montage GmbH

Mercury Engineering Unlimited Company

HOCHTIEF Infrastructure GmbH

Work highlights

  • Advising Unger Stahlbau Ges.m.b.H. and Haslinger Stahlbau GmbH (jointly working as ARGE Stahlbau ESW2020) in an arbitration proceeding against VOESTALPINE pertaining to structural steelwork in the stainless steel plant in Kapfenberg.
  • Representing ARGE H51, a joint venture of construction companies working on the Brenner Base Tunnel’s H51Pfons-Brenner building site, in a lawsuit over contractual omissions and in defence against claims.
  • Advising Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co KG on all legal issues pertaining to the construction of a new production facility for the industrial mass production of biopharmaceuticals based on cell cultures in Vienna (LSCC project).

Austria > Dispute resolution: commercial litigation Tier 1

Thanks to its strong cross-departmental cooperation, Wolf Theiss‘s dispute resolution practice is able to provide full-service litigation assistance, which is frequently called upon in a cross-border setting. Particular strengths include shareholder disputes, finance and insolvency-related litigation, unfair competition and product liability claims alongside litigation at the intersection with white-collar crime. The team’s client base is equally diverse and, while containing a large number of financial services providers, also includes clients from other sectors such as real estate, transport, healthcare and energy. Stefan Riegler heads the firm-wide dispute resolution practice and is best known for his arbitration expertise.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

‘What makes Wolf Theiss’ dispute team unique is the profound experience and the knowledge of the team members at every level. The collaboration between different practice groups works well, therefore it is easy to reach the expertise of different practice groups when needed. Also, they have a good network and maintain good relations with consultants in other jurisdictions.’

‘Clemens Trauttenberg is very knowledgeable and experienced. He has a hands-on approach, is solution-oriented and is able to offer the best solutions that suit his clients’ needs best.’

They always prioritise their clients’ interests.’

‘Outstandingly skilled, first-class reputation. Not cheap, but definitely worth the money.’

‘We rely on Eva Spiegel, one of the most senior partners of team. She litigates a broad range of disputes, from IP to insurance, insolvency and distressed transactions. Very professional, always swift turnaround.’

‘The collaboration with Wolf Theiss’ commercial litigation practice works smoothly. The team consists of highly motivated individuals, who are experts in their field. The billing is done on a regular basis and is transparent.’

‘Eva Spiegel is obviously top notch. She has such an incredible expertise and working with her is fun because she is simply brilliant. No less can I say about Alexander Zollner, who is a rising star, and I think he will make it very far. His commitment and zeal are outstanding. He is smart, thinks one step ahead and grasps the relevant information quickly. Moreover, he has a good sense of humour.’

Key clients

Lifebrain S.r.l.

National Bank Trust

KA Finanz

Erste Bank

KELAG

Work highlights

  • Advising an international consulting company in connection with the insolvency of one of its clients, a well-known Austrian real estate developer.
  • Acting for the Austrian bank KA Finanz in pursuing claims that arose from unlawful deals with structured credit products and credit default swaps which contributed to the financial collapse and the nationalisation of the bank.
  • Advising a Russian retail bank in a civil claim for compensation of damages against an Austrian financial institution, who participated in fiduciary lending transactions that seem to have been fraudulent and the purpose of which was in placing the assets of the client to offshore entities.

Austria > Dispute resolution: white-collar crime (including fraud) Tier 1

Wolf Theiss provides individuals and corporations, including victims of criminal conduct, with combined civil and criminal law expertise, which, thanks to its strong network, spans various jurisdictions with particular strength in Russia-related work. The team led by Clemens Trauttenberg advises on criminal and civil proceedings pertaining to allegations of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and money laundering, among other matters, as well as associated investigations. Counsel Nikolaus Loudon is a key contact for internal investigations and routinely advises corporations as victims of criminal conduct in criminal proceedings.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

Extraordinarily professional and reliable, broad and deep capabilities and expertise across the disciplines and segments, highly client and success-oriented, international network.

Outstandingly engaged for the client, effective and discreet. Very high adversarial quality. Able to take the full view including factors like politics, reputation, public, media. Highly responsive and available. Extremely easy to work with. High technical competence, intelligence and ethics.

Wolf Theiss is well known and extremely good in solving white-collar crime matters.

Key clients

Cevdet Caner

Aggregate Holdings S.A.

Airbus Defence and Space GmbH

National Bank Trust

Work highlights

  • Representing a real estate investor in criminal proceedings started after several years of investigative proceedings.
  • Representing a real estate investment company in a post-M&A dispute which includes the suspicion of fraud, insider trading and giving wrong evidence at court on the opponent’s side.

Austria > Employment Tier 1

Wolf Theiss‘s services in employment law span restructurings, pensions, and day-to-day management to litigation and cross-border matters. The firm is especially active in the litigation and restructuring spheres, often acting on behalf of large domestic and international companies. Ralf Peschek is the key partner leading the team and has over 25 years’ experience in labour and employment law. Multinational projects involving several jurisdictions in the CEE and SEE region are regularly handled by Matthias Unterrieder. Senior associate Isabel Firneis specialises in restructuring matters and contentious employment cases.

Practice head(s):

Ralf Peschek

Testimonials

‘Pragmatic, direct, uncomplicated, easy.’

‘The team of Wolf Theiss is very professional and always available on a short notice to support us.’

‘They deal with the complex requests efficiently and providing their feedback based on the legal requirement and the communicated business need.’

‘Dr Ralf Peschek and Mag Isabel Firneis: Both of them are very knowledgeable in labour law with a lot of experience, have good communication skills and always try to accommodate our requests to their best.’

‘Ralf Peschek: Solution-oriented access to problems with view on the goal, holistic consideration of the problem.’

‘Dr. Peschek utilizes his knowledge in labour law in a way that perfectly fits to our specific needs.’

‘They are top notch employment law experts, extremely responsive, an excellent business acumen and from a personal perspective: super easy to work with.’

‘Using them is not only a guarantee for excellent legal advice but also a wise business decision.’

Key clients

Teradata

FACC AG

Spinner Austria GmbH

Lifebrain

Work highlights

  • Advising an insurance company on a large-scale restructuring project, including employee relocation.
  • Advising a retail company on restructuring measures and representing the company in redundancy-related litigation cases.
  • Advising a bank on changes in its management board and on a new incentive programme.

