KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH > Vienna, Austria > Firm Profile
KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH Offices
HERRENGASSE 1
1010 VIENNA
Austria
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KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH > The Legal 500 Rankings
Austria > Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation Tier 1
With particular strength in energy disputes, KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH comfortably acts in cases in a range of sectors, including construction, banking, automotive and life sciences, with the team’s capabilities encompassing investment protection as well as the representation of clients in arbitration-related court proceedings. Named by clients as ‘one of the top leaders of the Austrian arbitration community’, Florian Haugeneder is experienced in handling matters across the CEE region and heads the department alongside Patrizia Netal, who covers both institutional and ad hoc arbitration and frequently acts in ICC, DIS, and VIAC proceedings, among others. Natascha Tunkel specialises in commercial arbitration and mediation, while Kirstin McGoldrick‘s international practice has a focus on arbitration cases involving criminal law aspects.Practice head(s):
Florian Haugeneder; Patrizia Netal
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Key capabilities of Knoetzl are collaboration, cross-examination skills, and clear elaboration of legal arguments.’
‘Responsive; very high level of professionalism; explain complicated issues in a simple manner.’
‘The team is very experienced in arbitration with a great command of substantive and procedural law.’
‘Florian Haugeneder is an outstanding arbitration lawyer and enjoys great experience. He is hard-working, performs well, delivers on time, and is a very pleasant person. Definitely one of the top leaders of the Austrian arbitration community.’
‘They are technically superb, creative, tactical and easy to work with.’
‘Florian Haugeneder is a true expert in arbitration. Very intellectual and knows the procedure inside out.’
‘An innovative, intelligent, and highly motivated team of seasoned experts in international arbitration with an excellent network.’
‘Natascha Tunkel is an excellent lawyer, very sharp.’
Key clients
Casinos Austria AG
Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH (Austrian State Printing House)
Work highlights
- Represented Casinos Austria in ICSID annulment proceedings against the Argentine Republic, arising out of the expropriation of its gaming business in Argentina.
Austria > Dispute resolution: commercial litigation Tier 1
Reputed for vast knowledge of the intersection of commercial litigation and white-collar crime, KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH frequently acts in cross-border matters including asset recovery cases, and operates comfortably across an array of sectors, including construction, banking and finance, energy, data protection, and life sciences. Experienced trial lawyer Bettina Knoetzl chairs the ‘excellent’ practice and handles a multifaceted workload, extending to investor protection matters, liability claims, corporate disputes, and class action proceedings. Katrin Hanschitz is a name to note for litigation arising from M&A and finance transactions, and is well versed in shareholder and investment disputes.Practice head(s):
Bettina Knoetzl
Other key lawyers:
Katrin Hanschitz; Bert Ortner; Valentina Spatz; Natascha Tunkel
Testimonials
‘KNOETZL is unique in that the team focuses exclusively on high profile litigation and arbitration, and has been ranking among the best litigation and arbitration teams nationwide from its very start.’
‘Founder and senior partner Bettina Knoetzl has not only excellent legal and advocacy skills. She is also outstanding in her understanding of business and organizational issues.
Katrin Hanschitz has a superior knowledge of Austrian civil and commercial law and is due to her international background an excellent counsel for international clients.’
‘The team is excellent, the firm is well run and has wonderful offices, friendly staff and excellent young lawyers. They are very much up to speed, wonderfully reactive and reliable. ’
‘I had the pleasure to work with Bettina Knoetzl and Natascha Tunkel, who were supported by their team of excellent young lawyers. They are quick thinkers, well organised and overall a pleasure to work with. ’
‘The KNOETZL team is highly responsive, very hands on and delivers very good quality legal advice and representation.’
‘I like working together with Bettina KNOETZL and Katrin Hanschitz who are both excellent lawyers and real fun to work together with. They have brilliant ideas and a great grasp of the law and jurisprudence. I also estimate highly how they are able to navigate through complex cases with international elements. ’
‘Efficient, effective and quick-thinking attorneys who are dedicated to problem solving and achieving result-oriented solutions for their clients.’
Key clients
Casinos Austria AG
Facebook/ Meta
Dr. Heinz Schaden
Österreichische Staatsdruckerei GmbH
Zurich Insurance Group
Work highlights
- Advised one of Signa’s creditors on a €300m asset recovery claim.
- Represented a client from the life science segment in criminal proceedings and subsequently, in civil court against damages claims.
