Distinctions.
Up and Comer in Antitrust: Valerie Mayer
The JUVE editorial team on Herbst Kinsky:
"Evaluation:
HK is recognised for its expertise and experience in the VC sector like no other firm on the Austrian market. Competitors also pay tribute to this and note: ‘Very good people’, ‘cool start-ups in the client base’. One driver of business recently has been funds, which have increasingly come to Austria as investors and are interested in early-stage financing. HK is active on both the investor and company side. One example is advising the fintech scale-up Fiskaly on the entry of Swedish Verdane Capital. This mandate also proves that companies now also rely on Dr Philipp Kinsky's team in later phases due to recommendations.
The German PE investor Everfield, for example, has also relied on HK for acquisitions of software companies in Austria since 2023.
The well-known name partner Kinsky is also renowned for his expertise in FlexCo start-ups and was involved in the introduction of the new legal form.
A particularly complex mandate, which combined the firm's expertise at the interface of takeover law, sanctions law, AGM resolutions, capital markets and ad hoc announcements, was advising Uniqa as a Strabag shareholder on the reduction of Deripaska's stake to below 25%.
The appointment of Dr Alexander Lotz, who is responsible for the Linz office, as counsel demonstrates the firm's commitment to the location.
Meanwhile, Dr Johanna Höltl, a counsel from the Vienna office, is beginning to leave her mark on the market.
Strengths: Outstanding reputation in VC and start-up advice
Often recommended: Dr Phillip Dubsky ("long-standing advisor who always conveys calm. Fast, flexible and pragmatic way of working‘, client), Dr Philipp Kinsky (’pragmatic, flexible and highly skilled. Very pleasant cooperation‘, client), Dr Florian Steinhart, Dr Christoph Wildmoser (’very competent and experienced‘, “technically excellent and fast”, competitor), Carl Walderdorff, Dr Johanna Höltl (’legal excellence, commercial understanding and excellent negotiating skills’, client, ’outstanding M&A lawyer, competitor)
Areas of specialisation: M&A and corporate law, PE and VC, with close links to capital markets law and financing - (international) investors and groups, start-ups. Focus on energy, health/biotech and IT/new media sectors. Also litigation.’
Evaluation
The practice led by the highly renowned partner Dr. Christoph Herbst advises its clients on a wide range of regulatory matters, including pharmaceutical law as well as public procurement law cases. It is not uncommon for the regulatory work to involve a certain amount of litigation. For example, HK represents ORF Beitragsservice and a major pharmacy in disputes, the latter in administrative penal proceedings under the Austrian Medicinal Products Import Act. The firm's expertise is also in demand for environmental law advice, although the proportion of such mandates is currently rather low. The firm regularly dovetails its public law expertise with its recognised VC and transaction advice, for example in the accompanying advice on commercial law in the course of transactions. FDI and investment control proceedings also play a significant role, for which partners Dr. Philipp Kinsky and Dr. Christoph Wildmoser are responsible.
Often recommended
Dr Christoph Herbst ("recognised and versatile expert", competitor)
Areas of specialisation
Public and regulatory law Advice often related to civil law, also in close co-operation with the successful corporate/M&A practice.
Ihren Mandanten bietet HK ein breites Beratungsangebot, das das (Bank-)Aufsichtsrecht ebenso umfasst wie Finanzierungen, Fondsstrukturierungen und Prozesse. Nicht selten arbeiten die verschiedenen Praxen der Kanzlei eng verzahnt miteinander. Bestes Beispiel ist hier die Vertretung von drei ehemaligen Aufsichtsräten der Kommunalkredit in einem Organhaftungsverfahren, das derzeit den OGH beschäftigt, bei dem neben den Bank- und Finanzrechtlern auch die Konfliktlösungspraxis involviert ist. Sehr angesehen ist die Kanzlei im Markt für ihre Arbeit im VC-Segment, darunter zu Venture-Debt-Transaktionen. Nicht minder visible agiert die Kanzlei in Person von Dr. Christoph Wildmoser an der Seite von Fonds, Banken und Unternehmen im Rahmen von klassischen Finanzierungen. Weiters ist HK auch für ihr kapitalmarktrechtliches Know-how bekannt, auf das nicht zuletzt die Uniqa regelmäßig vertrat, insbesondere in Sachen Strabag/Rasperia. Neben dem anerkannten Dr. Philipp Kinsky agiert Johannes Frank visibel in diesem Segment, regelmäßig an der Schnittstelle zu Kryptothemen.
Stärken:
Start-up-Beratung von der ersten Finanzierung bis zum Börsegang
Oft empfohlen:
Dr. Philipp Kinsky (Kapitalmarkt/Finanzierungen); "ist pragmatisch, flexibel u. fachlich hoch versiert, dabei sehr angenehm in der Zusammenarbeit", Mandant), Dr. Christoph Wildmoser (Finanzierungen)
Great success for the entire Herbst Kinsky team:
Phillip Dubsky
Johannes Frank
Sonja Hebenstreit
Christoph Herbst
Philipp Kinsky
Stephan Lenzhofer
Alexander Lotz
Valerie Mayer
Wolfgang Schwackhöfer
Florian Steinhart
Christoph Wildmoser
Outstanding: Christoph Herbst – "Hall of Fame" and Valerie Mayer "Rising Star"
****
QUOTES OF OUR CLIENTS & COLLEAGUES:
‘We enjoy working with Herbst Kinsky a lot – they combine in-depth know-how with broad experience, and their advice is straight to the point and pragmatic.’
‘Sonja Hebenstreit is a very experienced IP lawyer with amazing expertise and at the same time easy to work with. She concentrates on the right issues and is very effective. A particular stand-out is her expertise in patent and know-how licensing matters.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is definitely one of the most experienced and best lawyers in Austria when it comes to start-ups – both in the field of fund investments and direct investments. Due to his extensive experience he is able to assess difficult situations very well, and to get the best out of them for his clients without loss of face for any of the parties involved.’
‘Alexander Lotz did a great job in pushing a difficult deal over the line.’
‘Very commercially minded; great response time; the team is always one step ahead; profound know-how; the firm delivers on point.’
‘Dr. Philipp Kinsky The best lawyer in Austria – personally and professionally – with perfect entrepreneurial thinking skills.’
‘Stephan Lenzhofer is very empathetic but also sharp. He has an excellent understanding for the needs of his client and the opponent.’
‘engaged and on-time delivery.’
‘Valerie Mayer is an excellent lawyer, always very attentive and hard-working. The daily collaboration with her is pleasant, she is detail-oriented and has a very good knowledge of merger control mechanisms in Austria, which helped us greatly in closing transactions.’
The work of Wolfgang Schwackhöfer and his team is always on point, timely, responsive and based on a high level of professionalism. It is simply fun to work with Wolfgang.’
‘The team has a very strong combination of skills, dedication and a personal touch to make clients feel comfortable when choosing them. ’
‘The firm offers quick access to the relevant matter expert. Each expert is excellent in their area, highly customer-oriented, focussed on understanding the customer’s problem and offering feasible solutions in short time.
****
PRACTICE GROUPS:
Administrative Law And Public Sector | Banking & Finance | Capital Markets | Commercial, Corporate and M&A | Data Protection | Dispute | Employment | EU and Competition | IP
Ranked Practice Groupes:
Ranked Lawyers:
Others about us:
"Herbst Kinsky can handle complex matters in a very client-friendly and practical way."
"The lawyers provide very fast responses and pragmatic solutions, always in a pleasant and constructive atmosphere."
"The team has a very strong bench and partners as well as associates are very knowledgeable."
"The team is very responsive and covers all legal aspects relevant for start-ups."
Sonja Hebenstreit - Band 2
"Sonja Hebenstreit is recognised for her expertise in providing regulatory and contractual advice to start-ups and corporates from the life sciences and healthcare industries. With her background in IP, she is especially adept assisting with advertising law, patents and licensing, unfair competition and data protection issues."
"Sonja Hebenstreit is speedy, knowledgeable and always on time. She is a lovely person and extremely good at what she does. I appreciate working with her and trust her 100%."
"Sonja Hebenstreit is supersonic; she is fast but thorough, always gives us answers we need, and is commercially minded and straightforward."
"Sonja Hebenstreit is a true expert with a lot of experience and the ability to come to pragmatic solutions that are legally sound. She can also explain complex topics to non-lawyers."
Philipp Kinsky - Band 3
"Philipp Kinsky has a strong background in working on behalf of start-ups in the life sciences sector using his expertise in financing rounds and M&A deals to the benefit of his clients. He is also able to advise his biotechnology clients on IP and relevant data protection matters."
