Cerha Hempel‘s group of ’great and approachable lawyers’ acts on construction, insurance and financial disputes at the domestic and cross-border scale. The firm leads on shareholder disputes, high-value foundation and inheritance litigation, enforcement actions and cartel cases. Irene Welser is experienced in acting for major corporate clients in commercial cases and also maintains a private client practice, while Holger Bielesz is notable for his work in the banking and cryptocurrency sectors on litigation and asset tracing matters. Michaela Siegwart and Daniel Dibon are also recommended.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘This is a top team with top professionals across the entire dispute practice.’
- ‘Great and approachable lawyers.’
- ‘Senior team, engaged and reassuring.’
- ‘Irene Welser and Daniel Dibon combined a great strategic view based on in-depth knowledge of the legal framework as well as assessments of the relative importance of the various issues at stake with very skillful and well-calibrated sense of the psychological and soft parts of the negotiation, including which battles to yield in order to win the wars and secure an overall superb outcome.’
- ‘Irene Welser and Daniel Dibon do have an exceptional sense for what matters, and they do that at any time.’
- ‘The team works smoothly together. When one hands over a problem to them one can rest assured it will be handled with due diligence and very intelligently. When they take matters in their hands, it's like being on a boat ride - they'll get you to your destination irrespective of the sea and weather conditions.’
Key clients
- SPAR AG
- UNIQA Österreich Versicherungen AG
- International Ski and Snowboard Federation
- Le petit-fils de L.U. Chopard & Cie SA
- INTERSPAR Gesellschaft m.b.H.
- Aon Austria GmbH
- City of Vienna/Wiener Stadtwerke
- HERVIS Sport- und Modegesellschaft m.b.H.
- Wiener Linien GmbH & Co KG
- Vienna Airport
- ASFINAG
- RCI Insurance Ltd/RCI Life Ltd
Work highlights
Represented FIS in ongoing cartel proceedings before the Cartel Court in Vienna following the FIS’s efforts to centralise the international marketing rights for skiing competitions.
Represented SPAR in proceedings against Verein gegen Tierfabriken arising out of VGT’s campaigns against the client which seek to harm its reputation in the market.
Represented ASFINAG in a dispute arising out of a motorway construction project against a subcontractor.
Lawyers
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Irene Welser
Other key lawyers
Holger Bielesz; Michaela Siegwart; Daniel Dibon