Jointly steered by Stefan Tiefenthaler, Emanuel Welten, Stefan Frank, and Stephan Heckenthaler, Binder Grösswang‘s banking and finance practice is recommended for maintaining an ‘approach with the client’s needs in mind’ and works together seamlessly with other specialist groups of the firm, including the M&A, capital markets, tax and dispute resolution departments. The team regularly acts in cross-border financing transactions, for which Tiefenthaler is a key contact, and it is also noted for handling regulatory matters in the financial services industry, which are handled by Heckenthaler and Frank. The ‘experienced and responsive’ Welten offers specialised expertise in aircraft financing and ESG-related matters as part of his broad financing practice which also encompasses asset, acquisition, and real estate financings.

Leveraging its ‘seamless integration within its global network’ and access to specialists in adjacent areas such as IT and IP, DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH advises funds, banks, financial service providers, financial institutions as well as domestic and international corporate clients on the full range of domestic and cross-border financing transactions and regulatory matters. The team's multi-faceted practice regularly handles project financings, asset finance matters, cross-border leasing, alternative investments, structured financings and bank contract matters. Co-head Tibor Varga is praised by clients for his ‘top-tier professionalism’ and covers the whole spectrum of corporate finance transactions, including syndicated and private lending, while co-head Andreas Zahradnik combines expertise in banking, capital markets, corporate and compliance law. Both are well supported by Safiye Ünüvar.

Led from Bucharest by Matei Florea, Schoenherr (Schönherr Rechtsanwälte)‘s ‘highly experienced’ integrated team operates across all of the firm’s offices in the CEE region, allowing it to handle a high volume of multi-jurisdictional matters that span from complexly structured finance transactions to financial services litigation. The group is instructed by fintech clients, financial institutions, and insurance companies and shows proficiency in ESG-related topics such as green financings. Key contacts in Austria are the ‘go-to lawyer for strategically important financing transactions’ Martin Ebner, as well as Peter Feyl, who combines regulatory expertise with knowledge of debt finance and M&A, and Laurenz Schwitzer, who focuses on real estate and asset finance.

Instructed by national and international financial institutions, financial investors, project sponsors and international companies, Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG offers a wealth of experience in domestic as well as cross-border real estate and renewable energy financings and shows proficiency in regulatory matters concerning the implementation of digital business models. Described as ‘an absolute superstar in her field’, Andrea Gritsch leads the banking and finance team with a practice that encompasses compliance, investments and M&A within the financial services sector, and refinancing matters. Both Gritsch and Andreas Schmid, who heads the firm-wide projects team and combines expertise in finance and corporate law, are especially recommended for their track record of handling complex cross-border mandates. Markus Heidinger is another key contact, as are Marika Lomashvili and Leopold Hoeher, who advise on financing and restructuring transactions.

Praised by clients for ‘consistently showcasing exceptional legal expertise’, Cerha Hempel is instructed by both lenders and borrowers and operates across a wide spectrum of matters encompassing financial services regulation, restructurings, as well as green loans and acquisition financings. The team is jointly steered by Peter Knobl, who is praised by clients for his ‘remarkable level of dedication and legal acumen’, corporate finance expert Volker Glas, and Thomas Zivny, who specialises in project finance with a particular focus on the real estate sector.

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.

E+H Rechtsanwälte GmbH delivers ‘excellent work’ with well-rounded experience in financial restructuring as well as in acquisition financings. The team has a particular focus on the renewable energy sector and is jointly led by Peter Winkler, who excels in finance transactions, capital markets, and M&A, and by Marcus Benes, who handles international financings in addition to providing advice on structured finance products. Acting in various acquisition and real estate financing transactions, Laurenz Liedermann is recommended by his international clients for his ‘knowledge of the peculiarities of Austrian law’. Karoline Hofmann was promoted to partner in July 2023.

 

Clients note that Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners‘s team, which stands under the leadership of transactional expert Markus Fellner alongside Gregor Schett and Florian Kranebitter, is ‘always up to date with the latest developments in the banking sector’. The group operates with a focus on serving clients in the real estate, IT and payment services sectors, and its expertise extends across regulatory advice, debt finance matters and restructurings. Schett heads the firm’s dispute resolution team and focuses on commercial litigation in banking-related disputes, while Kranebitter's broad practice is particularly concentrated on cross-border finance.

Praised for their ‘outstanding legal expertise’, the financing experts at Baker McKenzie Rechtsanwälte LLP & Co KG work seamlessly with the firm’s many global offices to handle high-volume financings and provide clients with advice on both regulatory issues as well as cross-border transactions. Co-lead Georg Diwok’s focus areas include financial disputes, regulatory law and licensing matters, while the ‘experienced and well-organized’ Robert Wippel covers acquisition, project and real estate finance and offers niche experience handling aircraft financing mandates.

DSC Doralt Seist Csoklich Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s team is described as’ a powerhouse of legal talent’ and operates across the whole spectrum of banking work, with notable experience in cross-border financings, litigation, and advice on market entries. The team is jointly steered by Markus Kellner, who is recommended by clients for his ‘deep economic understanding and strategic acumen’, and Christoph Diregger, with both exemplifying the team’s broad practice. Fabian Liebel is another key contact and regularly represents clients before the Austrian Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Justice.

Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH provides comprehensive advice on market entries, asset and acquisition financing, and refinancings. Christoph Wildmoser, who leads the team alongside Christoph Herbst and Wolfgang Schwackhöfer, is also capable of advising on aviation financings. Herbst’s practice extends to the full range of banking and capital markets law, including regulatory matters as well as litigation, while Schwackhöfer primarily advises banking clients on their entry into the Austrian market.