"Philipp Kinsky is well known for his venture capital work for start-ups and is very well connected in that market."
Phillip Dubsky - Band 4
"Phillip Dubsky is mandated for his knowledge in handling cross-border divestments, as well as general corporate law mandates."
One client describes Philipp Kinsky as "dynamic, multi-layered and extremely competent, with many years of expertise."
"Herbst Kinsky is particularly active in ECM matters, advising on capital increases, IPOs and convertible products. Herbst Kinsky also has strong expertise in blockchain technologies and cryptocurrency matters including ICOs and compliance."
"It is a perfect team, the lawyers are always available and very experienced in this area."
"Philipp Kinsky assists with convertible loan notes, bond issuances and capital increases. He is active on the drafting of prospectuses and the establishment of funds, and has experience in the cryptocurrency field. He routinely represents start-up clients."
"The Herbst Kinsky team are extremely competent, meticulous and diligent."
"We found the team to be very competent but at the same time they did not overly complicate things."
"The lawyers always respond quickly and precisely."
"When I had a problem, I felt that I could always turn to Herbst Kinsky."
Christoph Herbst - Band 2
Christoph Herbst remains a trusted adviser due to his strength in complex administrative and constitutional law, often assisting with a broad range of mandates from procurements to health and broadcasting matters.
"Christoph Herbst is an excellent lawyer."
"Christoph Herbst is very competent as a lawyer and does not lose sight of reality; he can focus on things that are possible and doable."
"His strength has always been the interdisciplinary nature of his legal thought. He is not just blind to his surroundings and focused on a specific strand."
"Stephan Lenzhofer of Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte enters the rankings this year following good client feedback. He offers experience in a range of litigation matters, including tax and liability disputes."
"Stephan Lenzhofer is a very smart, very loyal person as well as an excellent lawyer."
Herbst Kinsky again ranked in the Legal 500 Green Guide
JUVE editors about Herbst Kinsky:
Am Markt genießt HK ein äußerst hohes Ansehen für ihr Engagement im Venture-Capital-Kontext, wo ein Wettbewerber die Einheit als "stärkste in diesem Segment" bezeichnet. Dies spiegelt nicht zuletzt die große Zahl an Finanzierungsrunden wider, in denen HK ihre Mandanten begleitet. Hier stehen Teams der Einheit sowohl auf Investoren- als auch auf Unternehmensseite. Während Wettbewerber unter anderem die hohe Schlagzahl an Transaktionen hervorheben, die die Praxis bewältigt, zeigen sich Mandanten vom "verlässlichen und lösungsorientierten" Ansatz mehr als zufrieden. Zuletzt zeigte sich die Praxis unter anderem an der Seite klassischer Strategen wie Viessmann. Eine Leuchtturmcausa stellte die Beratung der Uniqa zu der Neugestaltung des Syndikatsvertrags mit der Haselsteiner Gruppe bei Strabag und ein damit verbundenes öffentliches Pflichtangebot dar. Hier übernahm ein Tandem bestehend aus Dr. Philipp Kinsky und Dr. Wolfgang Schwackhöfer die Federführung. Komplettiert wird das Beratungsangebot durch das breite Know-how zu gesellschaftsrechtlichen Themen wie Umstrukturierungen oder Spaltungen. Nicht selten treten die Beraterinnen und Berater auch bei kapitalmarktnahen Causen in Erscheinung, wie HVen-Beratung oder Kapitalmaßnahmen. Weiters gehört Kinsky zum kleinen Kreis der Anwälte, die maßgeblich im Rahmen des Gesetzgebungsverfahren für die flexible Kapitalgesellschaft mitwirken. Mit einer Niederlassung in Linz, für die ein Associate der Kanzlei die Verantwortung übernimmt, positioniert sich die Kanzlei nun wieder als Vor-Ort-Beraterin für bereits bestehende oberösterreichische Mandanten und schafft zudem eine Basis, um neue Kontakte zu lokalen Unternehmen zu knüpfen.
Highlight:
Herbst Kinsky mit der Beratung der Uniqa zu der Neugestaltung des Syndikatsvertrags mit der Haselsteiner Gruppe bei Strabag mit öffentlichem Pflichtangebot unter den "10 größten Deals seit Anfang 2022".
Strenghts:
Herausragendes Renommee in der VC- und Start-up Beratung
Recommended:
Dr. Phillip Dubsky ("pragmatisch, fachlich top und lösungsorientiert", Mandant), Dr. Philipp Kinsky ("ausgezeichnet und sehr verlässlich", Mandant; "sehr präsent bei Technologietransaktionen", "sehr stark bei Venture-Capital-Themen", Wettbewerber), Dr. Florian Steinhart, Dr. Christoph Wildmoser, Carl Walderdorff
Leading names in M&A/Corporate:
Dr. Phillip Dubsky and Dr. Philipp Kinsky
Herbst Kinsky ranked in 4 categories.
Sonja Hebenstreit als “Kapazität in Sachen Datenschutzrecht” (9th place)- Data Protection
Christoph Herbst unter der “Elite im öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht” (7th place) – Public Commercial Law
Christoph Herbst unter den “versierten Experten im Bankenrecht” (2nd place) – Banking Law
Philipp Kinsky unter den “heißesten Aktien im Kapitalmarktrecht” (4th place) – Capital Markets Law
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND PUBLIC SECTOR
The team at Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH support clients seeking advice with regard to public health, energy and procurement matters and represents businesses before the administrative courts. Under the leadership of founding partner and constitutional court member Christoph Herbst, the team handles the public law aspects of international transactions. Valerie Mayer is valued by clients for her understanding of public commercial law, in particular procurement and investment questions.
Hall of Fame
Christoph Herbst - Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH
Rising stars
Valerie Mayer – Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH
Testimonials
‘The administrative law and public sector practice group at Herbst Kinsky is outstanding because of its broad and profound knowledge in all fields of public law, but with a strong focus on energy law, public procurement law and investment control law (FDI).’
‘The combination of the very experienced constitutional judge Christoph Herbst and the young, dynamic hands-on attorney Valerie Mayer makes the team unique and highly competitive with regard to the largest Austrian law firms as well as to specialised boutique firms.’
‘My favourite individual at Herbst Kinsky is Valerie Mayer, who mainly assists us in the fields of public procurement law and investment control law. Valerie has excellent expertise in these areas and is very client-focused. Besides, Valerie is a strong-willed and assertive person with a good sense of humour, while being highly empathetic at the same time.’
‘The colleagues we worked with on a cross-border transaction were very pleasant to work with and supported the joint interest wherever and whenever possible.’
‘Valerie Mayer has proven to be a very pleasant person to work with and is professionally on top of her game.’
‘The Administrative law and public sector practice team at Herbst Kinsky is highly experienced in public law matters such as foreign direct investment (FDI) approvals. The team supported us during the whole process in a very efficient and independent way.’
‘In the Administrative law and public sector practice team of Herbst Kinsky, Valerie Mayer stands out as a very competent, motivated and reliable lawyer. She has shown deep expertise in foreign direct investment (FDI) related topics, which has been very valuable to us in combination with her strong understanding of the economic situation and the transaction.’
‘The attorney I worked with the most was Valerie Mayer. She had the lead on the project and was always available if I had any questions. Without her relentless reminders, the opposite side would have prolonged the process at least a few additional months. The summaries were easy to understand and thorough, so I knew I was in good hands all the way.’
BANKING AND FINANCE
Cryptocurrency and regulatory mandates have been among areas of recent growth for the team at Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH, which also stands out for its niche experience in the healthcare and public sectors, among others. Christoph Wildmoser is praised as a ‘go-to person for issues around credit risk mitigation in Austria‘, and leads the team alongside Christoph Herbst, who regularly works on a variety of financing transactions.
Testimonials
‘Christoph Wildmoser is our go-to person for issues around credit risk mitigation in Austria. The team is providing exactly the advice we require and takes a very pragmatic approach.’
‘The team is professional.’
‘We work mainly with Wolfgang Schwackhoefer. He’s always calm, even when things get hectic, responsive and on point with content. Our clients love his work.’
COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE AND M&A
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is a key name in the market for venture capital and start-up-related work, and is praised by clients as 'outstanding in what it does'. Names to note in the team at partner level are Philipp Kinsky, Phillip Dubsky, Florian Steinhart, Wolfgang Schwackhöfer, and Christoph Wildmoser. Carl Walderdorff is the key practitioner at associate level and has a breadth of knowledge spanning corporate, M&A, venture capital and start-up issues.
Testimonials
‘Herbst Kinsky is outstanding in what they do. Great and efficient collaboration. Very competent team and leadership. They have been consulting us very thoughtful and foresighted in legal matters.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is our main contact person. His profound know-how in venture capital has helped us get most efficiently through our financing rounds with the best outcome.’