Austria > Private client Tier 1

The private client practice at Wolf Theiss is sought after by high net-worth individuals and family-owned businesses for the full range of legal and tax services, including advice on cross-border estate planning, prenuptials, asset management, foundations, and charitable organisations. The team serves clients throughout the CEE and SEE region and is co-headed by certified public tax advisor Niklas Schmidt. Fellow practice lead Karl Binder is routinely active in assisting with real estate transactions, estate and succession planning as well as inheritance law. Counsel Eva Stadler is specialised in international taw law and tax planning.

Practice head(s):

Niklas Schmidt; Karl Binder

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘The best private client practice in Austria.’

‘Niklas Schmidt is a true star. He is a very knowledgeable and trustworthy senior lawyer.’

‘Eva Stadler is instrumental in handling complicated cases.’

‘Dr. Karl Binder and his team are outstanding experts in Austrian real estate law. We appreciate his insights in the real estate market. Knowing what’s common at the market right now was extremely valuable in uncertain times.’

‘Dr. Binder was tough in negotiations but always focused on finding a common solution which makes his work very efficient. He always gave us a realistic point of view on our legal position.’

Austria > Public procurement Tier 1

Wolf Theiss‘s public procurement practice advises on large-scale tenders on both contractor and bidder sides for clients in sectors such as construction, IT, public transport and real estate. The team maintains close relations with other practice groups including regulatory and IP/IT, which allows it offer seamless advice to international and domestic clients. Manfred Essletzbichler leads the practice and is well versed in structuring and conducting tenders and supply contracts. Sebastian Oberzaucher and Silvia Fessl are co-heads with comprehensive experience in public procurement matters.

Practice head(s):

Manfred Essletzbichler; Sebastian Oberzaucher; Silvia Fessl

Testimonials

‘The Wolf Theiss team is very responsive, they allocate best professionals to work on our projects. Other than that, I would like to mention how result oriented the team members are, all we need is to communicate them our goal and objectives, the rest of the work will be reliably done.’

‘We know Manfred Essletzbichler not only as an innovative and professional lawyer but also as a strong team leader that takes control over the whole working process of his team and takes responsibility. Manfred is always aware of even smallest details of our projects and certainly has a hands-on mentality. I am very happy about our co-operation and would with no doubt recommend Manfred as the best procurement lawyer in Austria.’

‘Sebastian Oberzaucher has very deep knowledge of the Austrian procurement law, which we could witness during our work process. He is innovative, can quickly adapt to changes that take place now and then. He is a strong leader and a great professional. As for his personal characteristics, he is a person who can step in your shoes and this is very important for us to know that a lawyer knows everything about the client’s needs.’

‘Two things I want to point out in particular are 1. the speed and 2. the quality of their support.’

‘Manfred Essletzbichler – exceptional knowledge in procurement law.’

‘It is very much appreciated that there is a large and diverse team, professionals with extraordinary knowledge and broad expertise. We work with them in the field of art where they have exceptional insights and feeling for the necessity of discretion.’

‘I have worked with Silvia Fessl. She has outstanding legal skills and her ability to think out of the box is exceptional. Silvia Fessl is able to find fast and creative solutions and has outstanding market knowledge regarding art and culture. She is able to communicate legal problems in a way that makes them understandable for non-jurists.’

‘We asked for legal support for requests for quotation for federal procurement law projects. The team had experience in exactly what we needed. We received valuable information already at the opening presentation. The billing is exact and the documentation for it transparent.’

Key clients

Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region (VOR) GmbH

KELAG Group

Vienna Airport (Flughafen Wien AG)

Lifebrain S.r.l. and its Austrian affiliates

Government of Lower Austria (Amt der Niederösterreichischen Landesregierung)

Meridiam SAS

FM-Plus Facility Management GmbH

Abfallwirtschaftsverband Liezen

City of Waidhofen

University of Vienna

FH Wiener Neustadt Betriebs GmbH

Österreichische Gesundheitskasse

Austrian Federal Railways (Österreichische Bundesbahnen)

Schutzgebietsverwaltung Wildnisgebiet Dürrenstein

NÖ Landesgesundheitsagentur

Wiener Gesundheitsverbund (Vienna Hospital Association)

Wiener Gesundheitsverbund Projektentwicklungs- und Baumanagement GmbH

Ing. Hans Bodner Baugesellschaft mbH & Co KG

Nestlé Österreich GmbH

Bonaventura Infrastruktur GmbH

Vereinigte Bühnen Wien GmbH

SVD Büromanagement GmbH

Bracco Österreich GmbH

Cardinal Health Austria 504 GmbH

Global Blue Austria GmbH

Avia Partner SAS

Demner, Merlicek & Bergmann Werbegesellschaft mbH

Albertina

KHM-Museumsverband

Museum für angewandte Kunst

Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.

Belvedere

Wiener Wohnen Kundenservice GmbH

Bauunternehmung GRANIT Gesellschaft m.b.H.

City council of Vienna

PORR Group

ÖSTU-Stettin Hoch- und Tiefbau GmbH

Delta Baumanagement GmbH

Schneidereit GmbH

HOCHTIEF Infrastructure GmbH

Fairtiq

CargoMon Systems GmbH

Meona GmbH

Diehl Metering GesmbH

Johann Mödlagl GmbH

Work highlights

  • Advising the Vienna Hospital Association on all aspects of the investment and restructuring programme of all Vienna hospitals (all hospital and health care infrastructure by the City of Vienna) over the next five years.
  • Advised Verkehrsbund Ost-Region (VOR) GmbH on numerous matters regarding the reorganisation of the ordering regime for (subsidised) public passenger transport services as well as advise on ‘Intelligent Transport Systems’ and elaboration of a general rule based on the PSO-Regulation.
  • Advising numerous renowned cultural institutions and museum operating companies in connection with e.g. tender procedures for worldwide art transport; Europe-wide negotiated procedure concerning the procurement of general planning services for the implementation of the project ‘Imperial Apartments, Sisi Museum, Silver Chamber – extension of showrooms’; advising the Albertina Museum with regard to a tender procedure concerning security services and others.

