16th edition of CMS European M&A Study is available now

A. MORTGAGES  1. Can security be granted to a foreign lender?  Yes. There are no restrictions on the registration of mortgages for foreign lenders.  2. Can lenders take a mortgage over land and buildings...

Press release - 17 April 2024After completing a master’s degree at Stanford Law School, Christoph Birner (29) rose to the rank of lawyer in April as a member of the CMS transactions team in the Corporate and Banking & Finance areas. An expert in M&A and financing transactions, he was admitted to the Bar not only in Vienna, but also in New York in 2024. Christoph Birner has worked on the CMS transactions team for several years, advising numerous international clients on corporate and financing transactions. Recently, for instance, he was part of the team that advised the Greek Sfakianakis Group on the acquisition of Ajar Car Rental GmbH (the master franchisee of Enterprise, National, and Alamo), supporting its market entry into Aus­tria. "Chris­toph Birner is another young talent from among our own ranks who has been admitted to the Bar. We are very pleased about this, not least because he is at home in all areas of business law and corporate law. This is all the more important in the context of a stable M&A market and our firm’s involvement in a record number of transactions, as shown in the recently published M&A study, as he will be able to contribute his specific M&A expertise to an even greater extent,” says Günther Hanslik, managing partner and head of the financial transactions team at CMS Vienna. From the start, Christoph Birner’s goal has been to combine legal and business expertise. Accordingly, he completed a law degree as well as a degree in business administration in Vienna. He then went on to expand his know-how by pursuing another law degree at the renowned Stanford University. He also gained additional experience abroad – always an asset for an internationally active law firm like CMS – during academic stays at Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, the University of St. Gallen, the University of Oxford, and Harvard Law School."The international and in­ter­dis­cip­lin­ary environment at CMS is perfect for me to succeed in my chosen specialist areas and to devise the best possible solutions for our clients,” says Christoph Birner.

Press release - 17 April 2024An international team of CMS lawyers has provided comprehensive legal advice to Austrian Airlines AG on the sale of the Slovakian company Austrian Airlines Technik Bratislava (ATB) to the Dutch aircraft maintenance provider SAMCO Aircraft Main­ten­ance. Es­tab­lished in 2006, ATB has been offering first-class maintenance services specifically to regional aircraft operators. Closing the deal in early April, CMS supported the company’s successful sale to SAMCO Aircraft Maintenance, which expands its base maintenance footprint in Europe as a consequence. In the course of the acquisition, the CMS team contributed its international expertise in corporate law/M&A matters and also provided extensive legal advice on financing aspects and competition law. “We are excited to have supported Austrian Airlines on this transaction and are pleased that our expertise in cross-border M&A matters contributed to the smooth execution of the deal,” says Alexander Rakosi, a partner at CMS and a member of the corporate transactions team in Vienna. The CMS core transaction team consisted of partners Alexander Rakosi and Florian Mayer (both Vienna, Corporate/M&A) and attorney-at-law Martina Gavalec (Bratislava, Corporate/M&A), and was supported by partner Dieter Zandler (Vienna, Antitrust), associate Rebecca Herlitz (Vienna, Corporate), associate Ján Ševčík (Bratislava, Dispute Resolution), and legal trainee Matthias Torggler (Vienna, Corporate Transactions). On the buyer side, BarentsKrans (Netherlands) and Kinstellar (Slovakia) were involved in the transaction.

Press release - 15 April 2024In the contest for top talent, CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz is wowing candidates with a new look and feel, as well as an inclusive work environment that sets future-facing industry standards for maximum flexibility, international career opportunities, and great working conditions. Its employer promise is clear: We individuals win. CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz, one of the largest and most renowned law firms in Austria and the CEE region, is positioning itself as an employer with a strong brand identity in the contest for top talent. The firm developed its future-facing employer branding collaboratively on the basis of cross-de­part­ment­al and transnational interviews and workshops. The resulting relaunch is an authentic reflection of CMS both internally and externally, giving candidates a clear idea of what CMS stands for as an employer, what makes it special, and what sets it apart from competitors.  Diversity as the basis of shared success   The new employer branding aligns with the new employer promise “We individuals win” (#windividuals) and the employer values “grow, flow, show”, chosen to underline the sustainable values that form the foundation of CMS. These in­clude: Cre­at­ing an optimal environment for innovation and plenty of space for personal development (grow) Fos­ter­ing an open firm culture, an inclusive work environment, and appreciative interactions (flow) Show­cas­ing the cutting-edge expertise of its people (show) As Esther Brand­ner-Richter, Head of Human Resources at CMS in Vienna, explains, “The unique team behind our success unites diverse individuals with distinctive development trajectories – but always directed towards a common goal. That is the path we want to continue to pursue and to also make visible in our new employer branding. Our firm’s culture is the core of our employer brand. Going forward, we want to do even more to specifically foster our people’s individual talents. Because even in a traditional law firm environment, work should be fulfilling, fun, and offer enough flexibility for every­one.” Gün­ther Hanslik, Managing Partner at CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz, adds, “Our firm takes its social responsibility very seriously, building a sustainable culture through targeted initiatives that encompass all aspects of our work. It is a culture that allows everyone to fulfil their potential and grow, no matter what their background is – we champion diversity, solidarity, and in­clus­iv­ity.” Flex­ib­il­ity and space to adapt With its new employer branding, CMS also reinforces its image as a modern employer that practises New Work, and as a law firm that masters the challenges of today’s dynamic world of work. “In an age where the way we work is constantly changing, we recognise the importance of structuring your work individually,” says Esther Brand­ner-Richter. “Our people can set their working hours flexibly and benefit from a modern work environment that encourages creativity and cooperation. We embrace the concept of New Work. We value results, not working around the clock.”