‘Herbst Kinsky has depth of experience in advising ventures and start-ups across a range of topics.’
‘Christoph Wildmoser was an exceptional legal counsel throughout our founding journey. Always on call, and provided clear and succinct advice. His dedication to making our deals a success went far beyond what we would have expected from a lawyer.’
‘Florian Steinhart is extremely reliable and always considers the right balance between the founder’s and investor’s interests. He also seeks simplicity and tries to reduce complexity.’
‘Very good accessibility when you need legal help. Very good team.’
‘Strong network and good expertise. A very good legal partner.’
DATA PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH stands out for its work in GDPR compliance and for its work advising start ups, as well as being prominent in the pharma, biotech and IT sectors. Practice head Sonja Hebenstreit is supported at associate level by Anna-Maria Minihold, who joined the group in April 2021 and is considered 'a stand out'.
Testimonials
‘Good knowledge about the topic with a reasonable/pragmatic, solution-driven approach.’
‘Accessibility and fast response times make it a good working relationship.’
‘Perfect team work, very sophisticated organisation, but most importantly, very experienced people with the best knowhow.’
‘We have worked with Anna-Maria Minihold who has excellent knowledge, a lot of experience, extreme flexibility, and displays an optimal performance in all required services.’
‘Herbst Kinsky’s practice is very practical and the recommendations are clear and easy to implement. You always get a clear answer to a question.’
‘We value Herbst Kinsky’s strong expertise and in-depth knowledge of data protection/privacy law. The team is very client-oriented and combines excellent legal knowledge with a pragmatic approach.’
‘We work with Sonja Hebenstreit who is a true expert in data protection matters, is extremely responsive and is pragmatic. Her out-of-the-box thinking usually finds solutions we had not even thought of. Cooperation with her is always a pleasure. Anna-Maria Minihold stands out – she combines excellent knowledge of data protection law with a very pragmatic approach and a special understanding for all tech-related matters. Also very pleasant to work with.’
EMPLOYMENT
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH‘s employment practice is helmed by Christoph Ludvik, who has latterly been particularly involved in issues at the intersection of new technologies, collective employment law and data protection. As well as advising clients on labour law matters related to outsourcing, M&A, and privatisation of public enterprises, the team also provides representation in contentious matters before various courts, including the ECJ.
Testimonials
‘You get clear recommendations, they speak in a business language not just in a legal language.’
‘They react really fast to special requests.’
‘Christoph Ludvik: competent and sympathetic.’
‘Very professional.’
‘Very good technical legal background. Very reliable from preparation to execution.’
CAPITAL MARKETS
The array of instructions handled by the team at Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH include IPOs, cryptocurrency issues, and blockchain and bitcoin mandates, as well as advising listed companies on various capital market mandates, undertaking regulatory work and advising clients on compliance matters. Jointly leading the practice are firm founder Philipp Kinsky and Phillip Dubsky, who handle banking and finance work as well as corporate and M&A mandates that intertwine with capital markets issues.
Testimonials
‘Long standing relationship, personal contact with broader team.’
‘Combination of capital markets expertise and a good understanding of our company.’
DISPUTE RESOLUTION: COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
While the team represents clients from a broad spectrum of sectors, including energy and manufacturing, Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is best known for acting in disputes arising from the public sector. Frequent mandates pertain to contractual, corporate and product liability issues. Practice head Stephan Lenzhofer is appreciated for his expertise at the intersection of public and insurance law.
Testimonials
‘They react really fast.’
‘Stephan Lenzhofer: calm, sympathetic, meticulous, thinks strategically, diligent, competent.’
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is a go-to advisor for clients from the healthcare, pharmaceuticals and life sciences sectors, whom the firm advises on trade mark, copyright and licensing matters, in addition to Austrian advertising restrictions. The firm is a member of BIOLAW Europe, a network of firms which specialise in advising the healthcare and surrounding sectors. Working closely with the corporate and M&A team, the practice supports clients with the registration of IP claims and protection of existing copyrights, patents and trade marks against infringement attempts. Sonja Hebenstreit, who focuses on IP and IT, data protection, licensing issues and cases of unfair competition, leads the team.
Testimonials
‘Very good knowledge in the area of life sciences, very commercial approach.’
‘HK has a very quick, efficient and knowledgeable IP team which serves all our client’s needs when it comes to trademark clearance, prosecution and litigation. They are just fantastic!’
‘Sonja Hebenstreit has been my contact for years. She is very responsive, friendly and an IP pro.’
‘We work with Sonja Hebenstreit, whose team always delivers good quality, on time and value for money.’
‘Sonja Hebenstreit is very responsive, makes sure that nothing falls between the cracks and very professional – a pleasure to work with.’
‘Herbst-Kinsky has a broad team in Vienna with experienced lawyers and also young up-and-comers, who approach problems very quickly and accurately as a team.’
‘We highly appreciate Herbst Kinsky’s excellent expertise and in-depth knowledge of IP matters, in particular in the field of know-how and software licensing matters. The team around Sonja Hebenstreit is smart, reliable and combines excellent legal knowledge with hands-on advice. Communication with the team is easy and the billing transparent and fair.’
‘Sonja Hebenstreit is a dedicated IP lawyer with extensive knowledge and experience in her field. She always provides high quality, concise advice and she is very pleasant to work with. I would recommend her without reservation.’
Ranked practice groupes:
Ranked lawyers:
“Der Börsianer – Österreichs Finanzmagazin” 2022
Christoph Herbst
Philipp Kinsky
Christoph Wildmoser ranked among the 50 best finance lawyers
Rating:
The corporate/M&A practice is particularly recognised for its advice to founders and venture capital investors. The connection to the firm's capital markets practice is correspondingly close. One highlight in 2022 was advising on the €300m financing for online tutoring provider GoStudent. Typically, the team, which is as large as it is experienced, advises start-ups from foundation to exit, such as the biotech company PhagoMed, which was acquired by the German vaccine developer BioNTech. Recently, not only the number of such transactions increased, but also their volume. In addition to SMEs, larger companies are increasingly relying on the firm's advice. For example, Dr Christoph Wildmoser acted for Nestlé for the first time in the acquisition of Promedico. His team had convinced the group during the advising on the other side in an earlier transaction. In corporate law, numerous listed companies such as ams, Apeiron and Biogena relied on HK for their general meetings and supervisory board agendas. After the departures last year, the practice has considerably increased its number of associates. It is also showing prospects for its junior staff, as recently demonstrated by the appointment of Johannes Frank as equity partner.
Strengths:
Outstanding reputation in VC and start-up advice.
Special recommendation for:
Dr. Phillip Dubsky, Dr. Philipp Kinsky ("Stark in der Start-up-Beratung", Competitor), Dr. Florian Steinhart, Dr. Christoph Wildmoser ("Pragmatischer Berater", Competitor), Carl Walderdorff ("Hat sich stark entwickelt", Competitor)
Leading individual / Corporate and M&A:
Dr. Phillip Dubsky and Dr. Philipp Kinsky
Christoph Herbst "often recommended" and among the 17 “leading individuals in public commercial law”
Ranking: Herbst Kinsky tier 5 of 7
Christoph Herbst | 5th place Banking Law
Christoph Herbst | 5th place Public Commercial Law
Philipp Kinsky | 5th place Capital Markt Law
Sonja Hebenstreit | 10th place Data Protection
Johannes Frank | 5th place Crypto
BANKING AND FINANCE
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH stands out for its niche in aviation and rail finance, which is based on Christoph Wildmoser's expertise in this space, but the team also handles other financing transactions, including refinancing and structured financing, alongside regulatory matters
Testimonials
‘Christoph Wildmoser is a very goal-oriented and focused lawyer. Very clear and structured advice that is easy to understand for colleagues without a legal background.’
‘What is special about Herbst Kinsky is their hands-on mentality. When things get hectic, they keep a calm head and deliver – on time, in top quality and reliably.’
‘We work with Christoph Wildmoser and Wolfgang Schwackhöfer. Both deliver top work and also function great as a team. Wolfgang in particular always comes up with good banking regulatory solutions for Austria.’
COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE AND M&A
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH provides clients with ‘profound and highly experienced legal expertise in all fields required‘. The firm has established itself as a go-to practice for venture capital funds and start-ups in the market. It has a particularly strong standing in the biotech area. The names to note are Phillip Dubsky, Philipp Kinsky, Wolfgang Schwackhöfer, Florian Steinhart and Christoph Wildmoser.
Testimonials
‘Very diverse team with a different focus and key areas of knowledge; very customer oriented and able to deal with a start-up-founder, but also with a big corporate client.’
