Cermak Schwarz RechtsanwältInnen OG is a dispute-resolution boutique focused on employment litigation. Acting for employers and senior employees, the firm advises on employee protection, wrongful termination and discrimination. Its standout strength lies in conflict management and steering clients through workplace disputes. Antonia Cermak-Kietaibl and Philipp Schwarz co-head the practice, having arrived from PLATTE disputes.solutions in October 2023.

Characterised by its lawyers’ ‘outstanding knowledge in their fields,’ Binder Grösswang represents employees and handles internal investigations, restructurings, disputes and collective redundancies, as well as data protection and compliance matters for clients across a variety of industries. Horst Lukanec has expertise in restructuring mandates and advises both national and cross-border clients on all aspects of individual and collective employment law. He co-heads the practice alongside Angelika Pallwein-Prettner, who is described as ‘technically excellent’ and specialises in employee data protection, internal investigations and employment litigation.

Burgstaller & Preyer Rechtsanwälte GmbH operates exclusively in the field of employment law, with a focus on employer-side mandates. The team advises foreign and domestic companies on issues of individual and collective labour law, EU labour law, and related aspects of company, social security and data protection law. The practice is co-headed by Helmut Preyer, who brings more than 30 years of experience to his client roster of national and international companies and their executives, while Gerald Burgstaller holds expertise in co-determination of work councils, remuneration, equal treatment and non-discrimination issues.

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH offers extensive experience in EU labour law, including the Working Time Directive, anti-discrimination and employment law, along with specialised expertise in theatre and university employment regulations. The team regularly appears before the Austrian courts, up to the Supreme Court, and advises clients from various sectors. Co-heads Bernhard Hainz and Christoph Wolf focus on judicial and non-judicial labour law issues, the negotiation of collective agreements, employment contracts and disputes with work councils and individual employees. Additionally, Andrea Potz is recognised for her work representing employers in court and before administrative authorities, and Daniela Krömer is noted for her expertise in international and European labour law, with a particular focus on cross-border matters.

Noted for being ‘reliable, robust and pragmatic’, Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG covers all aspects of employment law, maintaining a strong focus on restructuring and litigation in addition to dismissals, restructuring and collective bargaining law. Practice head Ralf Peschek leads the department, specialising in executive agreements, Austrian and EU employment law and workers’ participation rights, and regularly represents clients before the courts and other government authorities. ‘Rare expert’ Matthias Unterrieder and Isabel Firneis offer expertise in cross-border staff assignments, reorganisations and employment litigation, while the ‘sharp, dependable counsel’ Magdalena Ziembicka focuses on employment law matters related to restructuring measures and M&A.

Hailed for its ‘strategic thinking and pragmatic solutions,’ Baker McKenzie Rechtsanwälte LLP & Co KG’s employment practice provides comprehensive legal and strategic advice to national and international clients. The team handles restructuring projects, including mass dismissals and post-merger integration, while focusing on labour law compliance, internal investigations and employment litigation. With deep expertise in the IT, telecoms, financial services, and pharmaceuticals sectors, Philipp Maier and Simone Liebmann-Slatin head up the group. Maier specialises in restructurings, transfers of undertakings and union negotiations, while Liebmann-Slatin advises on contract drafting and negotiations, and also compensation systems. Additionally, Andrea Haiden advises multinational clients on a broad spectrum of domestic and international employment challenges, with particular expertise in transactional restructurings, negotiations and cross-border litigation.

Regarded as ‘highly responsive and technically excellent’, Cerha Hempel manages daily employment law issues and guides clients through HR matters related to dismissals and departmental restructurings. The firm is also able to assist with M&A transactions, overseeing the entire employment-related due diligence and documentation process. Renowned for its expertise in the NGO and higher education sectors, the team excels in litigation and offers reorganisation strategies, works council representations and corporate co-determination services. Julian Feichtinger brings judicial expertise and advises clients on a range of individual and collective labour law matters, including pension schemes. He co-heads the team with Christopher Peitsch, who has industry expertise in healthcare, construction and aviation. Additionally, Susanne Molitoris advises international clients within the retail, finance and IT sectors on the spectrum of collective and individual employment law, with a particular focus on Austrian market entry, cross-border transactions and litigation.

DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH combines its ‘deep technical expertise, commercial awareness and client-centred approach’ into its practice, providing an extensive scope of services covering the full employment lifecycle, including advice on market entry, workplace discrimination, terminations and managing director disputes, also advising on issues of cross-border mobility and immigration. Team head Thomas Angermair has extensive experience in both court and arbitration proceedings and advises employers from a range of different sectors, including banks, international organisations and cultural institutions, on matters involving management and executive contracts, service termination agreements, as well as stock option and other employee benefits. Florina Thenmayer is well-versed in advising clients from different jurisdictions on a range of HR proceedings.