Austria > Real estate Tier 1

Wolf Theiss‘s real estate and construction team has a strong profile for transactional work in the CEE and SEE regions and, thanks to its cross-departmental cooperation, is well placed to handle associated financing, tax, construction, regulatory and contentious matters. Erik Steger, who has substantial residential and hotel sector experience, Karl Binder, who, as the firm’s private client group co-head, also acts for wealthy individuals and family offices, and Peter Oberlechner are among the key contacts for real estate transactions. Binder also handles real estate project finance and has recently advised on project developments in the IT space. Birgit Kraml is another key member of the team and combines her transactional expertise with litigation capabilities, which has recently translated into several Covid-19-related rent reduction disputes between landlords and tenants. Clients include real estate investors, developers, retailers, energy companies and public sector players.

Testimonials

I have found that Wolf Theiss goes above and beyond the level of service typically required of a law firm. Not only are they excellent lawyers but they are also astute business advisors and very effective collaborators. They have been critical to our projects in Austria.

Karl Binder provides an exceptional service. I have complete confidence in his legal abilities and am grateful for his willingness to always go the extra mile to help meet our objectives. A pleasure to deal with.

Wolf Theiss is one of the leading law firms in Austria. They have many competent lawyers and an all-encompassing law practice for commercial issues. We have decided to work with them mainly due to individual lawyers there, in particular Peter Oberlechner and Birgit Kraml.

We work predominantly with Birgit Kraml (and various associates). Very intelligent and smart, hands-on, clear legal advice, cost-conscious and commercial. Birgit Kraml identifies the issues and draws very clear conclusions and recommendations. Can be reached 24/7. Very well known for real estate deals in Austria.

Very good real estate expertise in Austria, also covering Slovenia. Good transaction practice for real estate investments.

Peter Oberlechner is a very experienced lawyer, very good and longstanding transaction experience in the office and logistics sectors.

Very good team, one-stop-shop when it comes to real estate, with an international investor mindset and approach.

Peter Oberlechner is outstanding. Always calm and solution-oriented.

Key clients

Unibail-Rodamco-Westerfield

ZBI Zentral Boden Immobilien Gruppe

Cellnex S.A.

ÖBB

Government of Lower Austria

Adient

Katharo Ventures

KELAG

OBI

ISG Limited

JP Immobilien

Falkensteiner Hotels

Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund

Radisson

Wiener Linien (Vienna Transport Authority)

Work highlights

  • Advised Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) on the sale of a 45% stake of Austria’s largest shopping centre Shopping City Süd (SCS) to Crédit Agricole Assurances.
  • Advised the open public real estate AIF UniImmo: Wohnen ZBI on the acquisition of a sustainable new development project with 250 apartments including underground parking in Vienna.
  • Advised Cellnex Telecom S.A. on the acquisition of around 4,500 cell phone locations across Austria. The acquisition was part of a pan-European transaction and the first of its kind in Austria.

Austria > Tax Tier 1

Corporate tax, tax planning for clients, real estate tax, litigation and fiscal criminal law are among the areas covered by the tax practice at Wolf Theiss. The firm has most recently expanded its services into the tax-related aspects of crypto assets, decentralised finance and non-fungible tokens, areas where practice head Niklas Schmidt is particularly active in addition to M&A and corporate restructurings, private clients, and the taxation of financial instruments. Eva Stadler and Melanie Dimitrov are also noted for their expertise in this area.

Practice head(s):

Niklas Schmidt

Other key lawyers:

Eva Stadler; Melanie Dimitrov

Testimonials

‘In-depth know-how in new areas like taxation of crypto assets, good network in Eastern Europe, one of the top law firms.’

‘Niklas Schmidt and Eva Stadler are both great tax lawyers, very knowledgeable, to the point and up to date.’

Key clients

Cellnex Telecom S.A.

GARBE Industrial Real Estate GmbH

European Investment Bank and Unicredit Bank AG

Equistone Partners Europe

Fareva SA

Work highlights

  • Advised Cellnex Telecom S.A. on the EUR 10 billion purchase of CK Hutchinson’s passive network infrastructure.
  • Advised European Investment Bank and Unicredit Bank AG on the financing of the expansion of one of Austria’s largest wind farms.
  • Advised funds managed by Equistone on the acquisition of Franke Water Systems AG (KWC and WSC Groups), an international manufacturer of intelligent water solutions.

Austria > Administrative law and public sector Tier 2

Wolf Theiss’s administrative and public sector work covers areas including trade law matters, environmental law and planning law. Foreign direct investment has additionally been a growing field of activity, an area where practice head Kurt Retter has extensive know-how. The firm has also recently been involved in a growing number of Covid-19-related matters, particularly within life sciences.

Practice head(s):

Kurt Retter

Testimonials

‘Outstanding expertise in advising clients from regulated industries (in particular healthcare) in Austria and Eastern Europe.’

‘I regularly work with Dr. Kurt Retter from Wolf Theiss who has in-depth expertise in advising clients from the Austrian healthcare sector.’

‘Responsive and knowledgeable in the gaming field, with a particular emphasis on administrative litigation.’

‘Prompt responses.’

‘The team regularly advises our company on complex issues. I would say their expertise is unique – experts of such calibre are rare in any market. Top-level professionals with matter-oriented approach being experts in their business sector. Attention to clients’ needs and details.’

‘Professional high-level approach of Kurt Retter.’

‘We have been working with WT for many years already since they are able to provide premium legal advice in all the key areas which are relevant for us.’

‘Cooperation is swift and easy through our main contact points, who involve specialists from different legal areas, if and to the extent needed. Naturally, work products are of high legal quality, but also come with the added value of WT lawyers understanding our business and always striving to provide practical solutions, even if that means less fees for them.’

Key clients

VGH Insurance

Merck, Sharp & Dohme Corp

Lifebrain S.r.l.

Cellnex Telecom

Facebook

WhatsApp

Instagram

Austria > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

Wolf Theiss has a considerable track record in mid-to large-cap M&A transactions, with recent activity in the life sciences, telecoms and financial institutions space. With offices in Poland and Ukraine, among others, it is noted for its ‘strong footprint in the CEE‘. The team can also advise on foreign direct investment control, corporate structuring, commercial agreements, and governance matters. Horst Ebhardt  also knows corporate financings well, and leads the practice jointly with public takeover specialist Florian Kusznier . Hartwig Kienast  is further well versed in restructurings and reorganisations, and Sarah Wared has know-how in the VC and PE area. Christian Mikosch  ‘is an amazing business partner.

