DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH acts for clients across the full spectrum of industries in precedent-setting matters, including ECJ disputes concerning trade marks, copyrights and licensing rights. The team is well versed in matters at the forefront of technological developments while also handling ongoing portfolio management, including defending clients’ IP rights globally. ‘Quick and strategic thinker’ Axel Anderl leads the team, specialising in copyright and trade mark and outsourcing matters, with a particular focus on software. Andreas Seling‘s practice bridges trade mark law and unfair competition, with Alexandra Ciarnau focusing on IP developments in relation to AI and Blockchain. Ida Woltran is building up the firm’s patent capabilities while also handling copyright matters.

Handling the full gamut of advisory, transactional and litigious IP matters, Gassauer-Fleissner Rechtsanwälte is particularly noted for its patents practice in the pharmaceutical sector, maintaining a strong reputation for representing drug developers against generics and biosimilars manufacturers. On the non-contentious front, the team is sought after for IT contracting and licensing deals, including co-existence agreements and IP transfers tied to M&A transactions. The team is jointly led by Christian Gassauer-Fleissner Rechtsanwälte, who regularly acts as an arbitrator while also representing clients in patent disputes; Dominik Göbel, who has ‘incredible expertise’ in pharma and life sciences patent disputes; and the ‘outstanding’ Manuel Wegrostek, who spearheads the firm’s trade mark prosecution practice.

The ‘knowledgeable and experienced’ team at GEISTWERT, consisting of Constantin Kletzer, Juliane Messner, Max Mosing and Rainer Schultes covers the full range of IP matters, assisting both national and international clients with the management of their portfolios and filings, while frequently acting in disputes concerning infringements, cancellation and opposition proceedings. The practice also routinely advises on the transfer of IP rights tied to transactions, including conducting due diligence checks. The firm maintains a broad client base, with the food and beverage and automotive sectors driving a significant percentage of the firm’s work, in addition to its strong niche in the video game industry.

The ‘very rigorous’ Schoenherr (Schönherr Rechtsanwälte) team is known for handling the full range of IP mandates, regularly appearing before Austria’s Supreme Court and the ECJ in patent and trade mark infringement disputes, and cases of unfair competition. The practice also provides international IP rights enforcement support, assisting clients with the ongoing management of their IP portfolios. Leading the practice is a three-person team consisting of Michael Woller, whose focus is on patent and trade mark litigation, copyright and unfair competition specialist Christian Schumacher, and Dominik Hofmarcher, whose practice spans non-traditional trade marks within the media, sports and entertainment sectors.

Schwarz Schönherr Rechtsanwälte OEG represents a broad range of clients across a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals, fashion, and food and beverages. The group is known for its expansive knowledge of trade mark prosecution and litigation, patent disputes, copyrights and unfair competition issues. The IP aspects of international advertising campaigns, and the management of clients’ global IP portfolios are areas of expertise for the team. Practice co-head Georg Schönherr is a trade marks specialist whose practice also encompasses unfair competition, while co-head Markus Grötschl focuses on anti-counterfeiting proceedings for fashion industry clients among others. Patent litigator Thomas Adocker left the practice to join Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH in April 2023.

Wolf Theiss Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG acts for numerous notable names in the digital industry, advising social media platforms and streaming services on contentious and non-contentious IP licensing matters, ongoing trade mark and copyright portfolio management. The team frequently appears before the Austrian Patent Office in patent infringement hearings, handling multi-jurisdictional matters with its strong niche in the life sciences sector. Practice head Georg Kresbach advises media, telecoms and ISP clients on the gamut of hard and soft IP matters, while Maren Jergolla-Wagner specialises in life sciences related trade mark matters.

