In response to the coronavirus outbreak, most CEE/SEE countries have introduced provisions to close certain premises, while only some have banned the termination of leases in order to protect tenants who have lost revenues.

DLA Piper Austria has advised FFF Real Estate, a subsidiary of FFF Fund I SCSp SICAV-RAIF, a multi-compartment-regulated Luxembourg fund managed by a Cyprus-based management company, on financing provided to an unnamed residential real estate developer for the acquisition from unnamed sellers and development of an unspecified residential project in Luxembourg.

Until a few decades ago, litigation funding was nowhere to be seen. Today, it is daily business across law firms in the US, UK, and Australia. Although it has taken longer to reach Europe, and particularly CEE, it has now firmly made its mark, and it looks like it is here to stay.

Oberhammer Rechtsanwalte, BPV Huegel, and DLA Piper, acting with Ewald Oberhammer, Christoph Nauer, and Christian Temmel, respectively, as independent proxies at the general meeting of Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfeld Equipment Aktiengesellschaft -- the first virtual general meeting of a listed company in the German-speaking countries, together with Wilhelm Rasinger from the Interessensverband der Anleger (IVA).

Binder Groesswang has helped Austrian Post on the introduction of its new bank – Bank99 – to the market.

CMS Vienna Partner Nikolaus Weselik will take over as the head of the working group on construction contract law and construction procedural law of the Austrian Society of Construction Law and Construction Business Management.

Binder Groesswang has advised Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG on the establishment of a joint venture to produce protective masks in Austria.

On March 27, 2020, CEE Legal Matters reported that Dorda had advised Warburg-HIH Invest Real Estate on the sale of a multi-story office building in the Summering part of Vienna to a real estate fund managed by Luxembourg-based Blue Colibri Capital. We spoke with Jana Wetzel, Real Estate Manager at Warburg-HIH Invest, about the deal.

Baker McKenzie has advised McDonald’s on the implementation of short-time work for all of its restaurants in Austria due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

It's hard to believe, but some cybercriminals are trying to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis. They seek to exploit IT weaknesses and use our fears and insecurities to obtain passwords, infiltrate company networks or launch cyberattacks. We have therefore put together a short overview of measures to decrease cybercrime risks in the current extraordinary situation.

Cerha Hempel and Schoenherr advised OMV on the acquisition of a 39% stake in Borealis AG from Mubadala for USD 4.68 billion. Allen & Overy, Eisenberger & Herzog, and Binder Groesswang advised Mubadala on the transaction, which remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed by the end of 2020.

“From the perspective of the Austrian people the government is doing a great job,“ says Raimund Cancola, Partner at Taylor Wessing in Vienna. “We’re really lucky that the current coalition is working in unison – they’re quite complementary. Almost nobody has any substantial negative remarks over their handling of the crisis."

Dorda has successfully represented Willhaben in a dispute against AutoScout24 AS involving the Austrian Unfair Competition Act.

Cerha Hempel has advised Philip Morris Austria GmbH on the launch of a new tobacco product in Austria.

Wolf Theiss has advised Japan's Takeda Pharmaceuticals on its March 30, 2020 acquisition of Plasmaspendedienst GmbH.

Contributed by Weber & Co.

Dorda has advised Greiner AG on the takeover of Eurofoam GmbH from Recticel. The Brussels office of Allen & Overy and Eisenberger & Herzog advised Recticel on the deal. Financial details were not disclosed, and closing remains contingent on regulatory approval.

Weber & Co. has advised OMV AG, the international integrated oil and gas company headquartered in Vienna, on the issuance of multi-tranche corporate bonds. White & Case Frankfurt advised the joint lead managers Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, MUFG Securities, Societe Generale, and UniCredit Bank Austria AG.