Practice head(s):

Horst Ebhardt; Florian Kusznier

Other key lawyers:

Clara Gordon; Sarah Wared; Christian Mikosch; Hartwig Kienast

Testimonials

‘What I appreciate of WT team is their flexibility in providing the client what they need in an expedite and efficient manner, also cost-wise, while maintaining a very high quality of the legal support.’

‘Christian Mikosch is an outstanding lawyer, with a deep understanding of the commercial aspects and reason of any legal support requested. Christian is an amazing business partner and cooperates with the client in an integrated and efficient manner.’

‘Solution provider, great knowledge of M&A Transactions, perfect in negotiations.’

‘Professionalism transparency competence are the strengths of WT.’

‘I really appreciate the support of the partner Mr. Christian Mikosch: he is a brilliant lawyer, offering always smart and business-oriented solutions. Moreover, he is always available, reachable and answers quickly until the requested deadline. He is able to understand the needs granting effective support.’

‘Strong footprint in CEE.’

Key clients

Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Royal DSM)

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation

Vienna Insurance Group AG (VIG)

BMI Group

Allianz Capital Partners GmbH and SNAM S.p.A.

Innio Jenbacher

IAC Group

QUAERO EUROPEAN INFRASTRUCTURE FUND II SCSp

Hensoldt

Assa Abloy

Lagardère Travel Retail

Telekom Austria AG

Blackstone

Work highlights

  • Advising Bright Machines on the CEE legal aspects of its merger with an NYSE-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
  • Advising Cellnex Telecom on all Austrian legal and regulatory aspects of its acquisition of the European telecommunications tower assets of CK Hutchison Holdings with the matter value of €1.2bn.
  • Advising Koninklijke DSM on the €1bn acquisition of ERBER Group in Austria and other CEE jurisdictions.

Austria > Data privacy and data protection Tier 2

The team at Wolf Theiss provides a range of advice from compliance issues to data breach responses and has developed a strong contentious practice, representing clients in a significant number of litigation cases, some of which have gone before the CJEU. The team also offers certification of IT products and IT-based services under the EuroPriSe privacy seal. Roland Marko is at the helm, he is experienced in defending clients against damage claims, in proceedings before Austrian Data Protection Authority and at court with the support of counsel Paulina Pomorski .

Practice head(s):

Other key lawyers:

Key clients

Austrian Post

UniCredit

Scanpoint

Feibra

Bank 99

Peek & Cloppenburg

Austrian Post

UniCredit

Scanpoint

Feibra

Bank 99

Peek & Cloppenburg

Work highlights

  • Defending Austrian Post against the first-ever series of claims in the country, where a larger number of people (allegedly) affected by data protection violations are suing for damages, pending before CJEU.
  • Advising Peek & Cloppenburg on data protection and consumer protection aspects of its new loyalty programme.
  • Acting as external Data Protection Officer for multiple clients, including Scanpoint, Austrian Post, Lifebrain and Bank 99.

Austria > Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation Tier 2

Wolf Theiss has cross-border work at its heart with a particular focus on the CEE and SEE regions. Counsel Venus Valentina Wong extends this geographical focus with expertise in acting for parties from Greater China, while counsel Emmanuel Kaufman, who returned to the firm in September 2021 from KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL, is a key contact for disputes involving Hispanic parties. Kaufman has a focus on construction arbitration, which is an area of particular expertise for the team and is routinely led by Thomas Anderl. Other key sectors include manufacturing, infrastructure, engineering and energy, which corresponds with team head Stefan Riegler‘s sector focus. The practice handles arbitrator and party counsel mandates and is well versed in the major arbitration rules as well as in ad-hoc arbitration proceedings.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

‘Stefan Riegler: Always very dedicated to the case, responsive and on top of the facts. Very smart lawyer.’

‘In the complicated arbitration procedure the team lead by Stefan Riegler showed generally a very good level of expertise, knowledge, availability and engagement to the case.

‘Stefan Riegler has shown a great level of experience, knowledge, cooperation and all other aspects that are required for successful and effective management of the complicated arbitration procedures.’

‘Very responsive, high level of expertise down to the junior associates.’

‘Stefan Riegler, Valentina Wong and Alexander Zollner are stellar practitioners, who can navigate through very complex and fact-heavy proceedings with high social competence and legal skills.’

‘Stefan Riegler does not only give proper legal advice but on top of that tries to understand the commercial point of view in order to develop a negotiation strategy combining legal and commercial aspects.’

‘The team was very thorough and ensured that we met all of the technical requirements. They were also easy to work with despite the difference in time zones and able to help me understand the nuances of arbitration in Austria.’ 

‘Always made time for a call and explained the different nuances in the law. Were practical in planning our defence and tactics. Helped to arrange a beneficial solution to a difficult problem.’ 

Key clients

PORR

Unger Stahlbau

Haslinger Stahlbau

Work highlights

  • Representing Unger Stahlbau Ges.m.b.H. and Haslinger Stahlbau GmbH (jointly working as ARGE Stahlbau ESW2020) in ICC arbitration proceedings against VOESTALPINE pertaining to structural steelwork in the stainless steel plant in Kapfenberg.

Austria > EU and competition Tier 2

Merger control, antirust and cartel matters and contentious work are among the services offered by Wolf Theiss to its domestic and international clients. The firm has particular industry focuses on retail, consumer products, financial services, pharmaceuticals, construction, transport, chemicals, as well as TMT. Practice head Guenter Bauer ‘shows an exceptional understanding of the Austrian competition system and is very well connected with all involved players’. Abuse of dominance, private enforcement and distribution cases falls into Robert Wagner‘s areas of expertise.

Practice head(s):

Guenter Bauer

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Huge knowledge applied in a very pragmatic form.’

‘Günter Bauer doesn’t do “black and white” assessments but also tries to find appropriate solutions which fit the client’s needs.’

‘Günter Bauer and team are first rate – responsive, efficient and strategic.’

‘Top knowledge, high responsiveness.’

‘Günter Bauer shows an exceptional understanding of the Austrian competition system and is very well connected with all involved players.’