‘They all are always very professional, open and service-oriented. I never had such great experiences with others. They all know what’s going on and are always looking for solutions even in complicated situations.’
‘From a company’s perspective that fully relies on outside legal expertise, the one-stop-shop approach is very efficient and convenient. We obtain profound and highly experienced legal expertise in all fields required – commercial, labour law, investments. Our requests are centrally coordinated and efficiently routed to the experts who complement and stand-in for each other where needed.’
‘We appreciate the outstanding responsiveness and the individual 1:1 consultancy where required. Each partner fully understands our needs and demands and promptly provides tailored guidance and services.’
‘The practice of Herbst Kinsky has an excellent reputation in the start-up and VC/PE market with exceptional experience and know-how in this sector. The team is very versatile and responsive and easily handles international matters due to their strong international network. One of their strengths is certainly the problem-solving and goal-oriented approach of their highly committed and competent lawyers.’
‘We appreciate the work with Carl Walderdorff who is exceptionally competent, versatile, focused, efficient, accurate and pragmatic. He is smart and extremely committed and hard-working to work out the best solution for his clients both from a legal as well as a commercial perspective. At the same time, he has a very friendly and refreshing personality. Carl is really one of the most trustworthy persons I know and it is a real pleasure to work with him.’
DATA PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION
With a focus on GDPR implementation and compliance Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is a strong player in the Austrian start-up scene, assisting clients in IT and life science sectors in particular. Increasingly the team handles the data protection aspects of M&A transactions. Sonja Hebenstreit is at the helm and is able to act as an external data protection officer.
Testimonials
‘Dynamic team that always strives to provide practical solutions.’
‘Dr. Sonja Hebenstreit provides clear answers to questions.’
EMPLOYMENT
Labour law matters related to outsourcing, M&A and the privatisation of public enterprises are among Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH's strengths. The group also advises clients on data protection including whistleblowing and employment termination and handles cross-border cases, among others.
Testimonials
‘The law firm is small enough to give you as a client the feeling of personal care.’
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW AND PUBLIC SECTOR
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH 's team has ‘broad but profound knowledge and has always been able to provide prompt and target-oriented legal assessments of complex issues’. Strengths include assisting clients with state aid and regulatory matters, public banking, trade law, energy and waste matters, and constitutional law. Founder and senior partner Christoph Herbst leads the practice; he has a wide range of expertise in public and administrative law. Associate Valerie Mayer is also noted for her knowledge of public commercial law.
Hall of Fame
Christoph Herbst - Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH
Rising stars
Valerie Mayer – Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH
Testimonials
‘Herbst Kinsky has a young and highly qualified team. In particular, the practice group Public Law offers broad but profound knowledge and has always been able to provide prompt and target-oriented legal assessments of complex issues.’
‘In this team, Valerie Mayer is particularly prominent due to her convincing assertiveness and openness with a high level of expertise in public law, more specifically public procurement law. She approaches tasks systematically and innovatively, in a personal and extremely competent manner.’
‘They are exquisite in their field, a lot of experience and expertise.’
‘Direct contact to relevant people, single points of contact per topic, good expertise in relevant topics’
‘Valerie Mayer: Highly motived, strong customer focus, extremely responsive, good understanding of industry specific context, hands-on mentality.’
‘There is a lot of competence, on the other hand, the law firm is small enough to give you as a client the feeling of personal care.’
‘Dr. Valerie Mayer and her team are very strong in the administrative and public law sector and always aware of customers need with a special view on the economic situation.’
‘Dr. Valerie Mayer has a very good business oriented point of view how to approach certain administrative law topic and reacts very fast regarding all client requests.’
CAPITAL MARKETS
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is best known for providing full-service advice to start-ups, from financing rounds to IPOs, capital increases and compliance. Due to this specialism, the team's expertise also covers crypto currency matters and issues at various intersections such as banking and finance alongside corporate and M&A, which is also where the strength of key contacts Philipp Kinsky and Phillip Dubsky lies.
Testimonials
‘Capital markets is a key strength. On urgent items the feedback is fast. Overall communication is excellent.’
‘From the beginning, Philipp Kinsky has been key to our public listing. Answers come quickly and with high accuracy.’
‘Herbst Kinsky is a go-to-firm for start-ups. In terms of capital markets, if a start-up aims for a listing or an IPO, Herbst Kinsky is definitely one of the prime firms in Austria. They have built a stable and impressive deal flow in start-up M&A transactions and can surely rely on their clients in case a capital markets idea pops up.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is the prime contact at Herbst Kinsky when it comes to capital markets. He has a strong track record, dating back to the period 2000 to 2008, with lots of capital markets work. He is reliable, a quick-thinker and hands-on, with solid capital markets expertise and lots of transactional know-how.’
‘They try to have different perspectives on the relevant issues to have a mutual understanding with the client and find the best solutions.’
‘Young, professional and very dynamic team.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is an exceptional expert in his field; he is also very pragmatic and very approachable. He was always available for our project and managed sometimes very difficult positions very well. He always delivered great quality of work.’
DISPUTE RESOLUTION: COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is noted for its strength at the intersection with public law, making the team an attractive partner for disputes arising from the public sector, while it also handles various contractual, corporate and product liability disputes for companies across sectors including energy and manufacturing. Team head Stephan Lenzhofer's combined public and private law expertise reflects the group's competence in this space.
Testimonials
‘There is a lot of competence, on the other hand, the law firm is small enough to give the client the feeling of personal care.’
‘Stephan Lenzhofer’s team is distinguished by its competence.’
‘I have the impression that the individual departments exchange information and cooperate well. I appreciate the direct and uncomplicated contact, the quick response times and the fact that they do not beat around the bush, but get to the point. The billing is fair, especially in comparison with other lawyers and consultants.’
‘Stephan Lenzhofer is an excellent lawyer. I have noticed that he has worked extremely broadly throughout his career. He recognises content, context and argues very quickly. His appearance in court is also highly professional, competent and convincing. He acts fact-based and his legal argumentation is very well received by judges.’
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH places a focus on clients in the pharmaceutical, biotech and IT industries and has excellent connections to the start-up scene. It has expertise in unfair competition, copyright and trademark law, as well as licensing matters. Life sciences clients benefit from the firm´s membership of BIOLAW Europe, a network of law firms focused on the biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device industries. ‘Excellent professional’ Sonja Hebenstreit heads up the practice, which also cooperates closely with the firm’s corporate and M&A team.
Testimonials
‘Sonja Hebenstreit is a true expert and she and her team delivers best quality at a good price. She is goal orientated, pragmatic yet with an eye for the detail and very pleasant to work with.’
Sonja has a vast experience in her field and I haven’t come across one topic where she could not provide really good advice.’
‘The firm handles all trademark matters of my clients in Austria. They are quick, very efficient and offer very good value for the price.’
‘Sonja Hebenstreit is my main contact and always available to help.’
‘Responsiveness and high quality advice always rendered on short notice. They understand the issues on basis of very short descriptions and communicate efficiently. The team is also very involved in working with the BioLawEurope network comprising 14 lifescience boutiques across the EEA, CH and UK. In general the international, but European culture based, profile is appreciated.’
‘My contact is Ms. Sonja Hebenstreit, who is an excellent professional. We have never considered replacing her and her office during the term in which we have co-operated.’
"Die auf Venture-Capital-Maßnahmen und internationale Finanzierungen ausgerichtete Praxisgruppe trat gleich bei mehrerer Transaktionen für namhafte Mandanten in Erscheinung.
So zum Beispiel gemeinsam mit Latham&Watkins an der Seite mehrere Banken, darunter Deutsche Bank und Goldman Sachs, iZm dem Beitritt von Schur-Flexibles zu einer Eur 440-Mio Finanzierung.
Im Venture Capital Sektor ist es der Kanzlei weiter gelungen, sich auf der Investorenseite zu positionieren. Dies zeigt sich nicht nur in einer erneuten Begleitung des VC-Fonds IST Cube, sondern auch bei Mandatierungen durch Speedinvest oder der Beteiligungsgesellschaft AG Capital.
Nicht weniger visibel ist die Kanzlei, wenn es um die Beratung zu kapitalmarktrechtlichen Themen geht. Der Nährungsergänzungsmittelhersteller Biogena setzte nach dem Listing an der Wiener Börse im vergangenen Jahr erneut auf das Team von Herbst Kinsky und brachte mit diesem eine Kapitalerhöhung auf den Weg. Weiteres trat die Kanzlei auch in der regulatorischen Beratung in Erscheinung, sowohl beim Markteintritt einer Bank in Österreich als auch bei der Vertretung der Pfandkreditplattform Cashy gegenüber der FMA.