Austria > Dispute resolution: white-collar crime (including fraud) Tier 2
Highlighted by clients for combining ‘true professionalism with excellent client responsiveness’, KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH‘s focus areas encompasses allegations of sanction violations, criminal offences related to bankruptcy proceedings, and cartel offences such as allegations of price-rigging, as well as a variety of internal investigations. Thomas Voppichler heads the practice and is a key contact for the firm’s international clients, frequently acting in cross-border matters regarding allegations such as fraud and embezzlement.Practice head(s):
Thomas Voppichler
Other key lawyers:
Felix Eggenburg; Bettina Knoetzl; Natascha Tunkel
Testimonials
‘Bettina Knoetzl – hardest working perfectionist ever seen. Felix Eggenburg – enduring and endlessly patient counsel with brilliant out-of-the-box solutions and an incredible memory for all details of the cases.’
‘Bettina Knoetzl is super smart and well-versed in the nuances of Austrian law and practice. She is wonderful to work with.’
‘The preperation for single court negotiations is outstanding.’
‘Felix Eggenburg is highly qualified and always available. Felix doesn’t just see the case like a lawyer, but like an entrepreneur.’
‘The practice in the office is very professional, highest standards in technology.’
‘The Knoetzl team is fantastic. They combine true professionalism with excellent client responsiveness. Their level of expertise in various areas of the law is exceptional. I recommend them without reservation.’
‘Thomas Voppichler and Tim Pfister are a pleasure to work with. Truly first-rate lawyers, and I would be thrilled to work with them again.’
‘Bettina Knötzl is well connected and experienced in the field of competition and criminal law.’
Work highlights
- Represented a real estate investment fund in criminal investigations that lasted from 2007 to 2024, when the criminal investigation against the client was dropped.
- Represented several high-net-worth individuals against criminal allegations of sanctions violations and against potential asset freezing.
KNOETZL HAUGENEDER NETAL Rechtsanwaelte GmbH > Firm Profile
The firm: KNOETZL is a leading Austrian law firm founded on a handshake by some of the most effective, experienced and perceptive legal minds dedicated to providing the highest quality of advocacy in dispute resolution, business crime, compliance and corporate crisis.
Representing corporate clients in civil and criminal trials and in front of arbitral tribunals is the core of the practice. KNOETZL has a clear mission and a driving purpose: to achieve optimal outcomes for its corporate, financial and governmental clients in their most significant, sensitive and complicated disputes before the Austrian courts, and well beyond. The firm’s approach combines unmatched strategic thinking and decades of peerless experience with the endurance, stamina and commitment required to ultimately win the day.
Since opening its doors in 2016 KNOETZL has dramatically grown in both its international and Austrian name-brand clients, and its top-tier disputes team.
KNOETZL’s lawyers work seamlessly with international partner law firms and industry experts in the CEE and SEE regions and are widely regarded as true leaders and innovators in this market. Highly regarded, top-tier international law firms choose KNOETZL as their local counsel. The team’s diverse skillset covers civil, commercial, sovereign and criminal litigation, focusing significantly on liability claims, corporate disputes, banking, insurance and financial derivatives cases, investor protection, business crime, energy, technology and life sciences. The firm’s services also include asset tracing and effective provisional measures, such as freezing orders and attachments, in the domestic and international context, the enforcement of foreign judgments, and arbitral awards.
Areas of practice: The firm offers its clients the highest quality of advice and guides them through all forms of traditionally available dispute resolution, and creatively structured, alternative dispute resolution.
Winning the cases of its clients drives the firm. KNOETZL is proud of its outstanding track record, securing significant victories in civil court, in front of international arbitral tribunals and in criminal investigations. Important criminal investigations against the firm’s international and Austrian corporate clients have been terminated under KNOETZL’s guidance. Landmark victories were brought home in the firm’s life sciences practice, where each win is regarded as critical by the international pharmaceutical clients. Every significant arbitration that was resolved led to a victory for the firm’s clients. KNOETZL assisted in achieving favourable settlements in a variety of matters, utilising alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation.
The firm’s dispute lawyers are humbled by the fact that not a single case has been lost to date, and it continues to believe that its specialisation in doing nothing but trial work, advocacy and dispute resolution paired with the firm’s passion for its clients’ matters makes a significant difference.
