Professional notice
Austria
Partner and Who’s Who Legal nominee Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber leads the competition team at bpv Hügel, which includes six partners, two senior associates, one associate and one counsel.
The firm is justifiably proud of its strong cartel defence practice, both before the European Commission and the national courts and authorities. The competition team has a directly integrated antitrust litigation department led by Florian Neumayr. Most of the work it does is on the defence side, although it also has some major complainant work in its current portfolio.
It is advising EconGas, an affiliate of Austria’s OMV group, in the European Commission’s investigation of the energy sector. It is also representing Logwin and DSV/ABX Logistics in one of Austria’s largest national cartel proceedings involving more than 40 freight companies before the Austrian Supreme Court and now before the European Court of Justice.
Merger work is also high on the agenda: the firm represented RWA before the European Commission regarding a joint venture with rival Agrana to form the largest apple juice concentrate producer in Europe (and the second largest in the world) with Agrana. The firm obtained clearance in Phase I.
The Vienna team also advised long-time client Eaton Corporation on its acquisition of Istanbul-based hose manufacturer Polimer Kauçuk.
The firm is part of a wider central and eastern European network, and it benefits from a “best friends” referral system in other jurisdictions, allowing the firm to offer clients a “one-stop shop” for merger filings and other competition matters.
bpv Hügel is one of the leading law firms in Austria. Its competition law team, consisting of specialised lawyers in Vienna and Brussels, is one of the most experienced and largest in Austria. The practice group has built up a considerable track record in the following core areas:
- Joint ventures, cooperation agreements and vertical relationships such as distribution systems
- Advice with regard to all aspects of market dominance and abuse issues
- Representation of undertakings subject to antitrust proceedings before national as well as European authorities and courts
- Competition litigation and, in particular, defence in private enforcement cases
- Leniency applications
- Austrian and EU merger control as well as coordination of multi-jurisdictional filings
bpv Hügel not only offers high-quality services in competition law but also provides premium integrated M&A, corporate, regulatory (including public procurement and state aid), real estate, finance, labour and tax law advice to national and international clients.
bpv Hügel is a founding member of bpv LEGAL, an affiliation of independent law firms in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) counselling on cross-boarder transactions and foreign investments in most CEE countries.
Contact details
bpv Hügel Rechtsanwälte OG
ARES-Tower, Donau-City-Strasse 11
1220 Vienna
Austria
T: +43 1 260 50 0
F: +43 1 260 50 133
Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber, partner, head of competition law practice