Social Media is omnipresent these days and individuals as well as companies increasingly use these instruments as communication and marketing tools. Moreover, the development of Social Media platforms, like interactive online rating and comparison platforms, is also of interest for the start-up sector. However, this increasing importance of Social Media also raises questions about the liability for the published content and legal remedies to protect and enforce affected legal positions.

CMS Prague has advised Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka, the Czech division of KBC Group, on the acquisition of 45% stake in the Czech building savings bank Ceskomoravska stavebni sporitelna from Bausparkasse Schwabisch Hall, advised by Schoenherr.

Schoenherr has established a dedicated firm-wide Consumer Protection group, led by Partner Wolfgang Tichy.

Jones Day has advised Societe Generale in connection with the sale of its majority stake in the share capital of Societe Generale Montenegro, a company listed on the Montenegrin Stock Exchange, to OTP Bank Nyrt. Schoenherr advised Societe Generale on matters of Montenegrin law, while CMS advised OTP.

“The talk about the entrance of two regional players – CMS and Schoenherr – onto the Macedonian market last year is still on everyone’s lips (among lawyers),” says Apostolska & Partners’ Founding Partner Emilija Apostolska-Temov in North Macedonia, who says that the presence of such law firms in the market will undoubtedly influence business, increasing both the quality of legal services and competition. “It also gives us a hint about investments coming in – such big law firms would not come without any plans,” she says. “They must know something that the rest of us will learn later. I think it will be a positive experience.”

The Austrian Supreme Court has abolished its former line of decisions on the recognition of collateral granted by way of security transfer (Sicherungsübereignung) under foreign jurisdiction. From now on, Austrian courts will have to recognise such collateral even if it does not comply with Austrian publicity requirements (Pubilzitätserfordernissen). This decision will enhance legal security and the overall position of creditors in an international context.

Pursuant to Article 186 of the EU Solvency II Directive (2009/138/EC), EU member states must grant life insurance policyholders a 14 to 30-day period to cancel their contract from the time when the policyholders were informed that the contract was concluded.

Schoenherr provided Austrian advice and Hengeler Mueller was lead counsel to private equity group Bain Capital on its sale of a 32% stake in the Wittur Group to an investment company of the Canadian Public Sector Pension Investment Board.

Schoenherr has successfully advised the Vienna International Airport and the province of Lower Austria on the successful application for permission to construct a third runway at the Vienna International Airport.

With a slight lag of two months, on 11 March, the Polish President signed the bill amending Intellectual Property Law ("IP Law") which is scheduled to enter into force one day following its publication. The broad changes were brought about by the implementation of the EU Trademark Directive 2015/2436 ((EU) Directive 2015/2436 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2015 to approximate the laws of Member States regarding trademarks) (the "Directive").

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner has advised Oesterreichische Kontrollbank AG on the acquisition of around 70% of Osterreichische Hotel-und Tourismusbank Gesellschaft m.b.H from UniCredit Bank Austria AG and Erste Bank der Oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG. Schoenherr advised UniCredit Bank and Erste Bank on the sale.

Schoenherr, working with lead counsel Hengeler Mueller and Belgium's Bredin Prat, China's JunHe, Mexico's Galicia Abogados, and Wuersch & Gering in New York, has advised Sweden's Ericsson on its acquisition of Germany's Kathrein SE's antenna and filters division. Noerr and Ziems & Partner acted as lead counsel to Kathrein, assisted by, among others, Eisenberger & Herzog, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Allen & Overy, and Gleiss Lutz.

After almost two years, the extraordinary administration proceedings over Agrokor and 77 of its Croatian group companies is entering its final stage.

Croatian employers have until the end of this year to partially comply with the recently enacted Act on the Protection of Whistleblowers (Zakon o zaštiti prijavitelja nepravilnosti; "Whistleblower Protection Act"), with which they must come into full compliance by March 2020. The Whistleblower Protection Act defines who will be deemed a whistleblower and enjoy protection for whistleblowing. In contrast, the current whistleblower provisions are scattered throughout a number of laws, such as the Criminal Code, the Trade Act, the Employment Act and others. Consequently, research conducted in 2017 has shown that around 60 % of Croatian examinees do not know how to report corruption.

Schoenherr has advised Toyota Motor Europe on the acquisition of Austrian marketing and sales company Toyota Frey Austria from the Frey Holding GmbH. Schindler Attorneys advised the sellers on the deal.

Karanovic & Partners has advised the Czech Republic's PPF Group on its acquisition of Telenor Banka, the first fully mobile and online bank operating in Serbia, from Norwegian mobile operator Telenor. Schoenherr and Latham & Watkins advised the sellers.

Baker McKenzie, ODI Law, Simkins, Covington & Burling, and Van Bael & Bellis have advised MHP SE on the acquisition of 90.68% of the issued capital of Perutnina Ptuj, d.d. Schoenherr Vienna advised the sellers on the deal and CMS London advised ING, MHP’s financial partner.

Schoenherr has advised the Styrian association Styria Vitalis on the registration of its quality seal "Grüner Teller", which the firm claims is "Austria's first registered certification mark."