KNOETZL’s lawyers are tough, smart and effective. Members of its team are routinely called upon to apply their extensive experience in high-value, multijurisdictional disputes, asset tracing and recovery matters. The firm acts, in this capacity, for multinational corporations, high-net-worth individuals and major fraud victims. Its close relationships and seasoned teamwork with experienced local and international forensic experts and lawyers in virtually every jurisdiction in the world ensure the firm can help identify, trace, freeze and recover hard financial, book entry, and physical assets with the most effective use of dedicated resources.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asset tracing | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Business Crime | White-Collar Crime | Thomas Voppichler | [email protected] | +43 1 34 34 000 201 |
| Collective Claims | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Commercial Arbitration | Florian Haugeneder | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 300 |
| Compliance | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Corporate Crisis Management | Timothy J. Pfister | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 500 |
| COVID-19 | Corona Virus Support | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Data Protection | Katrin Hanschitz | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 700 |
| Employment | Management | Bert Ortner | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 900 |
| Enforcement | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Fraud | Corruption | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Intellectual Property | Natascha Tunkel | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 220 |
| Internal | External Investigations | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Investment Arbitration | Florian Haugeneder | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 300 |
| Litigation | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
| Mediation | ADR | Natascha Tunkel | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 220 |
| Unfair Competition | Katrin Hanschitz | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 700 |
| Whistleblowing Systems | Bettina Knoetzl | [email protected] | +43 676 844 133 200 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Katrin Hanschitz | Katrin Hanschitz is a partner at KNOETZL and has been so since… | View Profile |
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Florian Haugeneder | Florian Haugeneder is a Partner at KNOETZL. He has more than 15… | View Profile |
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Bettina Knoetzl | Bettina Knoetzl is a Partner at KNOETZL, and has about 25 years’… | View Profile |
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Dr Kirstin McGoldrick | Counsel | View Profile |
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Patrizia Netal | Patrizia Netal is a partner at KNOETZL. Patrizia has extensive experience as… | View Profile |
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Valentina Spatz | Partner | View Profile |
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Natascha Tunkel | Natascha Tunkel is a Partner at KNOETZL and applies over 15 years… | View Profile |
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Thomas Voppichler | Thomas is a partner at KNOETZL and heads the firm’s White-Collar Crime… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 23Languages
Bosnian Croatian Czech English French German Hungarian Italian Russian Serbian Slovak SpanishMemberships
ICC FraudnetOther
Contact : Timothy J Pfister (managing partner)International Capabilities
OVERVIEW
KNOETZL is Austria’s first large-scale dispute resolution powerhouse dedicated to high-profile and significant cases that matter. The firm is well-recognised for the passion of its lawyers, high fighting spirits where needed, creativity – while leading the market with unshakable integrity – and a clear, business-oriented approach.
Their diverse practice handles civil, commercial, sovereign state, corporate and fraud litigation, as well as international commercial arbitration, investment protection and arbitration-related court proceedings. Active across a range of industries, KNOETZL’s international orientation proves an exceptional feat in the otherwise domestically positioned Austrian legal landscape. The strength and global renown of KNOETZL springs largely from the firm’s first-to-market, predominance in advocacy, and strategic weaponry deployed for clients – a step acknowledged as ascendant by the international market. Since then, the clients’ demand for sophisticated, effective and powerful litigation counsel and results brought about have proven this step to be perfectly on target.
Both this innovative singularity as well as KNOETZL’s excellence warrant the recognition of their lawyers as true leaders in various categories by industry directories. Bettina Knoetzl’s expertise as department head of the firm’s dispute resolution practice has been notably acknowledged as the first European lawyer to have been named “Lawyer of the Year” by a highly-regarded international legal commentator in 2017.
THE CLIENTS
International, reputable law firms value the expertise and work ethic of KNOETZL lawyer, and the firm continues to be engaged to act as Austrian disputes counsel by distinguished international firms, corporate decision-makers and general counsels.
The members of KNOETZL’s arbitration and litigation teams have acted successfully in some of the largest, most well-known and complex disputes in Latin America as well as the CEE and SEE regions. KNOETZL offers a deep market knowledge of a range of jurisdictions, amounting to an array of clients, including:
– Facebook
– Stadtwerke Klagenfurt
– Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
– Bayer Pharma
– GoDaddy.com
– Casions Austria International GmbH
– Dr Heinz Schaden, former mayor of Salzburg
THE TEAM
KNOETZL is best known for taking the unique approach in Austria to provide a diverse team of highly skilled lawyers and legal advisers to offer truly international and focused advice. The firm’s open and inclusive culture provides a unique environment where talent can thrive on supportive guidance and encouragement, allowing for the teams’ diverse proficiency in a number of languages, including Albanian, Armenian, Bosnian, Croatian, Dutch, English, Italian, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Serbian, Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese.
KNOETZL’s specialists have raised their collective practices to a new, higher level of advocacy to litigate in Austrian or regional courts, to mediate or to act in arbitrations across the CEE region and globally.
THE NETWORK
KNOETZL boasts having and maintaining its own, non-exclusive, but monitored and reviewed impressive global network, working seamlessly with international partner law firms and industry experts in the CEE and SEE regions. The distinct ability of team members to collaborate with other firms, experts and in-house counsel ensures high standards and perfect handling of the most complex cases. Particularly the partners’ involvement in various organisations nurture KNOETZL’s unique network, including:
– the International Bar Association
– Transparency International (Austrian Chapter)
– the ICC-FraudNet
– the Austrian Chapter of the Club Español del Arbitraje
– The Austrian Arbitration Association
– ArbitralWomen
– the Vienna International Arbitral Centre
- Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation
- Dispute resolution: commercial litigation
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Dispute resolution: white-collar crime (including fraud)