With a strong focus on TMT, Binder Grösswang frequently assists clients with the registration and enforcement of IP rights in Austria and abroad, trade mark licensing and transfers tied to M&A transactions, and copyright and trade mark infringement claims. Ivo Rungg heads the practice, advising clients on the defence of their trade marks globally, specialising in assisting clients in the advertising and e-commerce sectors, while also providing support with licensing and IT contracts. Michael Horak maintains a broad practice encompassing copyrights, design rights and unfair competition proceedings, while Hellmut Buchroithner is noted for his broad knowledge of IP licensing and enforcement.

CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz Rechtsanwälte GmbH's ‘extremely competent’ team advises clients on all aspects of IP projects, including trade mark, copyright and patent registrations and prosecutions. The group often leverages its international network to assist clients with long-running global portfolio management, in addition to handling matters concerning trade secrets and traditional IP disputes. Practice head Egon Engin-Deniz takes a ‘direct, bold and very effective’ approach to trade mark, patent and domain issues when assisting pharmaceutical, IT and consumer clients. Gabriela Staber's maintains a regulatory and IP focused practice, while Hans Lederer, who was promoted to partner in February 2023, focuses on trade mark prosecution and copyright matters.

Brauneis Rechtsanwälte regularly acts for clients in the spirits and cosmetics industries, appearing before Austrian and European courts and IP offices in both trade mark prosecutions and disputes, copyrights, and  product piracy related matters. ‘Hard-working, diligent and creative litigator’ Martin Reinisch leads the team, with his broad practice including design, copyright and trade mark disputes, anti-counterfeiting advice and portfolio management.

GRAF ISOLA's caseload primarily consists of contentious IP work, with the team representing clients from a diverse array of sectors on matters of trade mark and patent disputes against infringers in Austria, Europe and further afield. The ‘very reliable’ Claudia Csáky heads the team, advising on unfair competition matters on top of her patent and trade mark disputes practice. Csaky is also noted for her extensive experience in applying for new trade marks, and the management of IP portfolios.

KWR Karasek Wietrzyk Rechtsanwälte GmbH handles a range of contentious and non-contentious IP matters, with a growing trade mark portfolio management practice complimenting its litigious patent, copyright and trade mark capabilities. The team represents clients both bringing and defending infringement claims, and is also well versed in handling the IP aspects of M&A transactions and licensing deals. Practice head Barbara Kuchar provides ‘insightful, clear and practical advice’ on the full spectrum of IP matters and unfair competition issues.

Taylor Wessing enwc Rechtsanwälte GmbH augmented its patents practice with the April 2023 arrival of Schwarz Schönherr Rechtsanwälte OEG‘s Thomas Adocker, who adds significant experience in patent litigation before the Viennese division of the UPC. Adocker joins a team that is well versed in managing international trade mark portfolios and handling prosecutions. The practice is headed by Martin Prohaska-Marchried, who also leads the firm’s CEE-wide IP team, regularly assisting clients with trade mark and copyright issues, with her particular area of expertise being copyright levies.

IP boutique Anwälte Burger und Partner Rechtsanwalt Gmbh (ABP) works closely with the firm’s Munich and Zurich offices to provide patent and trade mark prosecution and litigation services across the DACH region. The practice’s leadership group consists of Hannes Burger, who founded the firm, and is also a qualified patent attorney; soft IP specialist Clemens Ofner; Katarina Casals Ide, who focuses on IP contracting and licensing; criminal patent and trade mark expert Esther Humpl-Wagner; and Eike Schaper, who leads the firm's litigation practice.

Baker McKenzie Rechtsanwälte LLP & Co KG focuses on advising digital clients and those in the IT sector on a range of IP matters, displaying expertise in digital copyrights and licensing agreements. The group also leverages its international network of offices to handle cross-border trade mark portfolio management. Team lead Lukas Feiler is known for assisting a wide variety of clients in digital industries, ranging from e-commerce to software development, and IT service provision with copyright and trade mark issues. Michaela Petsche regularly represents clients in trade mark and copyright litigation, with a focus on the European market.