Stärken: Start-up Beratung von der ersten Finanzierung bis zum Börsegang
Team: 5 Eq.-Partner, 3 RA, 9 RAA
Oft empfohlen: Dr. Philipp Kinsky, Dr. Christoph Wildmoser ("hohe Einsatzbereitschaft", Mandant)
Schwerpunkte: Vorwiegend Akquisitionsfinanzierung sowie klassische Kredite, idR zusammen mit internat. Großkanzleien. Zunehmend ECM u. Fondsstrukturierungen im VC-Bereich, Begleitung von Börsegängen.
Practice Groupes ranked
Lawyers ranked:
Our clients and competitors about us:
"Their absolute strength is that they are particularly strong in corporate topics. The team also helps me in developing a bigger picture approach," further highlighting the firm's "good partner firms abroad."
"The firm has a reputation in the startup scene and venture capital and seed financing - that's one of their strengths."
One client describes Philipp Kinsky as "dynamic, multi-layered and extremely competent, with many years of expertise."
"The key strengths are definitely the broad knowledge due to the set-up of the team and their experiences with a lot of startups and M&A deals. There has never been a question where we would not have gotten a quick reply with a full view on the topic and recommendations based on knowledge and experience."
Another client describes Herbst Kinsky as "very competent - they have a lot of experience in this area." adding: "They do their work very quickly and conscientiously."
Phillip Dubsky is "a very capable lawyer," according to one interviewee. He advises clients on M&A and private equity deals, primarily in the technology industry.
Philipp Kinsky is highly regarded for advising clients in the startup field on transactional mandates, including financing rounds, buyouts and private equity matters. Clients describe him as "extremely customer-oriented, very competent, patient and also good at translating complex legal terms."
An interviewee describes Herbst Kinsky as "really high quality and very reliable because you know that when you ask something from them, you'll get exactly what you need: if you have a fee estimate, they stick to it; if you have a timeline, they stick to it."
Clients additionally appreciate the team for providing "fast and to-the-point responses."
Clients are full of praise for Sonja Hebenstreit and highlight her "in-depth legal knowledge, pragmatic solutions, quick understanding and service-orientation"as key strengths.
One client appreciates the firm's "high technical competence, very targeted work and adherence to deadlines as well as very quick reactions and availability at all times. All this is paired with a very close personal atmosphere."
One interviewee describes the firm as "very responsive and cooperative."
Christoph Herbst remains a trusted adviser due to his strength in complex administrative and constitutional law, often assisting with a broad plethora of mandates ranging from procurements to FDI restrictions and emissions trading. "You get clear advice and it is also great to use him for negotiations," enthuses a client.
Together with their team our equity partner Dr. Stephan Lenzhofer and founding partner Dr. Christoph Herbst once again achieved an excellent result in the JUVE-ranking „Dispute Resolution“.
“Dr. Christoph Herbst makes a great job, says a competitor”
In particular our partners Phillip Dubsky, Florian Steinhart, Philipp Kinsky and Christoph Wildmoser are "often recommended by clients and competitiors":
"Ausgezeichnete, fokussierte und lösungsorientierte Beratung"
"hoch professsionell", "große Erfahrung bei Tech-Transaktionen"
"hohe Einsatzbereitschaft", "sehr kompetent und erfahren"
"Die eher für ihren Venture-Capital-Schwerpunkt bekannte Praxis sorgte zuletzt mit großen (Re-) Finanzierungen für Aufsehen. Für AMS stand das Finanzierungsteam im Zuge der OSRAM-Übernahme an der Seite von Linklaters, um den enormen Finanzbedarf seiner Stammmandantin rechtlich zu sichern. Zudem mussten einige Finanzierungen neu strukturiert werden, etwa für Esim Chemicals oder Ares Management. In der kapitalmarktrechtlichen Beratung gewinnt indes Mag. Johannes Frank dank attraktiver Mandate deutlich an Präsenz. Unter anderem brachte ein von ihm geführtes Team die Salzburger Nahrungsergänzungsfirma Biogena an den Direct Market an die Wiener Börse. Zuvor hatte Biogena, ebenfalls unter seiner Ägide, vom Eigenkapital-Crowdinvesting für AGen Gebrauch gemacht, einer neuen Finanzierungsstruktur, auf die auch andere Start-up-Mandanten der Praxis nun setzen.
Auf Investorenseite verbuchten die Anwälte ebenfalls einen Erfolg: Die von ihnen begleitete Finanzierungsrunde des auf akademische Ausgründungen spezialisierten VC-Fonds IST Cube brachte unter anderem durch den Einstieg des Europäischen Investmentfonds 40 Millionen Euro zusammen."
Stärken: Start-up-Beratung von der Finanzierung bis hin zum Börsegang
Oft empfohlen: Dr. Philipp Kinsky
Team: 5 Eq.-Partner, 5 RA, 4 RAA
Schwerpunkte: Vorwiegend Akquisitionsfinanzierung sowie klassische Kredite, idR zusammen mit internat. Großkanzleien. Zunehmend ECM u. Fondsstrukturierungen im VC-Bereich, Begleitung von Börsegängen.
Christoph Herbst | 4th place Banking Law
Christoph Herbst | 5.th place Public Commercial Law
Philipp Kinsky | 4th place Capital Markt Law
Franz Marhold | 4th place Employment Law
Sonja Hebenstreit | 9th place Data Protection – new
Philipp Kinsky | 1st place Start Ups
Philipp Kinsky (Start up and Capital Market Law) with 58 votes among the Top Ranked Lawyers of 2020/21
Herbst Kinsky ranked in “Legal 500″ 2021
Administrative Law/Public Sector
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Data Privacy/Data Protection
Dispute Resolution
Employment
Intellectual Property
Was unser Mandanten und Mitbewerber über uns sagen:
‘Very commercially thinking team members, who provided helpful and clear advice at a reasonable price. Very good advice and good response times.’
‘We often work with Herbst Kinsky. In particular, we have worked together on a major project in connection with the sale of trains. Herbst Kinsky has also assisted us in the passporting of several financial companies from Germany to Austria.’
‘The team has a pragmatic and high-quality approach and works excellently on an international level.’
‘The team works incredibly hard and is also incredibly efficient. I know that any matters that I entrust them with will be well looked after which makes my life a lot easier.’
‘I mostly work with Christoph Wildmoser and his team. He works to the highest standards, is pragmatic, fast, reliable and a really pleasant guy.’
‘Christoph Wildmoser was extremely responsive, understood the issues and provided helpful advice.’
‘Christoph Wildmoser provides accurate advice quickly and is extremely responsive.’
‘Legal knowledge and practical approach.’
‘Very good legal knowledge, availability, case management and communication.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is a go-to-guy for capital markets for young entrepreneurs and start-ups; he has established a decent track record for start-up capital market transactions.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is sharp-minded, commercial and committed and goes extra miles for clients.’
‘Philipp Kinsky is unique in terms of quality, commitment and personality.’
Christoph Herbst zum wiederholten Male als Leading Individual in der Kategorie Administrative Law/Public Sector ausgezeichnet.
Quotes of clients and competitors about Herbst Kinsky:
“Sources are impressed by the Banking & Finance practice, with one stating that “they always delivered right on time, are very pleasant colleagues, provided good cooperation and were very good value for money.”
Clients say: “Herbst Kinsky’s Corporate team has an excellent reputation in the startup scene. I was recommended to use them and the investor knew them already.”
Another client reports: “It is a very experienced team with good client handling and goal-oriented support. They are also strong in negotiations.”
Strengths Clients say: “Herbst Kinsky has an excellent reputation in the startup scene. I was recommended to use them and the investor knew them already.”
One client enthuses: “We had various cross-border matters which have been handled with a great deal of precision by the (Public Law) team. The firm is very versatile and can easily advise on international matters together with partner firms abroad due to their international network,” adding: “Also, many lawyers within the firm have an international background, which emphasises the ability of the firm to cater for Austrian clients that operate globally.”
“Phillip Dubsky is particularly active in transactions involving the tech industry. Interviewees describe him as “strong in private equity and of course an experienced lawyer.”
“Highly respected in the market, noting his (Christoph Herbst) work as a constitutional judge, one interviewee states: “He is really one of the best public law lawyers I have seen in Austria. In terms of his skills and knowledge, he is the number one for me.”
“Philipp Kinsky is an incredibly smart, hard-working and brilliant lawyer who speaks the language of his clients and fully supports them. He has a high level of economic understanding and is really one of the most trustworthy.”
