HAUSER PARTNERS Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG

Managing Partner: Wulf G Hauser
Number of partners worldwide: 3
Number of other lawyers worldwide: 5

Firm Overview:
Hauser Partners was established in 1987 and quickly assumed a leading position in its chosen fields of specialisation. As an independent, owner-managed law firm with a clear focus on an international practice, Hauser Partners’ main areas of practice are cross-border mergers and acquisitions, international commercial arbitration, capital markets and banking and finance. The firm presently has offices in Vienna and in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Hauser Partners is a boutique for highly specialised legal services where experience and an understanding of the business needs of the client provide the firm with a cutting edge for the benefit of the client.

Main Areas of Practice:  

M&A & Corporate:
Hauser Partners has managed a number of significant national and international transactions and is one of the leading Austrian firms in the area of M&A. Wulf G Hauser has led the team of Hauser Partners in many major European and overseas cross-border transactions. For example, Hauser Partner has been lead counsel in the acquisition of the largest paper mills in almost every Central and Eastern European country, including Russia.
Recent Transactions Include:
■ Representing the purchaser in the acquisition of 100% in FMW Förderanlagen GmbH, a major player being active in the engineering business for pulp and paper mills
■ Acting as lead counsel in the acquisition of 53.32% and 4.52% in Suez Bags Company, a company being active in the production of industrial bags, which is listed at the Cairo Stock Exchange
■ Advising the Mondi Group in the acquisition of 50% in Mondi TSP, a leadingThai producer of industrial bags, bringing the Mondi Group’s participatiom to 100%
■ Representing a leading automotive supplier in the acquisition of 100% of German tyres, rims and lubrications business units in Germany
■ Advising a leading industrial bag producer in the acquisition of an industrial bag plant in Egypt
■ Advising a leading paper producer in the setting-up of a joint saw mill operation in the Czech Republic
■Representing the purchaser in the acquisition of a flexible packaging company with operating facilities in Russia
■ Representing the purchaser in acquisition of a flexible packaging company with operating facilities in South Korea and Thailand
■ Representing the seller in the sale of a flexible packaging company with two operating facilities in Malaysia
■ Representing the Schweighofer Group in acquisition of the largest saw mill in Saxony, Germany
■ Representing the purchaser in the acquisition of an automotive distribution business in Finland
■ Advising the Mondi Group in acquisition of Intercall, the leading sack manufacturer in Serbia
■ Advising the Mondi Group in the acquisition of two corrugated packaging plants in Ansbach, Germany and Bupak, Czech Republic
■ Advising a consortium of investors on the contracts for a joint venture to build a major hydroelectric pump power plant in Austria
■ Advising an overseas investor in the acquisition of a substantial package of shares in an Austrian listed company

International Commercial Arbitration:
Hauser Partners represents corporate clients before international and domestic arbitral tribunals and Austrian courts. Wulf Gordian Hauser has served as sole arbitrator, chairman of the arbitral tribunal, party appointed arbitrator or counsel for a party in numerous arbitrations before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Arbitral Centre of the Federal Economic Chamber, Vienna, in ad hoc arbitrations under the UNCITRAL-rules, under the arbitration rules of the Austrian Code of Civil Procedure and in other ad hoc arbitrations. The ICC has published two of his decisions in the ICC Bulletin.
Recent Cases Include:
■ Counsel for the Rothschild family in a dispute concerning the biggest charitable foundation in Austria
■ Counsel for Respondent in a VIAC Dispute concerning claims under a Consulting Agreement under English law
■ Counsel for Respondent in a VIAC Arbitration involving claims for a Success Fee under Consulting Agreement
■ Counsel for Claimant in an ICC Arbitration in Singapore relating to fraud claims in a major M&A transaction
■ Party-appointed arbitrator in an ad-hoc-dispute under Austrian law concerning restitutions in a South Eastern European Country
■ Counsel for Claimant in a VIAC dispute including emergency measures
■ Party-appointed arbitrator in an ICC dispute concerning long-term gas contracts
■ Party-appointed arbitrator in a VIAC dispute under Austrian law concerning aircraft financing
■ Counsel for Claimant in an annulment suit before Austrian courts against an arbitral award under Czech law concerning a dispute arising out of a Share Purchase Agreement with a leading industrial company
■ Party representative in an arbitration beforeVIAC under German law concerning the charter agreements in connection with a cruise ship
■ Party representative in an arbitration before VIAC under South-Eastern European Law concerning the electric energy sector
■ Chairman in an ICC arbitration under French law concerning damages to a cruise ship

Banking & Finance:
Hauser Partners regularly acts as local counsel for international banking consortiums in high-level financing transactions involving various kinds of deal structures. Hauser Partners has profound experience and expertise in advising international financing institutions as well as international banking lawyers in cross-border transactions on general banking law mat ters, corporate finance as well as securitisations, and the issuing of related legal opinions. Capital Markets: Hauser Partners has profound experience and expertise in advising international clients in relation to capital market issues, including proceedings before the Austrian Takeover Commission, of which Wulf G Hauser has been a member.
Recent Transactions Include:
■ Representing a large group of minority shareholders in connection with a squeeze-out procedure of minority shareholder of one of the largest companies which had been listed at the Austrian Stock Exchange, including US discovery proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C § 1782
■ Representing the controlling shareholder of ERSTE Bank in proceedings before the Austrian Takeover Commission, dealing with questions control over a foundation and issues of control within a syndicate
■ Representing the controlling shareholder of Erste Bank in proceedings before the Austrian Takeover Commission, which led to a pioneering decision with respect to legal issues of acting in concert, control within a syndicate and the liability for mandatory offers triggered by one party of a star-shaped syndicate consisting of several parties
■ Representing the controlling shareholder of Erste Bank in proceedings before the Austrian Takeover Commission, dealing with complex issues of the effect of the acquisition of non-voting stock and the subsequent transfer within a group of syndicate partners
■ Advising a client from the UK in creating a prospectus in accordance with the provisions of the Liechtenstein AIFMG (Alternative Investment Funds Management Code), in particular with respect to several concrete marketing activities

International Work:
Hauser Partners focuses on international transactions providing high-end legal advice to companies. The majority of its activities have a cross-border aspect. Hauser Partners assists foreign clients with their activities in Austria in various aspects of corporate and commercial law. Even more important are international projects in which Hauser Partners advises clients in transactions in many countries, in particular in Central and Eastern Europe.

Clients:
Clients are typically international entities who retain Hauser Partners for their Austrian work or Austrian companies who require assistance in international transactions. They include leading companies, such as Mondi plc. (paper and packaging) and Erste Group Bank.