PHH Rechtsanwält:innen GmbH under the lead of Annika Wolf is well known for advising on debt finance transactions in the trade, real estate, and infrastructure sector and has a track record of supporting clients with a range of project financings. The team’s workload includes advising on refinancings and mezzanine loans as well as on financings for production facilities in the renewable energy sector. Lisa Urbas is a key contact for sustainable lending matters, while Wolfram Huber has a specialism in aviation law as part of his broad practice. Dominik Kurzmann and and former co-lead Lukas Röper both left the firm in February 2023.

Recommended by clients for their ‘very solution-oriented and hands-on approach’, bpv Hügel‘s team is geared to handle an array of financing transactions, including asset, project, acquisition and trade financings. The firm regularly advises on lending arrangements in connection with energy, infrastructure, construction and real estate projects and also noted for its capabilities in refinancing work and its extensive regulatory expertise. Ingo Braun  and Stefan Gaug head up the team and both have a track record of handling cross-border finance transactions. Daniel Reiter left the firm in April 2023.

BRANDL TALOS Attorneys at law is sought out by banks, insurance companies, payment service providers and international financial service providers as well as investment funds for its notable strength in regulatory matters, especially in relation to innovative payment models and proceedings of the Financial Markets Authority. Exemplifying this focus in particular is ‘the go-to person for regulatory financial markets issues’, Raphael Toman, who spearheads the team alongside banking, capital markets and dispute resolution expert Ernst Brandl.

Leveraging the firm’s global network, DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach Rechtsanwälte GmbH regularly acts for international financial institutions on cross-border financings for projects in the energy and infrastructure sector as well as on regulatory, sanctions-related, and corporate matters. Oskar Winkler heads up the finance and projects group, while the team’s new CEE English law hub is led by Jasna Zwitter-Tehovnik, who is a key contact for international clients and handles the full gamut of debt finance matters.

Recommended for cross-border transactions, financial restructurings and expert advice on ESG-related topics, Greenlake Legal counts corporate clients as well as banks, funds, and sponsors in its client base. The team is steered by Michael Raninger alongside Erik Hödl, both of whom cover a broad spectrum of secured and unsecured financial transactions and are highlighted by clients as ‘experts in their field’.

As a member firm of global legal network of Deloitte, Jank Weiler Operenyi acts across a wide array of domestic and international financing transactions and is also capable of handling regulatory matters in connection with insurance and financial services law. Disputes are another strength of the team and primarily fall under the remit of Bernhard Köck, who leads the litigation department. Head of the banking regulatory group Maurizia Anderle-Hauke is well versed in cross-border transactions and matters related to payment services. Andreas Jank leads the banking and finance team alongside real estate expert Gabriele Etzl.

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s areas of expertise include real estate, construction and project financing as well as advice on crowd investment platforms, with the latter making up a cornerstone of practice head Immanuel Gerstner and Lukas Leitner's portfolios. Regulatory expert Clemens Harsch offers ‘exceptional competence in banking and capital market law’, while Franz Mittendorfer handles a large number of the team’s financing and M&A mandates. Thomas Ruhm left the firm in April 2023.

Work in the renewable energy space represents a core strength of Rautner Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s practice, which primarily focuses on syndicated lending, project and real estate finance, and regulatory matters. Uwe Rautner heads the team and offers his clients ‘profound knowledge of the finance industry’, while René Semmelweis covers litigation matters and is experienced in both banking and capital markets law.

Demonstrating ‘outstanding expertise in the realm of banking and finance’, the team at Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH benefits from the diverse expertise gathered in the firm’s numerous global offices and excels in advising on sustainability-linked and cross-border lending arrangements in connection with M&A and private equity deals. The team, which is led by Claudia Steegmüller, counts banks, financial services providers and alternative investment fund managers in its client base and also maintains a regulatory offering in addition to its debt finance focus.

Noted in the market for its expert advice on regulatory matters, the team at Völkl Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG has a strong track record of representing banking clients before national authorities and the European Central Bank. Clemens Völkl heads the team and regularly supports corporate clients in the energy sector with high-volume financing projects, while Philipp Frenzl handles large refinancing transactions, securities litigation, and a range of regulatory proceedings.

Weber & Co. Attorneys-at-Law is a boutique firm that primarily provides advice on sustainable financings and debt restructurings. The team’s workload also regularly includes contentious and regulatory matters, with practice co-head Stefan Weber acting a key contact for hte latter. Praised by clients for his ‘outstanding ability to grasp highly complex legal matters’, co-head Philipp Baubin has special experience in cross-border acquisition finance and syndicated lending transactions.

Under the lead of Bernd Taucher, who offers clients ‘great analytical and negotiation skills’, the banking and finance practice at Graf Patsch Taucher Rechtsanwälte is capable of handling the full range of transactional work and is also instructed by clients to handle financial regulatory matters. The team's portfolio encompasses corporate and acquisition finance transactions, syndicated loan agreements, and advice on project financings.

The team of PFR Fritzsche Frank Fletzberger Rechtsanwälte GmbH is recommended by clients for its ’deep knowledge of the banking regulatory framework’ and is also noted for offering deep expertise in the fintech sector. Bernd Fletzberger leads the group and has a particular focus on payment services law, allowing him to maintain close client relationships with banks, crypto asset service providers, and payment institutions.