Key clients

ALSO

PORR

XXXLutz Group

Deutsche Telekom/Magenta

Henkel

Siemens

KKR

ALSO

PORR

XXXLutz Group

Deutsche Telekom/Magenta

Henkel

Siemens

KKR

Austria > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 2

Wolf Theiss’ multidisciplinary approach with a focus on the intersection between restructuring and finance alongside the firm’s cross-border capabilities lead to regular banking and finance sector instructions. Typical work includes the restructuring of non-performing loans, debt and investments alongside distressed M&A, while the team is also well versed handling related disputes as well as in-court and out-of-court restructurings. With team head Eva Spiegel’s expertise in insolvency law and commercial litigation, she is a key contact for contentious work (but also leads on many non-contentious matters) and routinely assists creditors with insolvency proceedings and the protection of creditors’ rights. The team’s specialism in financial restructuring was further underlined with the promotions of Matthias Schimka and Marika Lomashvili to partner in June 2020 and June 2021 respectively. Lomashvili also heads the firm’s Russia desk.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

The team is very responsive and has a well-deserved track record in landmark restructurings in Austria and Eastern Europe.

Eva Spiegel is a very well connected practitioner, who provides high-quality advice with a good sense of what is possible and what is not from a business perspective. Especially this business sense stands her apart from her competitors.

Matthias Schimka is a very experienced finance lawyer and really the guy you want to work with on complex matters.

Excellent cross-border capabilities in SE Europe with a ‘one stop shop’ approach, which makes the team highly efficient.

Eva Spiegel coordinates a team in various jurisdictions efficiently.

Key clients

Adler Modemärkte

Steinhoff Group

DDM Group AG

B2 Holding

Sempione Fashion AG

Bain Capital

Erste Group Bank AG

Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft

Galapagos Group

Global Benefits Group

Work highlights

  • Advising Adler Modemärkte on restructuring and corporate law issues following a significant drop in sales as a result of Covid-19 lockdowns.
  • Advising Deutsche Bank AG, IBG Bank N.V. and ING DiBa AG as lenders in the bankruptcy case of Odebrecht S.A.

Austria > Intellectual property Tier 2

Household names from the digital sector seek out Wolf Theiss for its ‘practical and client specific legal advice’ and its support in domestic and European courts in complex and prominent matters. The practice covers all aspects of IP law, from patents and unfair competition to trademarks and copyrights with particular strengths in contentious work. Georg Kresbach has a wide range of experience including in pharmaceutical and life sciences-related patent matters. Senior associate Maren Jergolla-Wagner is ‘very to the point and solution driven’.

Practice head(s):

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘I see the strength of the team in its practical and client specific legal advice. Having a longstanding relationship with the firm has allowed to the team to understand what is important to our company and the firm’s advice is accordingly tailored.’

‘Maren Jergolla of the firm’s Austrian practice has been our day-to-day contact for over 14 years. Maren is not only exceptionally sharp, in-depth when needed but also very to the point and solution driven.’

‘They show genuine interest in our matters and add their personal comments and reflections, which I appreciate. They always have a quick turn-around on questions and new events and show that they care about us.’

‘I value that that both Mr. Kresbach and his team, show genuine interest and actively listen to what we would like to achieve. We always have an open discussion about pros and cons of alternatives, and this transparency is very much appreciated.’

Key clients

Apple

Constantin Film-Holding

Facebook

Instagram

Mastercard

OBI

You Tube

Walt Disney

WhatsApp

Eliette von Karajan / Karajan Institute

Effer S.p.A / Hiab AB

Edwards Life Scinece

Work highlights

  • Representing Facebook in landmark civil proceedings before CJEU and the Austrian Supreme court regarding the alleged infringement of copyrights and personality rights of the former leader of the Austrian Green Party and advising the company on multiple regulatory and compliance matters.
  • Advising YouTube on its liability for the infringement of copyright protected work caused by users uploading and monetising videos on its platform, which has been referred by the Austrian Supreme Court to the CJEU.
  • Advising OBI – the biggest DIY retailer in Austria – on a trademark protection application before the Austrian Patent Office for the colour ‘orange’.

Austria > Projects and energy Tier 2

Wolf Theiss‘s energy and projects practice is active in regulatory and environmental law, development and structuring, contracts and agreements as well as project finance and acquisitions. Recent work has seen the firm called on to advise clients in the construction industry on Covid-19 related matters, including force majeure clauses and safeguard measures. Sustainability and renewable energy are other areas of expertise for the team, which is led by Andreas Schmid, Manfred Essletzbichler, Silvia Fessl, Sebastian Oberzaucher and Kurt Retter.

Practice head(s):

Andreas Schmid; Manfred Essletzbichler; Silvia Fessl; Sebastian Oberzaucher; Kurt Retter

Testimonials

‘We have been working with WT for many years already since they are able to provide premium legal advice in all the key areas which are relevant for us.’

‘Cooperation is swift and easy through our main contact points, who involve specialists from different legal areas, if and to the extent needed.’

‘Naturally, work products are of high legal quality, but also come with the added value of WT lawyers understanding our business and always striving to provide practical solutions, even if that means less fees for them.’

‘We very much appreciate Kurt Retter’s excellent legal expertise and the practical approach he takes, aiming to understand and solve the actual issues we face, not only to answer an isolated legal question.’

‘WT’s finance team has (a) a good standing with all banks who offer project finance in AT; (b) WT’s response to mails and calls is always very fast; (c) deliver in the first round workable drafts (no unnecessary rounds of negotiations as with other law firms…).’

‘Highly professional team; deadlines are met; structured and solution-oriented exchange and way of working.’

‘Immense commitment and willingness to perform; always available – you can call anytime; constructive exchange; high solution orientation – focus on solutions instead of problems.’

Key clients

Engie (formerly GDF Suez)

Gazprom

RWE / KELAG Group

PORR Group

Lukoil Group

BP Power Trading Limited

Exxon Mobil Corporation

Vinci Group

Axpo Group

ERG Renew Group

Trans Austria Gasleitung GmbH

European Investment Bank (EIB)

SNAM SpA

Meridiam

Vienna Airport (Flughafen Wien AG)

Work highlights

  • Advised Verkehrsverbund Ost-Region GmbH on the comprehensive reorganisation of the ordering regime for (subsidised) public passenger transport services, the sale and distribution of rail tickets throughout Austria, as well as in a tender procedure for the procurement of a road database for the collection, management and evaluation of data in Lower Austria.
  • Advised a syndicate of lenders, including UniCredit and EBRD, on one of the largest project finance transactions in Bulgaria regarding the concession of Sofia Airport in the value of EUR 281 million.
  • Advised E2 Hungary on energy efficiency rules affecting energy trading companies in Hungary, Austria, Croatia and Slovakia.

