Providing an ‘excellent level of service’, Binder Grösswang‘s ‘very well-established employment practice’ is especially recommended for advising on mass redundancies, social plan negotiations, terminations, and management changes, with clients regularly instructing the team to handle issues in the finance and manufacturing sectors. The team is jointly steered by Horst Lukanec and Angelika Pallwein-Prettner: Lukanec offers particular experience with employment matters in the context of corporate restructurings and regularly represents clients in contentious proceedings, while Pallwein-Prettner chiefly handles matters at the intersection of data protection and employment law. Sabine Apfl-Trompeter covers employment aspects of M&A and also regularly advises on redundancies.

Cerha Hempel acts as exclusive employment law counsel for numerous companies and is well-equipped to handle the employment aspects of sale and purchase agreements, while also regularly leveraging its contentious expertise to represent clients in court proceedings. Julian Feichtinger leads the team alongside Christopher Peitsch and specialises in litigation, with his expertise covering the full spectrum of individual and collective labour and employment law. Described by clients as the ‘perfect sparring partner for a company that has an employment law problem’, Peitsch also has extensive in-court experience and maintains close relationships with clients in a range of sectors, including retail, aviation, health care, and construction. Nina Neumaier joined the team from Binder Grösswang in September 2022 and offers niche expertise in diversity-related matters. Susanne Molitoris is another key contact.

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH fields a market-leading team of experts that comfortably operates across the whole spectrum of employment law, with areas of expertise including antidiscrimination, EU, and working time law as well as litigation before courts and other authorities. The team is headed by Bernhard Hainz alongside Christoph Wolf and acts in various industries, with particular knowledge of the consumer products, financial services, and consulting sectors. Hainz’ workload includes the negotiation of collective agreements and social plans, while Wolf’s practice focuses on the intersection of labour and compliance issues. Specialising in European labour law, Daniela Krömer was appointed as a partner in May 2023 and co-heads the firm’s international employment law group.

With a particularly strong litigation practice and a strong presence across the CEE region, Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG is recommended for high-quality advice on restructurings, employment contracts, and pensions and benefits-related matters. The team is praised by clients for comprising ‘experienced lawyers with a business-oriented approach’, with practice head Ralf Peschek‘s varied caseload including executive agreements, workers’ participation rights, and manager liability. Matthias Unterrieder is experienced at handling multinational projects such as cross-border staff assignments, while the ‘highly qualified’ Isabel Firneis regularly represents clients in proceedings with authorities and is well-versed in restructuring matters.

Baker McKenzie Rechtsanwälte LLP & Co KG‘s practice strengths include employment law aspects of corporate transactions and restructurings, labor law compliance and internal investigations, as well as litigation and advice on dispute settlements. The team maintains close relationships with clients in the financial services, pharma, manufacturing, and construction sectors and is headed by Philipp Maier, who is recommended by clients for his ‘extensive knowledge of Austrian labor law’. Simone Liebmann-Slatin‘s expertise encompasses cross-border transactions and negotiations with unions.

Burgstaller & Preyer Rechtsanwälte GmbH is an employment boutique with a strong pedigree in company pension models, employee protection, and collective labour law issues. Expertise in matters related to business sales, reorganisations, and outsourcing is another standout feature of the team, which is jointly led by Gerald Burgstaller and Helmut Preyer. Preyer is regularly instructed by national and international employers as well as management members to advise on matters related to employer-employee relations, while Burgstaller regulalry advises on equality and compensation matters. The practice heads are well-supported by Patricia Fischer and Dominik Stella.

DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s team is described by clients as ‘truly exceptional in its field’ and is noted for its capabilities across the full gamut of employment matters. Thomas Angermair leads the group and is particularly experienced in negotiations with works councils and unions as well as in advising on management agreements. Lisa Kulmer is another key contact for works council matters and further specialises in the implementation of whistleblowing systems and non-compete clauses. Manuel Mayr is recommended by clients for his ‘profound understanding of employment law and his remarkable litigation skills’.

Being described by clients as ‘one of the best choices for employment law and labor law litigation’, E+H Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s varied caseload features a particular focus on employment issues in the context of corporate transactions, such as dismissals related to restructurings. Practice head Jana Eichmeyer‘s practice includes litigation, settlement negotiations, and advice on executive employment contracts, while Natalie Hahn is particularly well-versed in cross-border labour matters. Karolin Andréewitch-Wallner is another key member, with her areas of expertise including HR matters and employee incentive programs.

