Over the last couple of years, more and more countries have deployed technologies that allow them to match digital images of a person (e.g. from a surveillance camera) against a database of pictures.

Herbst Kinsky has advised the Biogena Group Invest AG on its capital increase to approximately four million shares. 

In December 2020 the Higher Administrative Court issued an interesting ruling regarding the party status of environmental organisations (EOs). Until now, the scope of EOs' participation rights in Austrian nature conservation proceedings was unclear. The court's ruling clarifies that EOs' party status is to be interpreted broadly.

Austrian lawyers Ludwig Hartenau and Maria Dreher are among 22 members of Freshfields's 22-strong global partnership promotion round.

Binder Groesswang has advised Deutsche Beteiligungs AG and its portfolio company Fast Lean Smart Group GmbH on their acquisition of Impactit GmbH. Bird & Bird reportedly advised Deutsche Beteiligungs as well, and KPMG Law reportedly advised the unidentified seller.

Jank Weiler Operenyi, the Austrian member of Deloitte Legal, has advised the Kruger Group, the minority shareholder in soda maker manufacturer Sodapop Austria GmbH, on the acquisition of the remaining shares of the company from BAST Unternehmensbeteiligungs GmbH and ROHE Vertriebsmanagement und BeteiligungsgmbH. Austria's Berger Ettel law firm reportedly advised the sellers.

Ingo Braun and Markus Schifferl have joined BPV Huegel in Vienna.

Herbst Kinsky has advised Viennese start-up GoStudent on its EUR 70 million Series B investment round, which included existing investors Left Lane Capital and DN Capital as well as New York fund Coatue. Goodwin and Schoenherr advised Left Lane, and Cooley and Wolf Theiss reportedly advised Coatue.

Binder Groesswang and White & Case advised Verbund AG on their issuance of innovative green and sustainability-linked notes with a volume of EUR 500 million. Schoenherr and Linklaters advised BofA Securities and J.P. Morgan in their capacities as joint ESG structuring agents and joint bookrunners, as well as Erste Group, Morgan Stanley, and Societe Generale in their capacities as Joint Bookrunners.

Binder Groesswang, working alongside lead counsel Kirkland & Ellis, has advised GTCR and Corza Health on its acquisition of TachoSil Surgical Patch from Takeda, the subsequent merger with Surgical Specialties, and the resulting founding of Corza Medical. Takeda was advised by Linklaters.

Brandl Talos advised a syndicate of the 42CAP, Amino Collective, Push Ventures, Air Street Capital, and VP Venture Partners funds on their investment in Allcyte. Germany's SMP law firm advised the 42CAP fund on its participation. Herbst Kinsky advised Allcyte.

Brandl Talos has advised Sportradar Group on the acquisition of sports data and video analytics platform Synergy Sports. Latham Watkins acted as US counsel to Sportradar and Niederer Kraft Frey advised on the Swiss law aspects of the deal. The sellers were represented by DLA Piper and Schellenberg Wittmer.

Horea Popescu, Managing Partner of CMS Bucharest and Head of CMS’s Corporate M&A Practice in CEE Looks Back at an Unusual Year.

Dorda has advised the Exeter Property Group on the sale of a logistics center near Vienna to Allianz Real Estate, which was advised by CMS.

Brandl Talos, working with Sheridans, has advised Ring International Holding AG on its agreement with PLK Europe GmbH, an affiliate of Restaurant Brands International Inc., to become the UK master franchisee of Popeyes with exclusive rights to the brand in the United Kingdom. Greenberg Traurig's London office advised RBI on the deal.

The European Union is committed to the fight against climate change ("European Green Deal"). One of the pillars in this fight is the expansion of renewable energy sources. According to the current goals, the share of renewable energy sources within the Union should increase to 32% by 2030. In practice, however, the expansion of renewable energy is increasingly being slowed down by the interpretation of EU nature conservation regulations by the European Court of Justice ("ECJ"). Also, the latest decision of the ECJ is no "boost" for renewables. 

Schoenherr has advised joint lead managers Barclays Bank Ireland Plc, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, DZ Bank AG Deutsche Zentral-Genossenschaftsbank, Frankfurt am Main, Erste Group Bank AG, and Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the successful issue of EUR 500 million 0.875 % senior non-preferred eligible notes 2021-2026 by Volksbank Wien AG. Wolf Theiss advised Volksbank Wien on the issuance. 

Act Legal WMWP has advised Viennese real estate start-up Wowflow on a EUR 300,000 financing round.