Austria > TMT Tier 2

Wolf Theiss provides clients with legal advice that runs the whole gamut of TMT aspects, with particular specialisations in IT sourcing, e-commerce, online entertainment and media, as well as data protection. Austrian and international companies from a broad range of sectors are supported in regulatory, corporate, and contentious matters. Digital space expert Georg Kresbach heads the firm’s IT/IP practice, while Roland Marko has a broad range of experience in IT-law and IT-compliance. Leading the regulatory practice group, Kurt Retter’s expertise lies within the regulated industries, data protection, and online gambling.

Practice head(s):

Georg Kresbach; Kurt Retter; Roland Marko

Other key lawyers:

Paulina Pomorski

Testimonials

‘I am mostly working with Wolf Theiss on topics in Austria and Eastern Europe and would like to strongly recommend the firm for these markets. Wolf Theiss is very well connected internationally through its global best friends network. There are very often international aspects in our cooperation and Wolf Theiss is well prepared to consider these aspects appropriately.’

‘The billing is transparent and appropriate, often with lower fees than other international top firms are charging.’

‘Roland Marko is my main contact. He is very experienced in the areas of IP, IT, data privacy and litigation. I do appreciate his professionalism and pragmatic approach. Roland’s department is very responsive, understands our business and products. In addition to Roland, I would also like to mention his associate Paulina Pomorski.’

‘Excellent in the area of IT & Entertainment. Perfect service.’

‘Georg Kresbach is a very efficient and professional partner.’

‘We have been working with WT for many years already since they are able to provide premium legal advice in all the key areas which are relevant for us.’

Key clients

Cellnex Telecom

Facebook

WhatsApp

Instagram

The Walt Disney Company

Samsung Electronics

Mondi AG

Photeon Technologies

Austrian Post

YouTube

Twitter

Oculus

Voxbone

Work highlights

  • Advising Cellnex Telecom on all Austrian legal and regulatory aspects of its acquisition of the European telecoms tower assets of CK Hutchison Holdings, the first-ever acquisition of a large passive mobile infrastructure company in the country.
  • Advising Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp on handling user requests related to the new Austrian laws aimed at protecting users from falling victims of online hate speech in force since 2021.
  • Advising Photeon Technologies on multiple logistics agreements to procure semiconductor chips from a supplier in Singapore and suppliers in the US and deliver them to the client in the US and its various locations in Asia.

The firm: Wolf Theiss opened its first office in Vienna in 1957 and soon established a reputation as one of the region’s leading law firms. The firm has since grown into a multinational team of approximately 360 lawyers, making it one of the largest integrated law firms in the region. It has offices* in Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Ukraine.

This presence on the ground is one of the firm’s key strengths. It works in a fast-moving part of the world that requires deep local knowledge and experience. By combining expertise with a strong international network, the firm is well-placed to handle complex cross-border transactions with a high degree of speed and flexibility.

Apart from its local offices in 13 CEE/SEE countries, Wolf Theiss also offers extensive regional experience in other countries in the region, such as Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

*The firm has regulatory frameworks within which it needs to comply. So by ‘presence’, we mean a legal form that is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in that country.

Areas of practice: Wolf Theiss’ full range of services covers financial services, competition and antitrust, corporate/mergers and acquisitions, corporate investigations, employment law, energy and infrastructure, intellectual property and information technology, litigation and alternative dispute resolution, real estate and construction, regulatory and procurement, and tax. The firm’s dedicated practice teams provide in-depth specialist knowledge in their respective areas and collaborate closely to provide clients with seamless advice.

Austria: this is where it all began in 1957. The team is now one of the most recognised names in Austrian law and has received numerous recognitions and accolades of its excellence over the past years. Most of the lawyers are multilingual and have practised abroad, so there’s a real multinational character to the office. Wolf Theiss Vienna – led by the firm’s managing partners Andrea Gritsch, Sebastian Oberzaucher, Claus Schneider and Richard Wolf – comprises over 140 lawyers (including 39 partners).