“Philipp Kinsky advises on M&A, corporate and private equity deals, most notably in the startup community. He is “very business-minded, client-focused and solution-oriented,”according to his clients”
Herbst Kinsky is currently ranked regarding the following practice groups:
Banking & Finance (firm)
Capital Markets (lawyer)
Corporate/M&A (firm & lawyers)
Employment (lawyer)
Public General (firm & lawyer)
JUVE Ranking Corporate/M&A 2020/2021
What the editors, clients and cometitors say about us:
"In der M&A- und gesellschaftsrechtlichen Beratung hat die Kanzlei mit ihrer über Jahre entwickelten, hoch renommierten Venture-Capital-praxis ein Alleinstellungsmerkmal."
"Die Ernte des beharrlichen Aufbaus konnte sie im vergangenen Jahr einfahren."
„Eindrucksvolles Beispiel ist die Beratung der Mandantin Themis Bioscience“
„Viel Anerkennung im Markt gab es auch für die Arbeit für den langjährigen Mandaten ams bei der Übernahmeschlacht um OSRAM“
„Abseits der Leuchtturmmandate steigert die Kanzlei die Anzahl an Transaktionen deutlich“
„Etliche, ansehnlich große Finanzierungsrunden“
„Oft empfohlen: Phillip Dubsky, Philipp Kinsky, Florian Steinhart (macht einen super Job, beeindruckend, immer gut, ihn als Gegenüber zu haben - Wettbewerber)“
JUVE Ranking Employment Law 2020
“Hervorragender Ruf von Universitätsprofessor Franz Marhold”, “zu Rate ziehen, wenn es arbeitsrechtlich knifflig wird”, “namhafter, hervorragend vernetzter Partner”
Christoph Herbst 1st place “ALLROUNDER unter Österreichs Rechtsanwälten”
Franz Marhold 5th place “Spitzen auf dem Gebiet des ARBEITSRECHTS” (Employment law)
Christoph Herbst 7th place “versierten Experten im BANKENRECHT” (Banking)
Philipp Kinsky 5th place “heißesten Aktien im KAPITALMARKTRECHT” (Capital Markets)
Christoph Herbst 4th place “heimischen Elite im ÖFFENTLICHEN WIRTSCHAFTSRECHT” (Public commercial law)
Christoph Herbst 5th place “Die TOPPLATZIERTEN des Jahres 2019/20” (top ranking)
Christoph Herbst among the 17 “leading individuals in public commercial law”
Ranking: Herbst Kinsky tier 5 of 7
Herbst Kinsky’s Team ranked in the newest edition of “Legal 500″
Administrative Law/Public Sector
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Data Privacy/Data Protection
Employment
Intellectual Property
What our clients and compeditiors say about us:
“profound knowledge in public law”
“Excellent law firm with excellent Partners“
“The team consists of extraordinarily committed lawyers with great experience in public law and European law.”
“Stephan Lenzhofer is extremely competent, he is also very diligent and he has a very friendly and accessible manner.”
“Christoph Wildmoser and Christoph Herbst both are true representatives of the firm’s culture. They are tough in negotiations but clearly not risking a deal for non-material issues.”
“Team members are commended for ‘their creativity in problem-solving‘ and ‘strong knowledge of capital markets‘”
“Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH’s team is noted for its ‘focus on biotech‘ and advised longstanding client Marinomed Biotech on its successful IPO, the first of two on the Vienna Stock Exchange. ”
“Philipp Kinsky (partner) supervises every detail of the transaction, and has very good communication skills internally and with “the other side”. Very pragmatic and solution-oriented while still keeping the client’s interests in sharp focus. Philipp Baubin (partner) is hard working, fast, diligent and responsive.”
“The individuals we were working with were ready to do pioneering work. Their creativity in problem-solving is what made the difference. Everybody was super friendly, capable and reliable.“
“Strong knowledge of capital markets and hard working team. Particularly diligent and fast turn-over of revised documents. Always on top of all tasks.”
“Philipp Kinsky: very smart partner, acts in a flexible and knowledgeable way, knows the biotech industry and the start-up scene.”
“An amazing team that is available at all times, even when negotiations or signings take way past midnight. Always friendly and focused, it’s a great work ethic that promises quality work and an eye for detail.”
“Philipp Kinsky – a partner that you can rely on all the time. Hands on approach with broad knowledge over any topic that mattered to us. Also a refreshing personality compared to other lawyers.”
“I value Philipp Kinsky’s exceptional skills in combining legal expertise with a startup mindset. Philipp Kinsky is the first lawyer I met who not only provided legal opinions but also helpful advise and also his personal opinion based on the yearlong experience with startups.”
“Experience and profound know-how for biotechnology (Phillip Dubsky). Very solid support in corporate law questions. (Phillip Dubsky, Wolfgang Schwackhöfer, Alina Regal).”
“The team has a high reputation within the startup sector and international experience in designing funding rounds as well as negotiating terms with potential investors.”
“The ‘highly professional, responsive, friendly‘ team at Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH advises on GDPR implementation and compliance issues for clients in a variety of sectors, including education and technology. Practice head Sonja Hebenstreit, who is commended for being ‘a good lawyer with extensive experience‘”
“Sonja Hebenstreit has an excellent knowledge of the legal requirements and always produces high quality work; she is a good and reliable choice with all necessary skills and we benefit from her pragmatic and solution-oriented approach. On top of that, she is a really pleasant person to work with and also my non-legal colleagues enjoy getting her advice.”
“Sonja Hebenstreit is not only a good lawyer with extensive experience, but also an ideal consultant for companies, because she understands the problems of implementing legal requirements in companies.”
“Very dedicated and friendly team; always looking for a feasible solution.”
“Highly professional, responsive, friendly, easy to work with, focused on relevant aspects.”
“The (employment law) team is very friendly, cooperative and forthcoming. They support and represent us in legal matters with professionalism. On employment issues I am working with Christoph Ludvik. He provides our company with professional legal advice and supports me in my work. His knowledge is exceptional and he is a very pleasant person to work with. I know I can always count on him.”
“Herbst Kinsky’s passionate team is always up to date, manages even complicated and demanding issues smoothly and provides us with solutions perfectly matching our needs. Compared with other firms we appreciate their ability to explain difficult concepts in a clear way.”
“Very efficient, goal oriented and experienced team. Constructive and creative in difficult negotiation situations. High standards throughout all individuals I have worked with. Very efficient interaction with focus on the critical key points and no distraction with irrelevant points. Very quick turnaround when working on contracts. The team is always reachable and available!”
“Sonja Hebenstreit is a true expert when it comes to IP legal matters. She has been in the business for more than 20 years and that really pays off. There is no matter that she hasn’t seen and this gives us the good feeling of getting the est advice at the best price.”
Dr. Christoph Herbst once again named Leading Individual in the Administrative Law/Public Sector category.
“Die Kanzlei, die vor allem für die Beratung von Venture-Capital-Fonds und zu alternativen Finanzierungen steht, sorgte zu Beginn des vergangenen Jahres mit dem Börsegang von Marinomed für Aufmerksamkeit. Mit der Übernahme von Osram, bei der Herbst Kinsky-Stammmandantin AMS (Dr. Phillip Dubsky) zu allen Equity-and-Debt Finance-Aspekten der Akquisitionsfinanzierung beriet, gibt das Jahr überaus erfolgreich weiter. Hier arbeitete die Kanzlei an der Seite von Linklaters, und auch durch andere grenzüberschreitende Mandate – wie beispielsweise die Finanzierungsberatung von PGGM Rail beim beabsichtigen Kauf der ELL-Gruppe von KKR – werden die Beziehungen zu international Kanzleien zusehends enger. Deren Verweisgeschäft, gepaart mit einer erhöhten Marktwahrnehmung, brachte eine Reihe neuer Mandanten mit sich – sowohl auf Banken- als auch Unternehmensseite. Im Finanzierungsbereich zog zuletzt die Beratung zu Eisenbahn- und Flugzeugfinanzierungen an. So beriet Dr. Christoph Wildmoser erstmals die KfW zur Finanzierung von 15 Lokomotiven und die Westbahn zum Tausch ihrer gesamten Triebzugflotte. Crowdplattformen, Fonds und Fintechs finden in Dr. Philipp Kinsky einen kompetenten Ansprechpartner insbesondere für ihre regulatorischen Fragen.
Stärken: Start-up-Beratung von der ersten Finanzierung bis hin zum Börsegang.
Oft empfohlen: Dr. Philipp Kinsky
Team: 6 Eq.-Partner, 3 RA, 5 RAA
Schwerpunkte: Vorwiegend Akquisitionsfinanzierung sowie klassische Kredite, i.d.R. zusammen mit internat. Großkanzleien. Zunehmend ECM u. Fondsstrukturierungen im VC-Bereich, Begleitung von Börsegängen.”