E+H Rechtsanwälte GmbH specialises in advising on employment law matters arising from corporate transactions, as well as assisting on matters stemming from restructuring measures, collective dismissals, work council discussions, bargaining agreements and internal governance. The team advises clients across a range of sectors, alongside deep industry knowledge in banking. Practice head Jana Eichmeyer is hailed for her ‘incredible market knowledge’ and regularly supports clients in litigation regarding D&O contracts, liability, risk management strategy and other contentious employment matters. Additionally, on the team, Theresa Weiss-Dorer advises national and international clients on the full range of employment matters, specialising in drafting labour agreements, risk assessments for personnel leasing, and managing restructurings, due diligence audits, and litigation.

Renowned for its ‘strategic advice with practical, solution-oriented guidance in complex cases’, Gerlach Rechtsanwälte is known for its specialisation across all areas of labour and employment law, with its employee-side work focused on management and large works councils. The firm supports companies with restructuring measures, social plan negotiations, and the drafting of contracts for executives, including bonus and pension schemes, as well as employment-related data protection matters. Co-heads Roland Gerlach and Michaela Gerlach advise national and multinational corporations and individuals on all aspects of individual and collective labour and social security law, with a focus on corporate restructuring and its associated employment law implications. Other key members of the team include Brigitte Sammer, who has a dedicated focus on workplace diversity and association law, while Christopher Badalec is a litigation expert who specialises in employment and migration matters.

Noted for its 'outstanding representation in sensitive and complex employment litigation', the team at Schoenherr (Schönherr Rechtsanwälte) brings its deep legal expertise to bear when managing complex employment disputes. Under the leadership of Stefan Kühteubl, the practice advises on the full spectrum of contentious and non-contentious employment law, from management restructurings and collective bargaining to shareholder advice regarding board-level appointments and other cross-border assignments. Other key lawyers to note are Teresa Waidmann, who specialises in senior-level exits and complex organisational restructures and Karin Pusch, a seasoned litigator and the firm’s expert on Austrian residence and migration law for foreign nationals.

Engelbrecht und Partner Rechtsanwälte operates as a boutique firm with an exclusive focus on labour, public employment, social security and income tax law. The firm advises both companies and private clients on the full spectrum of employment matters, including contract law, company agreements, collective bargaining, and anti-discrimination. The practice maintains a strong focus on public employment law, advising government-related entities. Practice heads Helmut Engelbrecht and Maria Schedle advise and represent national and international clients across the full spectrum of labour, social security, and collective agreement law; Engelbrecht is renowned as a highly experienced litigator with a deep background in corporate HR, while Schedle provides specialist expertise in medical and cross-border employment law. Former President of the Supreme Court Gerhard Kuras joined the team in April 2025.

Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners is known for its strength in contentious employment matters, with notable experience in dismissal challenges and complex disputes involving bonus payments and working time. The team also frequently advises on mandates relating to company pension schemes, executive and board-level contracts, and international employment relationships. Kurt Wratzfeld specialises in executive compensation and bonus schemes, as well as the departures of board members, and leads the group alongside Monika Sturm, who advises on remote employment arrangements and related data protection issues. Florian Dauser appears for clients in challenges to dismissals and bonus-related disputes, among others.

Noted for a ‘rare combination of legal precision, commercial pragmatism and genuine commitment to client service’, KWR Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH develops comprehensive strategies for works council negotiations, business transfers and major HR projects, while also representing clients in court. The firm supports a diverse portfolio of clients including pharmaceutical, aviation and software companies, as well as NGOs and state-owned entities across the full breadth of individual and collective labour law issues, employee data protection, and regulatory compliance. The department is led by Anna Mertinz, who is acclaimed for the ‘clarity and structure she brings to legally complex areas’ and specialises in internal investigations and the implementation of the EU Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions.

Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH delivers end-to-end support across the employment lifecycle, specialising in strategic restructuring, international mobility and ESG compliance, including the EU Pay Transparency Directive. Wolfgang Kapek heads the CEE employment practice, focusing on cross-border compliance and whistleblowing implementations. Karolin Andréewitch-Wallner and Walter Pöschl are the firm’s experts in litigation and AI-driven workplace integration.

The employment specialists team at Zeiler Rechtsanwälte GmbH, headed by Hans Georg Laimer, advises on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law, including benefits, pensions and industrial relations. The team is known for its robust litigation presence, representing clients before courts and tribunals in unfair dismissal, discrimination and wage-and-hour cases. It also advises on business restructuring, transfers of undertakings and all employment-related aspects of AI and data protection in the work environment, with a special focus on executive contracts, incentives and global mobility.

Founded by co-heads Natalie Hahn and Sophie Loidolt in November 2024, HALO Arbeitsrecht is an employment law boutique that advises and represents clients from a range of different sectors including NGOs, start-ups, state-owned bodies and private conglomerates on a full range of employment-related matters, including individual and collective employment law, litigation, arbitration, and administrative proceedings, as well as works constitution law, including negotiations with work councils. Hahn specialises in employment litigation, investigations and criminal proceedings as well as corporate restructuring and organisation; Loidolt holds expertise in cross-border data protection pensions, and taxation challenges.

