Boasting a roster of dual-qualified practitioners, bpv Hügel‘s tax practice draws in clients seeking advice across a range of complex contentious and non-contentious matters, including corporate transactions and disputes, cross-border mandates, tax controversies and fiscal criminal law proceedings. The team also advises on the tax elements of private wealth management for HNWI. Practice head Gerald Schachner has an excellent reputation in tax structuring and reorganisations, while tax dispute and fiscal criminal law expert Kornelia Wittmann and transactions specialist Nicolas Wolski are equally lauded for their technical know-how and experience.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The entire team is extremely skilled and provides excellent integrated advice on corporate and tax law matters. The advice is always well founded, and also pragmatic and practical.’

  • ‘Gerald Schachner is an excellent adviser at the interface between tax and corporate law, very pragmatic and solution-oriented.’

  • ‘Kornelia Wittmann is an excellent adviser, very responsive and proactive.’
  • ‘Gerald Schachner's focus is on practical solutions. Due to his experience he can say what you can do and what you should better not do. Besides his tax knowledge he also knows company law, which makes him a very efficient lawyer when it comes to the tax structuring of corporate reorganisations.’

  • ‘Gerald Schachner has a detailed knowledge of tax and a broad knowledge of corporate law. This combination makes him a key player in structuring. He also has an excellent reputation for tax audits and tax litigation.’

  • ‘Gerald Schachner, Nicolas Wolski, and their team are a small group of experts always solution-driven and available. The high expertise of the respective members in tax, corporate, as well as commercial law makes the discussions very fruitful and to the point.’

  • ‘Nicolas Wolski is an excellent choice in relation to cross-border Austrian-German M&A deals due to his double qualification in both countries.’
  • ‘Kornelia Wittmann stands out because she is brilliant. She is very practical and pragmatic and the person to go to for fiscal criminal law issues and for complicated and challenging tax litigation cases in Austria.’

Key clients

  • IMMOFINANZ Group
  • European Directories Group
  • BP Plc and BP Europe SE
  • F.A. Food Art Enterprises Limited
  • Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
  • Luxembourg ESG Fund

Work highlights

  • Advised Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield on the corporate restructuring of its shareholdings in the two largest Austrian shopping centres.
  • Advised Triton and its portfolio company, European Directories Group, on the sale of dogado group to international private equity firm Cinven and global investor Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board.
  • Advised a noteworthy European private equity fund on a deal involving multiple jurisdictions such as Austria, Italy, the US and Brazil and requiring team expertise to analyse complex accounting, tax, IP and trademark issues in connection with the transaction.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Gerald Schachner

Other key lawyers

Kornelia Wittmann, Nicolas Wolski