Engelbrecht und Partner Rechtsanwälte fields ‘highly specialised experts in labour law’ and specialises entirely on labour, employment, social security and income tax law matters, with the team’s workload including antidiscrimination, pension and collective agreement matters. Led by Helmut Engelbrecht, who is a known expert for public employment matters, and Maria Schedle, the practice is especially recommended for its strength in litigation, with all lawyers being able to offer clients experience in court proceedings. Silvia Wieder left the firm in January 2023.

Gerlach Rechtsanwälte’s practice is praised by clients for its ‘pragmatic approach combined with a lot of experience’ and handles all aspects of labour and employment law, including employment-related advice on restructurings, pension schemes, negotiations of socials plans, and data protection matters. The team is lead by Michaela Gerlach together with Roland Gerlach, who is described as ‘one of the leading employment law lawyers in Austria’. Former co-head Markus Löscher departed in March 2023, while Brigitte Sammer joined in September 2022 from Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH.

Schima Mayer Starlinger Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s team stands under the joint leadership of Georg Schima and Birgit Vogt-Majarek and is recommended by clients for its ‘attention to detail and pragmatic approach.’  Vogt-Majarek is well-regarded for acting in individual employment matters such as termination of employment cases, though his practice also extends to collective employment law. Vogt-Majarek, meanwhile, is a key contact for advice on employment contracts and restructuring matters as well as for advice on data protection issues. Philipp Gamauf excels at handling matters at intersection of employment and corporate law.

With connections to the firm’s large network in the CEE region, Schoenherr (Schönherr Rechtsanwälte)‘s labour and employment team under the leadership of Stefan Kühteubl covers the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious employment law, with focus areas such as collective agreements, cross-border posting of employees, and advice on the Whistleblower Protection Act. Teresa Waidmann is highlighted by clients for ‘combining great analytical skills with a high level of expertise’ and is particularly well-versed in separation negotiations with senior employees.

Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s recent workload includes advice on delegating duties and liabilities, cross-border staff deployment, and drafting management contracts. The team is led by Wolfgang Kapek, who impresses clients with his ‘outstanding legal knowledge’ and offers particular knowledge on whistleblowing topics. Walter Pöschl is described as an ‘incredible expert when it comes to labour law issues’ and also covers a range of litigation matters. Brigitte Sammer left the firm in September 2022.

Praised by clients for ‘providing superb services’, DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s team is led by Stephan Nitzl, whose broad practice includes employment-related advice on transactions and corporate restructuring initiatives in addition to representation of clients in litigation proceedings. The group has been further strengthened with the arrival of Jennifer Held from KWR Karasek Wietrzyk in February 2023. Held’s employment practice includes corresponding data protection and contract topics.

Eversheds Sutherland Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s multifaceted offering encompasses particular strengths in HR matters as well as in the employment and pension due diligence aspects of M&A and transfer of undertaking procedures. The team offers a focus on the life sciences, retail, IT, and real estate sectors and is headed by Silva Palzer, who is well-versed in EU and international employment law. Sandra Singhofer joined the firm in December 2022 from PwC Legal Austria-oehner & partner.

Led by the ‘very experienced’ Kurt Wratzfeld, Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners maintains close relationships with a diverse roster of clients in the banking, tobacco, gambling, and public sectors. The team handles the preparation of employment contracts and work agreements, and advice on personnel reductions makes up a further core element of its employment offering. Florian Dauser, who specialises in labour law and dispute resolution, is a further key member of the team.

With a specialism in labour and pensions law, GRAF ISOLA is described by clients as a ‘state-of-the-art law firm with dedicated experts’. Exemplifying the team’s strength in representing clients before all relevant courts and authorities, practice head Jakob Widner also leads the firm’s dispute resolution practice group. Axel Guttmann primarily advises clients on employment issues arising in the course of corporate restructurings.

Led by Christoph Ludvik, Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH‘s ‘outstanding and highly recommendable’ team offers experience in an array of employment matters, including issues related to the implementation of whistleblowing systems and labour law topics in the context of M&A transactions. A particularly active disputes practice is another feature of the team, which regularly represents its clients in court proceedings and in collective labour law disputes with work councils and trade unions.

Jointly steered by Wolfgang Kinner and Ingrid Korenjak, Kinner Korenjak LAW’s team advises a growing roster of clients in sectors such banking and finance, healthcare, hotel, and food on a diverse range of employment and labour issues. Korenjak is described by clients as a ‘hands-on and practice-oriented lawyer with high commercial awareness’ and handles matters at the intersection of employment and data protection law, while Kinner’s recent workload includes the representation of clients in various HR-related court proceedings.

