Practice Areas

General orientation

Generally speaking, our firm focuses on all matters in the area of civil and corporate/commercial law.

Our main practice areas fall within the categories outlined on this page.

Dispute resolution

Besides our consulting services, which also serve the purpose of avoiding conflicts, a large part of our work consists of pursuing and enforcing the rights of our clients before courts and arbitral tribunals.

In doing so, we build upon many years of experience in handling highly complex litigation as well as in acting as counsel in various arbitral proceedings under different sets of rules (among others ICC, VIAC, DIS).

Focus: litigation and arbitration, enforcement of court decisions.

Intellectual Property and Unfair Competition

We advise our clients on all matters concerning the protection of their intellectual property (“IP”) – from establishing and/or registering intellectual property rights to monitoring and pursuing violations of our clients’ IP rights.

Aside from issues directly relating to the protection of intellectual property we also regularly advise our clients with regard to licensing as well as transfer agreements and other agreements relating to IP-rights.

We also advise our clients in the realm of unfair competition and help them pursue their rights against anticompetitive behaviour of competitors.

Furthermore, our clients value our experience in supporting various consortia with regard to subsidy-programs for innovative projects under EU-framework plans.

Focus: trademark, patent and design law; copyright law; protection against product piracy; protection of know-how; license, transfer and purchase agreements; cooperation and coexistence agreements; protection against unfair competition

Real Estate & Construction

We assist our clients in buying, selling, developing and using real property.

From the negotiation and drafting of contracts between buyers and sellers, of tenancy and lease agreements, contracts between clients and architects, general contractors or individual professionals, to representation in disputes relating to such contracts, we stand by your side as a competent partner.

With years of experience in supporting infrastructure projects we are well equipped to handle projects of any size.

Focus: advice and representation in connection with the purchase and sale of real estate, houses and apartments; drafting contracts; purchase agreements; lease agreements; advice and representation in connection with the planning and execution of construction projects; litigation and arbitration with regard to the aforementioned contracts and projects

IT-Law & Data Protection

IT systems are an essential part of today’s information society. Accordingly, legal issues concerning IT are becoming an everyday occurence. Modern IT law is an interdisciplinary specialty and includes issues such as contracts for the sale and purchase of hardware and software, software programming and outsourcing contracts, service level agreements and, frequently, also legal issues concerning terms and conditions.

We advise clients on the implementation of IT projects and general IT- and internet-related legal issues as well as on matters in the realm of e-commerce and represent them in disputes arising in this context.

We advise suppliers as well as customers. Thus, we know the problems on both sides, which provides a solid basis for the negotiation, implementation and review of contracts as well as representation in case of a dispute.

Another issue of high importance concerns the realm of data protection. Often neglected, data protection issues actually constitute a very common topic. We advise our clients in connection with such compliance issues and assist in ensuring the proper processing of personal data in line with data protection laws.

Focus: analysis, prevention and contractual prevention of risks associated with IT projects; purchase and sale of hardware and software; licensing and usage contracts; contracts for specific work; maintenance contracts; service level agreements; data protection; compliance; legally compliant design of websites; outsourcing contracts; cloud computing; e-commerce; IT- and internet-related legal issues

Regulatory – Public Commercial & Environmental Law

We offer our clients comprehensive advice on all aspects of public commercial law. Public trade and industry law, water law, environmental law, waste management law and EU registration issues in the field of basic industries (REACH) are our main areas in this field. We generally aim for the best possible management of regulatory risks, especially taking into account the requirements of environmental liability law.

We advise on concession projects and provide support in difficult matters regulated by public law, often at the intersection with civil and European law issues.

In addition, we represent our clients before and against administrative authorities, sectoral regulatory authorities and courts in Austria and the EU.

Whether at the stage prior to the commencement of commercial activities or in the context of an established industrial group – the area of public commercial and environmental law requires the resolution of numerous legal issues. We advise our clients not only with regard to trade law issues in everyday business, but in particular in connection with temporary or long-term cross-border activities, as well as the establishment of branches and companies in Austria.

Thus, we advise companies in the entire range of public commercial and environmental law issues. We are building on our long experience in advising on complex concession projects for industrial facilities and infrastructure projects, remediation of contaminated sites and other environmentally sensitive transactions.

Focus: public trade and industry law; support of market entry (authorizations, concessions, permits for factory equipment); waste management law (disposal, recycling and remediation of dangerous waste – “AlSAG”); water law; environmental law; environmental liability law; assistance in large-scale projects; environmental impact assessment (“UVP” processes); registration issues regarding chemicals in the sector of basic industries (REACH); due diligence and compliance; contracts with market participants, representation before and against administrative / regulatory authorities and courts

Nursing and Social Sector

Due to the increasing pressure to consolidate in the range of public and private infrastructure, service providers in the nursing and social sector confronted with a highly complex market situation.

We support providers of nursing and health services in developing solutions for the many challenges companies in the nursing and social field are constantly facing.

Due to our many years of experience, we are constantly involved in contract negotiations between public administration and private service providers.

Focus: consultancy in connection with general legal issues in the area of nursing and social services; advice in connection with public financing obligations (public services); compliance

Corporate and Commercial Law / M&A

We assist our clients – be it companies or their shareholders – in all corporate and commercial matters. We advise on the structuring and execution of transactions and in connection with contractual issues relating to complex, often cross-border projects.

Many years of experience in handling acquisitions of domestic and foreign industrial businesses provide a profound basis our clients are constantly benefitting of.

One of our specialisations lies in the field of contractual arrangements in the area of corporate and commercial law – often associated with long-term performance and supply contracts. A very important aspect in connection with corporate and commercial law issues also lies in the realm of antitrust compliance.

In addition to general corporate law advice regarding the formation of companies, drafting contracts, reorganisations, acquisitions, restructuring and financial recovery, we also represent clients in disputes between shareholders, between the company and executive bodies, and/or between companies and its shareholders.

We also advise companies, directors, supervisory boards and shareholders with regard to compliance and liability issues.

Focus: formation of companies; partnership agreements; reorganisation, mergers, restructuring, spin-offs; compliance, advise management, directors, supervisory board, private foundations; acquisition, sale and mergers of companies, businesses and assets; Private Equity/Venture Capital; strategic alliances and joint venture agreements; syndicate-, shareholder- and voting agreements; contract drafting aligned with corporate and commercial law, in particular in cross-border projects; corporate, commercial and distribution law; long-term performance and delivery contracts; Assistance in antitrust aspects of the aforementioned areas