Cerha Hempel‘s IP team, described by one client as a ‘beacon of unparalleled excellence' manages the IP portfolios for numerous international clients, providing trade mark and patent prosecution, and licensing advice and acting for clients in the food, biotechnology and life sciences sectors, among others, in contentious matters. Leading the team is Mark Krenn, whose practice encompasses both IP and unfair competition disputes, while 'paragon of legal excellence' Alina Alavi Kia's area of expertise lies at the intersection of trade mark, copyright and food law.

E+H Rechtsanwälte GmbH's ‘highly diligent and effective’ IP team often collaborates with the firm’s competition and data protection specialists to assist clients with the management of their IP portfolios and IP-heavy transactions. The group is also known for acting in contentious matters, handling infringement proceedings before the Austrian courts. Andreas Zellhofer leads the team, advising clients at the intersection of unfair competition and trade mark, copyright or patent law, while Helmut Liebel assists with matters touching on IP, IT and data protection issues.

Trade mark, copyright, unfair competition and advertising mandates all fall under the umbrella of Herbst Kinsky Rechtsanwalte GmbH‘s IP practice, which specialises in advising start-ups. With its strong industry focus on the pharmaceutical, biotech and IT sectors, the team works closely with the M&A team to handle IP-heavy transactions, while also taking on cancellation and opposition proceedings. Leading the team is Sonja Hebenstreit, whose ‘amazing expertise’ spans licensing and IT issues. Hebenstreit is noted for her extensive experience in advising life sciences clients.

Specialising in trade marks with broad expertise in patent related matters, PENDL MAIR Attorneys at Law is adept at managing an extensive range of trade mark portfolios, conducting prosecution proceedings, and acting in disputes concerning unfair competition claims, when necessary. The team is jointly led by the ‘simply top’ Rudolf Pendl and ‘outstanding specialist’ Gerald Mair, both of whom handle the full spectrum of hard and soft IP law, and Sebastian Feurstein, who advises on trade mark prosecution and enforcement strategies.

SAXINGER Rechtsanwalts GmbH's IP team has broad expertise spanning the divide between trade mark and patent enforcement, and more specialised areas such as the misuse of domains. The team is co-led by Maximilian Gumpoldsberger, who has vast knowledge of trade mark and patent prosecutions and defence strategies, unfair competition specialist Reinhard Paulitsch. Co-head Michael Pachinger combines his IT expertise with his knowledge of trade marks, designs and patents, in addition to being a registered European trade mark and design attorney.

DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach Rechtsanwälte GmbH handles the full spectrum of contentious and advisory IP matters, with a specialist trade mark filing team assisting clients with prosecution proceedings and the day-to-day management of their portfolios. The team is also experienced in the handling of IP matters tied to transactions, an area in which practice head Sabine Fehringer has extensive expertise, in addition to copyright and trade mark enforcement.

Under the leadership of ‘one of a kind lawyer’ Martin Hanzl, the IP team at EY Law - Pelzmann Gall Größ Rechtsanwälte GmbH specialises in handling the protection and licensing of novel IP, including AI, Blockchain and NFT-related products and services. The practice regularly assists with the prosecution of trade marks in Austria and Europe and represents clients in infringement litigation.

HGF Europe LLP specialises in providing pan-European patent advice, assisting clients with the prosecution and subsequent defence of their inventions, including coordinating litigation strategies in Austria and abroad. Leading the practice are patent attorneys Jan Robert Naefe who specialises in material sciences; electrical engineering, software and biotech specialist Bernard Ganahl; and Markus Zoller, who routinely handles patent matters for clients in the life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors.

Jank Weiler Operenyi's IP team leverages the firm's wider network to advise clients on the cross-border protection of their IP rights. The group primarily assists film and media, and luxury goods clients with the registration of their trade marks and copyrights. Practice head Sascha Jung acts on a broad range of IP matters, including infringement disputes and IP protection strategies.