CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH > Vienna, Austria > Firm Profile

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH > The Legal 500 Rankings

Austria > Employment Tier 1

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH fields a market-leading team of experts that comfortably operates across the whole spectrum of employment law, with areas of expertise including antidiscrimination, EU, and working time law as well as litigation before courts and other authorities. The team is headed by Bernhard Hainz alongside Christoph Wolf and acts in various industries, with particular knowledge of the consumer products, financial services, and consulting sectors. Hainz’ workload includes the negotiation of collective agreements and social plans, while Wolf’s practice focuses on the intersection of labour and compliance issues. Specialising in European labour law, Daniela Krömer was appointed as a partner in May 2023 and co-heads the firm’s international employment law group.

Austria > Administrative law and public sector Tier 2

Adept at handing the full range of public law matters, CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH offers notable specialisms in trade, environmental, health and construction matters as well as experience in representing clients before courts such as the constitutional court and the administrative court of Austria. The team is jointly steered by ‘exceptional lawyer’ and administrative law specialist Robert Keisler and by Bernt Elsner, whose practice encompasses public procurement, state aid and antitrust law. Praised by clients for her ability to ‘lead through difficult and complex legal issues‘, Marlene Wimmer-Nistelberger is another key contact for court proceedings and often handles matters related to information obligations and environmental questions.

Austria > Banking and finance Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s team is highlighted for its ‘solution-oriented, pragmatical approach’ and advises across the whole spectrum of transactional and regulatory matters, placing a particular focus on acquisition finance, corporate lending, project finance and distressed debt trading. The team is led by the ‘very well-established finance lawyer’ Günther Hanslik alongside Martin Zuffer, whose broad practice spans across financial, corporate, and capital markets law. Financing expert Stefan Paulmayer is another important team member, as is Marcell Clark, who specialises in real estate and cross-border transactions.

Austria > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

CMS offers a wealth of experience in the financial services, packaging and telecoms industries and offers a specialism in advising foreign investors targeting domestic and regional companies, and is highlighted by clients as a ‘one-stop shop for multinational projects’. Peter Huber leads the team, combining corporate and M&A expertise to advise on corporate transactions, shareholder agreements, restructurings, and governance matters, while Alexander Rakosi bolsters the group’s offering with his ‘very good commercial understanding’ and M&A expertise. The firm promoted several members to partner in 2023, including Florian Mayer and David Kohl. Former co-head Rainer Wachter left the firm in January 2023.

Austria > Construction Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH offers clients construction and real estate advice under one roof, handling logistical and procurement matters for building contractors while supporting developers and investors with transactional matters. Leading the practice is Nikolaus Weselik, who assists on construction projects and is also noted for his experience as a litigator, advising on both construction and transactional disputes. Mariella Kapoun has expertise in forward funding and purchase agreements, advising both real estate investors and developers on the gamut of transactional issues, while also assisting with construction contracts.

Austria > Dispute resolution: commercial litigation Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH works seamlessly with the firm’s other departments, in particular real estate, IP, public procurement and employment, being regularly instructed by clients from industries such as transport, energy, real estate and intellectual property. Johannes Reich-Rohrwig represents clients in both litigation and arbitration proceedings, and leads the group alongside Daniela Karollus-Bruner, who offers notable experience in tort, contract, corporate and competition law. The team was further strengthened with Lukas Peissl and Arno Zimmermann‘s promotion to partner, and the arrival of Anja Cervenka from DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH in October 2022, as well as Anna Freund from Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG in March 2023.

Austria > EU and competition Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH advises clients on a broad spectrum of Austrian and EU competition matters, including merger control and abuse of dominance proceedings, issues surrounding state aid and private damage claims hearings, among several others. The practice is led jointly by Dieter Zandler, who takes on cartel-related instructions, antitrust matters and merger controls, and Bernt Elsner, whose practice straddles competition and procurement law, advising consortia on the competition aspects of tenders, bid rigging and intra-group competition. Marlene Wimmer-Nistelberger specialises in EU state aid law.

Austria > Intellectual property Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH's ‘extremely competent’ team advises clients on all aspects of IP projects, including trade mark, copyright and patent registrations and prosecutions. The group often leverages its international network to assist clients with long-running global portfolio management, in addition to handling matters concerning trade secrets and traditional IP disputes. Practice head Egon Engin-Deniz takes a ‘direct, bold and very effective’ approach to trade mark, patent and domain issues when assisting pharmaceutical, IT and consumer clients. Gabriela Staber's maintains a regulatory and IP focused practice, while Hans Lederer, who was promoted to partner in February 2023, focuses on trade mark prosecution and copyright matters.

Austria > Private client Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH is well-known in the private client sphere for its services in aid of HNWIs, their families and businesses, private foundations, and trusts, who seek out the team for the spectrum of asset, inheritance and succession planning matters, including dispute settlement and corporate law elements. Johannes Reich-Rohrwig is the face of the team, with extensive experience in contentious trusts and probate law, encompassing expertise in private and corporate wealth succession, foundations, trusts, gifts, and wills. Arno Zimmermann assists with estate planning, inheritance, and dispute resolution, while Lukas Peissl acts for domestic and international HNWIs at the interface of wealth management and inheritance.