KPMG Law - Buchberger Ettmayer Rechtsanwälte GmbH operates across the full range of employment law, with focus areas including the negotiation of social plans, transactions-related employment work, and contentious matters such as litigation regardingthe  termination of employment contracts. Elisabeth Wasinger leads the group with an ‘exceptional knowledge of the law’ and regularly supports clients with the implementation of group-wide policies, in addition to providing clients with knowledge of mass dismissals and the labour law aspects of M&A transactions.

Providing ‘an outstanding service on HR topics’, Anna Mertinz leads KWR Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s team, with her multifaceted practice encompassing advice on cross-border staff deployments, employment contracts, assistance with company acquisitions, employee data protection, and compliance. Jennifer Held left the firm in February 2023, while Martin Lanner, whose workload includes employee participation schemes, joined in September 2023 from Schindler Attorneys.

PHH Rechtsanwält:innen GmbH‘s team is noted for its capabilities in cross-border personnel leasing, work permits, and employment-related tax matters. Described by clients as an ‘outstanding lawyer with excellent communication skills’, Nicolaus Mels-Colloredo leads the practice and is well-regarded for his litigation expertise and advice on M&A transactions as well as his ability to assist with executive employment and termination agreements.

For clients, Prchal Anwaltsbüro‘s ‘labour law specialisation is reflected in its high-quality work’, and practice head Robert Prchal is praised as an ‘excellent attorney with a high level of practical experience’. Prachl is particularly well-versed in cross-border personnel leasing and employment-related data protection matters. The team also offers notable strengths in advising on corporate reorganisations, contract work, and contentious and non-contentious matters related to working times. Clients stem from a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality, trade, pharma, and IT.

Zeiler Rechtsanwälte GmbH‘s areas of expertise include pension and benefits, executive contracts, and employee data protection. Practice head Hans Georg Laimer maintains close relationships with clients in an array of sectors, including manufacturing, health care, and gaming, while Andreas Tinhofer has a track record of acting before courts and in proceedings with authorities. Lukas Wieser specialises in litigation regarding employment termination, discrimination and harassment claims.

With well-established experience in contentiosu matters, Barnert Egermann Illigasch Rechtsanwälte GmbH advises on a diverse range of employment law issues, including matters related to company benefits, termination of employment, employee mobility strategies and transfer of employees. Complimented by clients for his ‘profound litigation experience’, Clemens Egermann heads up the group and regularly represents both employers and directors before courts and in proceedings with administrative authorities.

Deloitte is well regarded for handling employment aspects of cross-border restructurings, including immigration issues, works council agreements, and a wide array of individual HR questions. The team is led by Stefan Zischka, who maintains particularly close relationships with clients in the food, pharma, and real estate sectors and combines expertise in employment, social and immigration law to contribute to the firm’s full-service approach.

KÖRBER-RISAK Rechtsanwalts GmbH‘s multi-faceted areas of expertise include matters related to sexual harassment in the workplace, collective bargaining law, and whistleblowing audits, and the team is capable representing of clients in court proceedings in addition to providing strategic advice. The team is jointly steered by ‘brilliant litigator’ Katharina Körber-Risak and Raphael Elia Schanda, with the latter specialising in matters at the intersection of employment and competition law. Former co-head Sarah Meixner left the firm in October 2022.

Based in Linz, the team at LeitnerLaw Rechtsanwälte maintains a diverse workload that encompasses advice on labour leasing, employee participation schemes, business transfers, and working time violations. Jointly led by Johannes Edthaler and Christina Hödlmayr-Traxler, who is praised by clients for her ‘hands-on mentality‘, the ‘very competent’ team is sought out by domestic and international clients from various industries, including food, manufacturing, trade and engineering.

PwC Legal Austria-oehner & partner‘s employment law team cooperates with other departments to offer a multidisciplinary approach, which includes advice on tax and M&A topics. Ursula Roberts’ recent activities include advice on the implementation of the EU whistleblower directive, flextime agreements, and compliance audits. Eva Krichmayr has since left the firm.

Led by Roland Heinrich and Bettina Poglies-Schneiderbauer from Wels and Linz respectively, SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH has a strong presence in the Upper Austria region and operates across the whole spectrum of employment matters, with particular strengths in EU employment law issues. Heinrich is noted for his knowledge of collective agreements, social security matters, and cross-border transfers of employees, while Poglies-Schneiderbauer’s focus areas include temporary employment matters.