Banking/Finance Ranking: Herbst Kinsky Tier 3 out of 8
Capital Markets Ranking: Herbst Kinsky Tier 4 out of 6 (among the 11 best law firms in Austria)
Herbst Kinsky is currently ranked regarding the following practice groups:
Banking & Finance (firm)
Capital Markets (lawyer)
Corporate/M&A (firm & lawyer)
Employment (lawyer)
Public General (firm & lawyer)
Strenghts: “One client admires the “flexible, straightforward and helpful” team. Another client hails the team’s “very fast and expert start-up service.”
Ranked lawyer: “Philipp Kinsky is “very flexible and responsive and a loyal partner,” reports one source. He offers advice on a range of matters, including cross-border sales, carve-outs and mergers.”
Work highlights: “Acted as local counsel on Sun Capital’s EUR 400 million acquisition of ESIM Chemicals.”
What the team is known for: “Noteworthy team in the local market, with experience in both domestic and cross-border mandates. Assists clients with joint ventures, carve-outs and restructuring matters, as well as handling market entry issues. Active in the biotechnology, insurance and media sectors and frequently acts on private equity transactions.” (Corporate/M&A)
Ranked lawyer: “Philipp Kinsky is a “very strong communicator liaising seamlessly with other lawyers to make legal communication as efficient as possible,” according to one client. He advises on IPOs, cryptocurrency matters and also assists with regulatory and compliance issues.” Latest IPO: Marinomed Biotech AG 2019 (Capital Markets)
Ranked lawyer: “Franz Marhold is active on a wide range of matters including workforce restructuring, pensions law and employment contracts. Sources endorse him as “a well-known expert,” who “has the required coolness to handle cases” and is “a pleasure to work with.” (Employment)
Strengths: “One client notes the high-quality advice offered by Herbst Kinsky, lauding its “excellent performance.” Another satisfied client notes the team’s clear replies to all their requests, adding: “Their response time was very good.”
Ranked lawyer: “Christoph Herbst is frequently seen advising on trade law issues and regulatory matters as well as tender procedures. His clients stem from the telecommunications, healthcare, finance and hospitality sectors.”
What the team is known for: “Experienced public law team that is notably active on constitutional and administrative law matters. Also focuses on regulatory work, with considerable expertise in the energy, pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Noteworthy client roster, ranging from federal states to private companies. Regularly advises clients on cross-border mandates.” (Public Law)
Corporate/M&A (firm & lawyer)
“What the team is known for Noteworthy team in the local market, with experience in both domestic and cross-border mandates. Assists clients with joint ventures, carve-outs and restructuring matters, as well as handling market entry issues. Active in the biotechnology, insurance and media sectors and frequently acts on private equity transactions.”
“Philipp Kinsky is “very flexible and responsive and a loyal partner,” reports one source. He offers advice on a range of matters including cross-border sales, carve-outs and mergers.”
Together with his team our new equity partner Dr. Stephan Lenzhofer achieved an excellent entry in the renowned JUVE-ranking „Dispute Resolution“.
“Die Kanzlei setzt auf den weiteren Ausbau der Konfliktlösungspraxis. So hat der Anfang 2019 zum Equity Partner beförderte Stephan Lenzhofer damit begonnen, das Team auf den bisherigen Erfolgen aufbauend zu positionieren.”
JUVE Ranking Corporate Law/M&A 2019/2020
“often recommended: Dr. Phillip Dubsky, Dr. Philipp Kinsky (“leading in the VC-advisory, competitor”); Dr. Florian Steinhart (” identifies essential aspects, competitor”) ” ;
“close cooperation with international top firms”; “excellant market position of Dr. Philipp Kinsky and Dr. Phillip Dubsky”;
Phillip Dubsky among the 21 leading lawyers regarding Corporate Law/M&A
Christoph Herbst 8th place “versierte Experten im Bankenrecht” (Banking)
Christoph Herbst 4th place “Eliten im öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht” (Public Commercial Law)
Philipp Kinsky 8th place “heißesten Aktien im Kapitalmarktrecht” (Capital Markets)
Franz Marhold 5th place “Spezialisten auf dem Gebiet des Arbeitsrechts” (Employment)
Herbst Kinsky ranked in “Legal 500″ 2019
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Employment
Intellectual Property
Public Law
‘engaged and friendly‘ team
‘hardworking and reliable‘ Philipp Kinsky
‘Always available when needed’
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s team ‘finds innovative and unconventional solutions to problems that could otherwise easily lead to a road block if not approached with a broader vision‘
a ‘good’ team advising on private placements and convertible bonds alongside compliance and regulatory issues
‘pragmatic problem-solver‘ Wolfgang Schwackhöfer
‘broad expertise, fast responses and flexibility‘
‘Conscientious and reliable‘ Stephan Lenzhofer
In Banking and Finance law leading and in Capital Markets one of the most engaged law firms if not the most engaged law firm.
Herbst Kinsky recommended in “Chambers and Partners, Europe and Global″ , 2019 regarding
Banking & Finance (firm)
Capital Markets (lawyer)
Corporate/M&A (firm & lawyer)
Employment (lawyer)
Public General (firm & lawyer)
“Experienced public law team that is notably active on constitutional and administrative law matters. Also focuses on regulatory work, with considerable expertise in the energy, pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. Noteworthy client roster, ranging from federal states to private companies. Strengths: Interviewees commend the team for its approach. One client reports: “They present things in a way that you can really follow,” adding: “They are very mindful of what to do and share the pros and cons in an easy way.“Another client praises the team’s “in-depth legal knowledge, personal support and advice.” “He (Christoph Herbst) is described by one client as a “brilliant lawyer with foresight.” The same client praises his negotiation skills: “He manages to conduct hard negotiations in a pleasant climate.” “(General Public)
“Philipp Kinsky (…) is best known in the market for his expertise in start-up and venture capital matters, including advice on ICOs. He also assists established corporations regarding capital markets regulatory issues, stock market listings and bond placements. He acted for Marinomed Biotech on the issuing of a pre-IPO convertible bond and a listing on the Third Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange. Sources laud him, saying he “has a lot of experience and he is very pleasant in the personal interaction.” ” (Capital Markets)
”Rises in the rankings due to its esteemed reputation in the Austrian start-up arena and high level of activity in M&A deals. Advises on mid-range as well as sizeable transactions and offers support in corporate restructuring. Noted for its work with private equity funds and venture capital providers. Particularly active in the medical and biotechnology as well as energy sectors. Also advises on cross-border matters. Strengths: Clients value the team’s “short-notice availability, quick reaction times and willingness to put hard work into it.”A market observer notes the firm’s strengths in certain areas, reporting: “In private equity and venture capital, they are market leaders.“” “Philipp Kinsky is well known for his work on venture capital and private equity transactions. He advises both start-ups and investors on domestic and international transactions. He also represents corporations from the insurance and medical sectors.” (Corporate/M&A)
“Franz Marhold (…) maintains a strong reputation for his employment practice, handling matters from court proceedings to employee terminations and temporary employment issues. “He combines deep legal knowledge on an economic level with the ability also to be able to implement this practically,” enthuses one interviewee.” (Employment)
“Der Börsianer – Österreichs Finanzmagazin” 2018
Christoph Herbst
Philipp Kinsky
Christoph Wildmoser ranked among the 50 best lawyers
“reputation and contacts”
JUVE Ranking Corporate Law/M&A 2018/2019
“often recommended: Dr. Phillip Dubsky, Dr. Philipp Kinsky (very advisable, competitor)”;
“very reputed Philipp Kinsky”; “reaps the reward for its longstanding commitment with large and noticeable transactions”; “Herbst Kinsky’s team frequently works with international law firms”;
Phillip Dubsky among the 22 leading lawyers regarding Corporate Law/M&A
JUVE Ranking Employment Law 2018
“excellent reputation”; “renowned, very well connected partner”; “highly valued”; “outstanding in court”; “acknowledged expert”
Christoph Herbst 7th place “besten Berater im Bankenrecht” (Banking)
Christoph Herbst 4th place “der Spezialisten im öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht” (Public Commercial Law)
Philipp Kinsky 10th place “heißesten Aktien im Kapitalmarktrecht” (Capital Markets)
Franz Marhold 5th place “Mandanten setzen im Arbeitsrecht auf diese Experten” (Employment)
Herbst Kinsky ranked in “Legal 500″ 2018
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Employment
Intellectual Property
Public Law
‘knowledgeable and responsive’ team
‘very smart’ Christoph Wildmoser
a ‘good’ team advising on private placements and convertible bonds alongside compliance and regulatory issues
‘very experienced’ Philipp Kinsky and recommended associate Johannes Frank
‘knowledgeable, responsive and solution-oriented’ practice at Herbst Kinsky
‘pragmatic’ Wolfgang Schwackhöfer
‘very knowledgeable and flexible’ team head Franz Marhold has ‘great court presence’
a focus on the start-up and biotech sectors
IP-team head Sonja Hebenstreit is recommended
‘knowledgeable and experienced’ public practice
‘Good negotiator’ Christoph Herbst
Herbst Kinsky recommended in “Chambers and Partners, Europe″ , 2018 regarding
Capital Markets (lawyer)
Corporate/M&A (firm & lawyer)
Employment (lawyer)
IT (firm)
Public General (firm & lawyer)
“Christoph Herbst focuses his practice on constitutional and administrative matters. He regularly advises governments and other public entities, as well as companies from the life sciences, energy and financial services sectors. Of late, he has assisted VAMED and its subsidiaries with healthcare projects in Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi, advising on issues including licensing rights, state aid and procurement law. According to one appreciative client, he is “the best solution for tricky, distinctive tasks“
“One client praises Franz Marhold of Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH for being “very grounded” and describes him as a “good litigator” who is “very flexible, always reachable and an uncomplicated communicator.” Marhold is well regarded for his work on employee terminations, collective agreements and transfer of business mandates.”