Austria > Projects and energy Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s projects team spans the firm’s public procurement and energy and climate change practices, advising across a range of renewable energy and other infrastructure projects, while also assisting investors with the purchase of ongoing projects. Further sector focus areas include healthcare, water and waste and telecoms. Leading the group are Bernt Elsner, head of the public procurement practice, energy and climate change team lead Thomas Hamerl, and Nikolaus Weselik, whose practice encompasses construction and real estate law and disputes in the aforementioned fields.

Austria > Public procurement Tier 2

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s ‘outstanding’ procurement team is noted for its work in relation to infrastructure and healthcare projects, frequently advising bidders on their approach to PPP tenders in these sectors. The practice is also active before the courts, where it supports clients in appeals challenging contract awards. Group head Bernt Elsner‘s practice encompasses both tender- and bidder-side work, assisting contracting authorities with the tendering process and private sector clients on bids and subsequent disputes. Robert Keisler acts for national and international contractors, providing support with bids and offering support on regulatory and competition law matters.

Austria > Capital markets Tier 3

Leveraging the firm’s international network, CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH is a one-stop shop for matters related to initial public offerings, corporate bond and debt issuance programs, and promissory notes. Regulatory advice is one of the team’s noted strengths and a focus area of practice head Martin Zuffer as well as of Walter Gapp, who also offers clients a specialism in securitization transactions. Philipp Mark is highlighted by clients for delivering ‘best-in-class results’.

Austria > Data privacy and data protection Tier 3

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH leverages its international presence to advise major clients across a range of sectors, including retail, automotive and media, on data protection matters both within Austria and in cross-border contexts. Practice head Johannes Juranek brings ‘great knowledge’ of GDPR compliance to bear and also represents clients before the Austrian courts, while Klaus Pateter, who joined the firm as partner in January 2023, specialises in assisting technology companies with data matters.

Austria > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 3

While restructuring and reorganisation advice forms the heart of CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s practice, both debtors and creditors can rely on the team’s specialised expertise in the event of unavoidable insolvency. Dispute resolution-focused Daniela Karollus-Bruner and distressed M&A-oriented Clemens Grossmayer lead the practice, covering the breadth of contentious and non-contentious matters. David Kohl, who was promoted to partner in January 2023, supports on crisis situations and insolvency law issues. Anja Cervenka joined the team in October 2022.

Austria > Real estate Tier 3

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s real estate practice advises a client base consisting of logistics, retail and hotel owners and operators on purchase and leasing deals, and is also sought out for its ability to oversee major real estate developments. Leading the team is Nikolaus Weselik, a seasoned real estate practitioner who combines transactional skill with a wealth of expertise in construction-related disputes. Johannes Hysek specialises in assisting the logistics and hotel sectors, while Mariella Kapoun is focused on ESG developments in the real estate sector, in addition to handling forward funding and purchase deals.

Austria > Tax Tier 3

Gaining a foothold particularly in the field of tax optimisation vis-à-vis M&A transactions, CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s tax team divides its time between investment fund tax risk management, restructuring, and private client tax advice. Sibylle Novak is at the helm of the practice, with considerable experience in the tax optimisation of transactions but also in connection with private foundations, and private equity and venture capital.

Austria > TMT Tier 3

Fintech clients, traditional financial sector players as well as retailers and e-commerce companies make up a significant portion of CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s TMT clients, which seek the firm's advice on technology projects and associated data protection matters. Additionally, the team works closely with the firm’s M&A practice to tackle technology-focused transactions. Johannes Juranek leads the department, handling data protection claims brought against his clients. Klaus Pateter, who made partner in January 2023, assists clients with technology and software licences, and also supports tech start-ups in obtaining and structuring venture capital funding.

Austria > Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation Tier 4

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH provides clients with excellent support in a range of industries such as finance, construction, energy and engineering and transport, with the team’s areas of expertise including domestic as well as international arbitration proceedings and the enforcement of arbitral awards. Co-head Johannes Reich-Rohrwig specialises in corporate and commercial law, which is also a strength of co-head Daniela Karollus-Bruner, who also leads the firm’s insurance team. ‘Fast and diligent’  Sonja Otenhajmer offers particular knowledge of CEE jurisdictions.

Croatia > Real estate and construction

Bardek, Lisac, Mušec, Skoko in association with CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH (Austria)’s ‘deep expertise in real estate and construction stands out’. The team advises on a broad range of matters concerning development and construction projects, logistics parks, energy-related ventures, hotels and leisure, investment and real estate funds, in addition to leases and financing. Ana-Marija Skoko, who advises international developers on their investments in Croatian real estate, jointly leads the team alongside Gregor Famira, who handles acquisition and financing matters arising out of the tourism sector. Antonija Kanjer is another key contact in the group.