In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. This time around, we dug deeper into a discussion point that came up during our last event: During our annual General Counsel Summit held in Prague recently, we’ve learned that even with the inflation in CEE having hovered around 14-20% in recent years, legal fees have remained static or have even decreased in some jurisdictions. Given that, how has your firm managed to consistently deliver high-quality service under these constraints?

In Austria, workforce restructuring is often necessary for companies facing economic challenges or needing to reorganize. However, the process is heavily regulated, and employers must ensure compliance with legal requirements to avoid complications and potential legal risks. This article outlines the key steps and legal obligations employers must follow when carrying out workforce reductions in Austria, with a particular focus on the importance of detailed planning, timing, and legal compliance.

Schoenherr has advised Okoenergie Beteiligungs on the repowering and expansion of the Pillichsdorf III wind farm in Lower Austria.

CMS has advised the founder of Fiskaltrust Consulting on a financing round that includes the entry of a new international majority shareholder. Moser Legal advised the undisclosed incoming investor.

Schoenherr and Cerha Hempel have advised OMV on global regulatory filings, including merger control procedures before the European Commission and national competition authorities, related to the combination of OMV subsidiary Borealis, ADNOC subsidiary Borouge, and NOVA Chemicals. White & Case's Dubai office reportedly advised OMV as well. Freshfields, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, and Latham & Watkins reportedly advised ADNOC.

E+H has advised Munich-based investment firm VTC on its acquisition of NBG Group from NBG Bauer as part of a broader succession plan. Hasch & Partner advised NBG Bauer. DKFE Attorneys at Law acted as one of the trustees and also advised the other trustee, acting for the financing banks’ syndicate. BPV Huegel reportedly advised NBG Group.

CMS has advised Bruker Corporation on its acquisition of Biocrates Life Sciences.

BPV Huegel has advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Aktiengesellschaft on the sale of its stake in Austria Junice to Agrana Beteiligungs-Aktiengesellschaft. Schoenherr advised Agrana.

EY Law has advised Bybit on the successful completion of the crypto-asset service provider licensing procedure for Bybit EU GmbH in Austria under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation framework. 

Freshfields has advised SMS group on its acquisition of the agglomeration and calcination technologies business from Metso. 

Herbst Kinsky has advised Wahl & Partner Management and Beteiligungs on the acquisition of Scheybal Matten Nach Mass. Jank Weiler Operenyi | Deloitte Legal advised the sellers, Scheybal.

Wolf Theiss has advised Raiffeisenbank Austria on its recent tender offer for outstanding notes and the successful issuance of new EUR 300 million ordinary senior eligible notes. Linklaters reportedly advised an international banking consortium that participated in the offering.

DSC Doralt Seist Csoklich Founding Partner Peter Csoklich has been elected president of the Vienna Bar Association, succeeding Michael Rohregger in this position.

Schoenherr has advised Perpetual Growth on its partnership with Prewave. Act Legal reportedly advised Prewave.

I still vividly remember the sunny September day when, as a young lawyer, I arrived in Prague. I was joining a US law firm that had just opened offices in the old city. Its immense beauty, at that time still unknown but immediately close to me, was captivating.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. This time around, we asked: For 2025, what is the one sector or industry in the country that shows the most promise for growth, and why?

Austria continues to experience a wave of significant insolvencies, stretching court resources and prompting comparisons to past recessions. Recent legal frameworks have introduced new possibilities for restructuring, though so far with limited uptake. Taylor Wessing Counsel & Head of Insolvency Andreas Howadt examines both the immediate pressures – rising liabilities, high-profile failures, and logistical strains – and the evolving legal environment looking ahead to 2025.

Overseeing legal matters for a complex healthcare organization demands both technical prowess and pragmatic decision-making – something Simone Quantschnigg has grown quite familiar with. Stepping in as General Counsel of Vamed Care group following a carve-out last year, Quantschnigg talks about her path from private practice to in-house leadership, the biggest adjustments in adopting an internal counsel role, and the forward-looking strategies she envisions for her evolving legal department.