“The team is praised for its pleasant “very unpretenious” style, including its ability to communicate well with clients and peers. Clients highlight the firm’s “very relaxed exchange with other firms” and add that the “co-ordination functions well“.” (Corporate/M&A)
“Recommended law firm, especially high competence in the technology sector extraordinary strenght in the start-up field most renowned law firm regarding start-up advice extremely responsive, uncomplicated; excellent Philipp Kinsky”
Phillip Dubsky among the 24 leading lawyers regarding corporate/M&A
Herbst Kinsky ranked in
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Employment
Intellectual Property
Public Law
Real Estate
‘good’ team primarily advises on transactional and regulatory matters; Philipp Kinsky is ‘pragmatic and flexible’;
‘motivated‘ team at Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH, which has a strong profile advising banking and insurance sector players and technology-driven companies;
‘very pragmatic and helpful’ Franz Marhold heads the ‘quick’ team at Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH;
The ‘precise and solution-oriented’ Sonja Hebenstreit heads the practice;
Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is ‘experienced in complex cases’ and dedicated to advising on state aid and procurement matters, while also representing its clients in a range of administrative law proceedings
Dr. Christoph Herbst
Herbst Kinsky ranked in the latest edition of “Chambers and Partners Europe” in
Capital Markets
Corporate/M&A
Dispute Resolution
Employment
IT
“one face to the customer’ policy”;
“you always get senior partner attention”;
“They have very quick reaction times, and always give very practical and solution-oriented answers.”;
“They are very available and very flexible.”;
“They also bring a very high level of technical competence.”;
Philipp Kinsky of Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH is a respected practitioner in public M&A and capital markets transactions, providing advice to investors and corporations.”;
“He [Philipp Kinsky] is well versed in capital markets and knows his way around.”;
“Franz Marhold is widely recognised for his strong work in collective bargaining agreements and cross-border employment queries.”:
“Clients value the “extremely fast and straightforward contact” and his “huge amount of technical knowledge.”.
“Eine im Bank- und Finanzrecht geschätzte und im Kapitalmarktrecht empfohlene Kanzlei” “(…) zählt zu den aufstrebenden Adressen in Debt-Finance” “(…) genießt auch einen starken Dealflow im Akquisitionsbereich” “Vielseitiges Team” “Die grenzüberschreitende finanzrechtliche Arbeit erhielt durch den Zugang von Philipp Baubin (…) einen weiteren Schub”.
“Der Börsianer – Österreichs Finanzmagazin” 2016
Christoph Herbst
Philipp Kinsky
Christoph Wildmoser ranked among the 50 best lawyers
JUVE Ranking Employment Law 2016 – Franz Marhold
“excellent reputation”; “renowned , very well connected partner”; “undisputed competence, uncomplicated and very pleasant cooperation”; “outstanding employment lawyer”.
“One lawyer dominates the scene . The doyen of start-up and venture capital lawyers in Vienna is undoubtedly Dr. Philipp Kinsky with his seven-member team . The name Herbst Kinsky falls invariably first when the discussion turns to lawyers for founders . “We want to be a quality label ” states the 44 year old Philipp Kinsky”, JUVE, magazine for commercial lawyers in Austria, July / August 2016.
Herbst Kinsky ranked in
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Employment
Intellectual Property and Media
Public Law and
Real Estate .
”Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH’s is ‘good-quality’, very ‘reliable and professional’ , recognised for its ‘good industry knowledge’”.
Dr. Christoph Herbst
Christoph Herbst 4th place “Top Ten im Bankenrecht” (Banking)
Christoph Herbst 4th place “der Sieger im Öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht” (Public Commercial Law)
Philipp Kinsky 5th place in the category “Kapitalmarktrecht ist ihre Stärke” (Capital Markets)
Franz Marhold 5th place “Top Ten im Arbeitsrecht” (Employment)
Christoph Herbst among the most voted attorneys “Abräumer des Jahres”
Recommended in
Capital Markets
Corporate/M&A
Dispute Resolution
Employment
IT
“Philipp Kinsky of Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH receives praise for his business-minded approach. “When I talk to him, I am not only talking to a lawyer, but a fellow entrepreneur, a colleague,” a client says. He focuses on regulatory capital markets issues.”
“Franz Marhold of Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH is lauded by clients for his “outstanding combination of academic expertise and solution-oriented advice.” He acts on a broad range of employment matters in the media, metals, pharmaceuticals and chemicals sectors. He advised ORF on restructuring, pensions and working time mandates.”
Herbst Kinsky ranked in
Banking/Finance
Corporate/M&A
Dispute
“empfohlene Kanzlei für Gesellschaftsrecht/M&A”; “Branchen – Know-how im Energiebereich”; “umfassende Gründerberatung“; “Phillip Dubsky sehr visibel – so ein Wettbewerber”; “Die Tätigkeit in Prozessen und Schiedssachen erlebt in der lange v.a. als Transaktionsboutique geltende Kanzlei seit einigen Jahren einen steilen Aufstieg.”.
Phillip Dubsky 3rd place “Anwaltsspitze für M&A und Transaktionen” (Corporate/M&A)
Christoph Herbst 3rd place “heimische Experten im Bankenrecht” (Banking Law)
Christoph Herbst ranked among “Kompetenzsieger im öffentlichen Wirtschaftsrecht” (Public Commercial Law)
Christoph Herbst ranked among the top 10 of the “FORMAT” ranking (TOP 10 ranking in total)
Philipp Kinsky 2nd place “echte Auskenner bei Kapitalmarktrecht” (Capital Markets)
Franz Marhold 3rd place “Topjuristen im Arbeitsrecht” in Austria (Employment).
Herbst Kinsky ranked in
Administrative and Public Law
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Corporate and M&A
Employment
Intellectual Property and Media
Real Estate.
“Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH’s ‘high-quality’ services; Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH’s ‘excellent’ team, which has ‘an entrepreneurial approach’; The ‘experienced’ Philipp Kinsky is recommended; Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH adopts ‘an entrepreneurial approach’ and provides ‘excellent services’; The ‘very professional’ team Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH is the ‘perfect choice for biotech deals’; Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH has ‘a very entrepreneurial style’ under Wolfgang Schwackhöfer in Vienna.”
Dr. Christoph Herbst
Christoph Herbst ranked under the best Banking lawyers.
Christoph Herbst ranked under the best lawyers for Public law.
Philipp Kinsky ranked under the best Capital Market lawyers.
Franz Marhold ranked under the best Employment lawyers.
Herbst Kinsky ranked in
Banking & Finance
Capital Markets
Corporate and M&A
Employment
Intellectual Property and Media
Real Estate.
“Clients are impressed by Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s extremely reactive Team”; “Noted for its entrepreneurial attitude“; “Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH is broad enough, but also small enough to ensure personal service by top specialists“; “Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH was strengthened by the arrival of Franz Marhold and gives very professional advice. Marhold outstandingly combines academic expertise and solution-oriented advice“; “Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwälte GmbH’s real estate team is praised for its ability to work against tight timeframes with no loss of quality“.
Christoph Wildmoser among the “world’s leading practitioners” in WHO’S WHO LEGAL Aviation Finance
Philipp Kinsky and Franz Marhold again ranked in Chambers and Partners.
Herbst Kinsky Vienna and Linz ranked among the best law firms in Austria