With particular expertise on the EU Pay Transparency Directive, KPMG Law - Buchberger Ettmayer Rechtsanwälte GmbH provides its clients with support across a range of different issues, from restructuring, tax and social security to obtaining work permits for foreign employees and representation before administrative authorities. Practice head Elisabeth Wasinger combines her ‘pragmatic approach with sharp legal analysis’ to advise clients on policy implementation and localisation, M&A, reorganisation, mass dismissals and labour law litigation before Austria’s employment authorities and administrative courts. Additionally, Lisa Jobst specialises in Austrian labour law and international personnel deployment, advising clients on complex immigration, residence law, and other cross-border assignments.

Praised for being ‘pragmatic and solution-oriented’, KÖRBER-RISAK Rechtsanwalts GmbH provides its clients with legal strategies for proceedings before the administrative courts, corporate governance issues and C-level executive employment matters, while also handling operational redundancies and work council negotiations. Katharina Körber-Risak heads the team and offers expertise in litigation, supporting employers in strategic litigation, anti-discrimination and labour constitution conflicts.

Littler, a ‘fast-growing boutique in the Austrian market’, is regarded for ‘rapidly building a strong reputation’. The firm provides services across a broad range of employment and labour law matters, including supporting companies with specific work surrounding restructuring, negotiations of social plans and data protection law. Recognised for his ‘strong track record in complex litigation and cross-border restructurings’, practice head Markus Löscher represents employers both in and out of court and advises clients from an array of different sectors, including retail, insurance, engineering and trading.

PHH Rechtsanwält:innen GmbH ‘combines legal counsel with a deep understanding of business’, allowing the team to advise and represent both SMEs and start-ups through to multi-national corporations in a full range of employment and immigration law matters, including both individual and collective employment law, data protection and work permit challenges, as well as a range of contentious matters. Hailed for 'his ability to think out of the box', team lead Nicolaus Mels-Colloredo focuses on restructuring and reorganisations, employment litigation and negotiations with work councils and unions.

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH advises on domestic and EU employment law, with a focus on representing employers in administrative penalty and dismissal proceedings. Co-led by Roland Heinrich and Bettina Poglies-Schneiderbauer, the practice handles works council elections, collective agreements and cross-border postings. The team regularly acts for large-scale industrial, logistics and retail clients on complex restructuring and workforce adjustments.

Starlinger Mayer Rechtsanwält:innen GmbH focuses on supporting clients requiring assistance with cross-border mandates where employees and employers are based in different jurisdictions, in addition to helping clients facing contentious proceedings, including issues stemming from non-compete clauses and other contractual issues. Practice head Philipp Gamauf supports both domestic and international clients with matters such as restructurings, executive contracts, working time and remuneration issues.

Barnert Egermann Illigasch Rechtsanwälte GmbH is well regarded for its advice on the establishment and termination of employment relationships and employment issues related to data protection and compliance. Furthermore, the team handles the structuring of company benefits packages and compensation systems and is well versed in company pensions. Clemens Egermann heads the practice and has extensive experience in employment litigation, frequently representing clients on both an individual and collective level before national courts.

DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach Rechtsanwälte GmbH leverages the firm’s global platform to advise on a broad spectrum of employment matters, ranging from contentious matters to works council negotiations and redundancy programmes. The team acts for multinational companies, while practice head Stephan Nitzl is particularly experienced in transactional employment law, particularly in relation to company transfers, business sales and associated disputes.

Eversheds Sutherland Rechtsanwälte GmbH advises clients across a diverse range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, health sciences, retail, IT and industrials. Leveraging the combined expertise of practice head Silva Palzer in both employment and corporate law, the firm guides due diligence procedures, transfers of undertakings and entries into the Austrian market. The team collaborates closely with the firm’s IT and data protection specialists to support clients on contracts, declarations of consent, risks and plant agreements regarding data.

JWO | Deloitte Legal advises on individual employment matters, including terminations and complex management contracts, as well as on cross-border restructuring measures and collective employment law, such as works council agreements, internal policies and collective bargaining agreements. Practice head Stefan Zischka has extensive experience advising on employment, social and immigration law at a national and international level.

LeitnerLaw Rechtsanwälte is described as being ‘a standout employment law practice that is gaining increasing recognition in the market’. The team, led by Johannes Edthaler and Christina Hödlmay, assists small to medium-sized enterprises with all contentious and advisory employment law matters, from HR management advice and working time models, to advising companies on work agreements and labour law compliance. Additionally, Manuel Mayer provides domestic and international clients with strategic advice across the full spectrum of employment law, specialising in complex restructurings, collective bargaining and executive service agreements.

Schindler Attorneys advises clients from a broad range of sectors, including infrastructure, retail, non-profits and healthcare on both contentious employment matters, as well as on working with trade unions and works councils. Team head Dominik Stella advises clients on matters relating to transactions, restructuring and compliance.