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Financial services Andrea Gritschandrea.gritsch@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5083
Competition/antitrust Günter Bauerguenter.bauer@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5600
Corporate/M&A Horst Ebhardthorst.ebhardt@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5100
Corporate/M&A Florian Kusznierflorian.kusznier@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5590
Dispute resolution Jitka Logesovájitka.logesova@wolftheiss.com+420 234 765 223
Dispute resolution Wolfgang Müllerwolfgang.mueller@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5490
Employment Ralf Peschekralf.peschek@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5230
Energy and infrastructure Andreas Schmidandreas.schmid@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5030
Intellectual property/TMT Georg Kresbachgeorg.kresbach@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5090
Real estate Erik Stegererik.steger@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5130
Regulatory & Administrative Law Kurt Retterkurt.retter@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5240
Public procurement Manfred Essletzbichlermanfred.essletzbichler@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5350
Tax Niklas Schmidtniklas.schmidt@wolftheiss.com+43 1 51510 5410
PhotoNamePositionProfile
Markus Aigner photoMag Markus AignerSenior Associate, specialising in acquisition, project and real estate financing and debt…
Thomas Anderl photoMag Thomas AnderlPartner, since 2017, specialising in construction law. Thomas is regularly involved in…
Guenter Bauer photoDr Guenter BauerPartner; specialised in EU competition law, national and CEE/SEE antitrust law (cartels,…
Karl Binder photoDr Karl BinderPartner, specializing in Real Estate, Corporate, EC-Law, Inheritance-Law, Private Clients.
Doris Buxbaum photoMag Doris BuxbaumCounsel; specialized in Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Restructuring, Project Management and…
Melanie Dimitrov photoMMag Melanie DimitrovConsultant.
Nikolaus Dinhof photoMr Nikolaus DinhofCounsel.
Horst Ebhardt photoDr Horst EbhardtPartner; specialised in cross border M&A and corporate restructuring transactions in the…
Martina Edlinger photoMag Martina EdlingerSenior Associate.
Manfred Essletzbichler photoMag Manfred EssletzbichlerPartner; specialised in Public Procurement Law, Business Law, Competition and Antitrust Law.…
Silvia Fessl photoMag Silvia FesslPartner, specializing in public procurement, state aid and contract law, as well…
Claudia Fessler photoMag Claudia FesslerConsultant, specializing in Litigation, Civil Law, Criminal Law.
Isabel Firneis photoMag Isabel FirneisSenior Associate, specialising in extrajudicial advice and employment litigation, with a special…
Klara Fuchs photoMag Klara FuchsSenior Associate, since 2018, specialising in national and international procurement law.
Martin Gassler photoDr Martin GasslerSenior Associate.
Hanna Gerstner photoMs Hanna GerstnerSenior Associate.
Clara Gordon photoDr Clara GordonPartner, since 2020, specialising in M&A transactions and corporate matters. She has…
Gregor Grablowitz photoMag Gregor GrablowitzSenior Associate.
Zeno Grabmayr photoMag Zeno GrabmayrCounsel.
Andrea Gritsch photoMMag Dr Andrea GritschPartner, since 2013; Andrea Gritsch is a member of the financial sector…
Alexander Haas photoMag Alexander HaasPartner, specializing in Banking & Finance, Debt Capital Markets, Corporate. Legal advice…
Markus Heidinger photoDr Markus HeidingerPartner; specialised in finance and corporate finance, finance regulatory. Work includes all…
Petra Heindl photoDr Petra HeindlCounsel specialising in Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking & Finance, Corporate Law.
Leopold Hoeher photoMag Leopold HoeherPartner, since 2018, specializing in financing and capital market transactions with a…
Christian Hoenig photoDr Christian HoenigPartner since 1992. Christian is an internationally recognised specialist in corporate/M&A, private…
Valerie Hohenberg photoMag Valerie HohenbergPartner, Wolf Theiss, since 2017, specialising in Corporate Litigation, D&O Liability and Life…
Florian Horak photoMag Florian HorakConsultant, since 2018, specialising in civil & commercial litigation and white collar…
Stefan Horn photoMag Stefan HornCounsel.
Mimo Hussein photoMag Mimo HusseinCounsel, specialising in banking, investment funds and capital markets law with a…
Johann Hwezda photoMag Johann HwezdaCounsel.
Maren Jergolla-Wagner photoDr Maren Jergolla-WagnerSenior Associate; specialised in Intellectual Property (in particular trade mark law, design…
Christopher Juenger photoMr Christopher JuengerSenior Associate.
Emmanuel Kaufman photoMr Emmanuel KaufmanCounsel, specialising in international commercial and investment arbitration as well as construction…
Hartwig Kienast photoMMag Hartwig KienastPartner, specialised in mergers & acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and day-to-day corporate matters.…
Michael Kienzl photoMag Michael KienzlCounsel.
Martin Kind photoDr Martin KindOf Counsel, Wolf Theiss, since 2011; specializing in environmental law, EU policy…
Thomas Klicka photoUniv Prof Dr Thomas KlickaOf Counsel specializing in Civil Procedure Law and International Civil Procedure Law.
Georg  Knafl  photoMag Georg Knafl Senior Associate.
Dominik Koenig photoMr Dominik KoenigSenior Associate.
Sofia Kovacevic photoMs Sofia KovacevicSenior Associate
Birgit Kraml photoDr Birgit KramlPartner; specialised in planning and environmental proceedings, lease agreements, planning and construction…
Georg Kresbach photoDr Georg KresbachPartner; specialised in Intellectual Property (Trademarks, Patents, Copyrights, Designs), TMT (software, service…
Stephan Kugler photoMag Stephan KuglerSenior Associate
Florian Kusznier photoDr Florian KusznierPartner
Wolfgang Lauchner photoMag Wolfgang LauchnerPartner, member of the Wolf Theiss public procurement team since 2010.
Marika Lomashvili photoMag Marika LomashviliPartner, since 2021, specialising in banking, finance and capital markets. During her…
Nikolaus Loudon photoMag Nikolaus LoudonPartner.
Nikolaus Loudon photoMag Nikolaus LoudonPartner.
Ingrid Makarius photoMag Ingrid MakariusCounsultant, Wolf Theiss, since 2012, specialising in public procurement and public business…
Philipp Marboe photoDr Philipp MarboeCounsel, since 2015, specialising in public procurement law, in particular on planning…
Roland Marko photoMag Roland MarkoPartner, specialised in information technology law, data protection law, intellectual property law,…
Tanja Melber photoDr Tanja MelberSenior Associate.
Christian Mikosch photoDr Christian MikoschPartner specialising in corporate law, international commercial law and mergers & acquisitions…
Michael Mueller photoDr Michael MuellerCounsel, specialised in construction law. Michael focuses on project-related legal advice on…
Wolfgang Mueller photoMag Wolfgang MuellerPartner, Wolf Theiss, since 2012, specializing in Civil and Company Law; Building…
Marcell Nemeth photoDr Marcell NemethPartner since 2017, specializing in banking and capital markets. During his career he…
Peter Oberlechner photoDr Peter OberlechnerPartner; specialised in Mergers & Acquisitions, General Corporate, Real Estate.
Sebastian Oberzaucher photoMag Sebastian OberzaucherPartner, Wolf Theiss, since 2014, specializing in Public Procurement Law, PPP, Construction…
Nikolaus Paul photoDr Nikolaus PaulPartner and head of the firm-wide Banking & Finance team. Nikolaus has…
Ralf Peschek photoMMag Dr Ralf PeschekPartner; specialised in Agreements with Executives, Austrian and Eastern European Employment Law,…
Lukas Ploesch photoMr Lukas PloeschSenior Associate
Paulina Pomorski photoMag Paulina PomorskiCounsel, Wolf Theiss, specialising in intellectual property law, unfair competition law, information technology…
Kurt Retter photoDr Kurt RetterPartner, since 2001. Kurt has practiced in various fields of regulatory law…
Stefan Riegler photoDr Stefan RieglerPartner.
Hannah Schaflinger photoMag Hannah SchaflingerSenior Associate, since 2014, specialising in construction law.
Marion Schimboeck photoMag Marion SchimboeckSenior Associate
Matthias Schimka photoMag Matthias SchimkaPartner, since 2020, specialising in banking law and debt financing transactions.
Andreas Schmid photoDr Andreas SchmidPartner; specialised in Structured Finance; Projects (Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities); Restructuring Andreas…
Niklas Schmidt photoMMag Dr Niklas SchmidtPartner; specialised in International Tax Law, Tax Planning of International Groups, Mergers…
Claus Schneider photoDr Claus SchneiderPartner; specialised in capital markets, debt and structured finance, bank regulatory law,…
Anna Schwamberger photoMag Anna SchwambergerSenior Associate.
Sandra Seldte photoMag Sandra SeldteSenior Associate
Christine Siegl photoMMag Christine SieglCounsel, specialised in Banking Law, Regulatory Law, Capital Markets Law, Corporate Law…
Eva Spiegel photoMag Eva SpiegelPartner; specialised in insolvency law and commercial litigation. Work includes representation of…
Karin Spindler-Simader photoDr Karin Spindler-SimaderConsultant. Karin specialises in corporate tax law and tax aspects of reorganisations, international…
Dieter Spranz photoDr Dieter SpranzSenior Advisor
Eva Stadler photoDr Eva StadlerCounsel, since 2018, specialising in private clients, international tax law, taxation of…
Natascha Stanke photoDr Natascha StankeConsultant
Erik Steger photoDr Erik StegerPartner; specialised in Central and Eastern Europe, Real Estate Law, Mergers &…
Harald Strahberger photoMr Harald StrahbergerCounsel. He regularly advises national and international clients in all fields of…
Judith Szabo photoMag Judith SzaboOf Counsel and a member of the Banking and Finance practice group.…
Philipp Szelinger photoMag Philipp SzelingerSenior Associate.
Markus Taufner photoDr Markus TaufnerCounsel.
Andreas Theiss photoDr Andreas TheissSenior Advisor and founding member of Wolf Theiss.
Petra Trauntschnig photoMag Petra TrauntschnigConsultant; specialised in Insurance, Litigation.
Clemens Trauttenberg photoDr Clemens TrauttenbergPartner; specialised in commercial litigation, white collar criminal defence and investigations, crisis…
Matthias Unterrieder photoDr Matthias UnterriederPartner; specialised in Employment Law in Austria and CEE/SEE, cross-border staff assignements,…
Lothar Wachter photoDr Lothar WachterPartner; specialised in Real Estate, Construction and Building Law, Leasing, Contracts, Development…
Robert Wagner photoMag Robert WagnerPartner specialising in EU and Austrian competition law, in particular cartel investigations,…
Sarah Wared photoDr Sarah WaredPartner, specialising in cross-border transactions in the field of M&A, corporate, and…
Stefan Wartinger photoMag Stefan WartingerCounsel. Stefan’s practice includes complex cartel and abuse of dominance cases before the…
Theresia Welser photoMag Theresia WelserSenior Associate
Elisabeth  Werginz photoMs Elisabeth WerginzSenior Associate.
Richard Wolf photoDr Richard WolfPartner; specialised in Equity Capital Markets, Financial Regulatory, Mergers & Acquisitions, Banking…
Venus Valentina Wong photoDr Venus Valentina WongPartner, specialising in international arbitration. Valentina has acted as counsel, arbitrator (sole…
Phillip Wrabetz photoMag Phillip WrabetzSenior Associate.
Adolf Zemann photoMMag Dr Adolf ZemannCounsel.
Carolin Ziegler photoDr Carolin ZieglerConsultant, Wolf Theiss, since 2016. Carolin Isabel Ziegler is an experienced lawyer…
Magdalena Ziembicka photoMs Magdalena ZiembickaConsultant, specialising in employment law matters related to contract design, restructurings, corporate M&As,…
Alexander  Zollner  photoMag Alexander Zollner Counsel.
Number of lawyers : 360
at this office : 140
Albanian
Arabic
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)
Croatian
Czech
English
French
German
Hungarian
Italian
Polish
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Slovak
Slovenian
Spanish
Ukrainian
Contacts : Andrea Gritsch (management board)
Contacts : Sebastian Oberzaucher (management board)
Contacts : Claus Schneider (management board)
Contacts : Richard Wolf (management board)
Other offices : Belgrade
Other offices : Bratislava
Other offices : Bucharest
Other offices : Budapest
Other offices : Kyiv
Other offices : Ljubljana
Other offices : Prague
Other offices : Sarajevo
Other offices : Sofia
Other offices : Tirana
Other offices : Warsaw
Other offices : Zagreb

At Wolf Theiss, we strongly believe that in a global marketplace, a company that employs a diverse workforce (both men and women of several generations and from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds) is better able to understand the marketplace it serves, offers better and more unique perspectives and thus, is better equipped to thrive in that marketplace than a company that has a more limited range of employee demographics.

For us, uniting people and overcoming cultural divisiveness is part of our philosophy. By respecting each other, we have created a unique workplace camaraderie that spills over into our daily lives. Wolf Theiss considers itself to be politically liberal, not biased in any direction and imposing no restrictions on its workforce in terms of political view, religion, way of life, race, language and sexual orientation.

Our leadership team is comprised of 22% female partners, one of them within our management board, and 53% of our senior lawyers are women. We strive to stand at the forefront in the region, when it comes to gender diversity. We were one of the first law firms in the region to implement a maternity policy. Innovation initiatives at our firm are driven by female talent. We also encourage our lawyers to spend part of their daily work on firm-wide non-billable initiatives.

Wolf Theiss is proud to have been awarded Best National Firm – Work-Life Balance, 2021, Best gender diversity initiative by a national firm, 2020 and Best national firm mentorship programme, 2020 and to have been recognised as “Best in Austria” at the European Women in Business Law Awards 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013 & 2012, “Best in Croatia” at the European Women in Business Law Awards 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 & 2013 and “Best in Romania” at the European Women in Business Law Awards 2016, 2015 & 2014.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

At Wolf Theiss we believe that success is a two-way street. Our financial success depends in large part on our doing quality work for our clients, so they come back to us and recommend us to others. But our success also depends on the support of the local communities where we live and work. They provide us with a great deal of input and impulses, including the talented lawyers and assistants who make it possible for us to do what we do. We all think it is essential that we give something back to the community.

One way to show our commitment to the community is by providing legal advice on a pro bono basis to clients who need legal help, but are unable to pay for our services. Our pro bono work is directed at clients whom we consider to be very deserving or who face legal issues that we believe are especially important to our communities or to society as a whole.