Peter Lewisch

Practice Areas

Commercial criminal law, in particular white collar crime, public commercial and European law, constitutional and administrative law, antitrust and regulation

Career

Peter, a criminal law specialist, leads the white collar crime team. He is also a full professor for criminal law at the University of Vienna and director of the Law School’s Centre for Business and Financial Crime. He is regarded as the leading Austrian lawyer for complex and high profile business crime and white collar cases, in particular for cases with an international background, with a success rate of around 98%. Peter enjoys wide recognition among the judiciary, the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Justice. Peter is also known for his profound knowledge of pertinent questions of constitutional law (being a professor for this area, too) and of the ECHR (having been on the Austrian government’s 3 person shortlist for the position of a ECHR judge a couple of years ago).

Peter is regularly involved in the law making phase of major reforms in the area of criminal law. He has just recently been a member of the year-long active Ministry´s working group on the reform of the prosecutorial branch in Austria. His advice is often sought by political decision makers when it comes to evaluate legislative proposals or to develop own political goals. Peter enjoys an international reputation as the leading expert in the field, teaching inter alia in China and Japan, Ethiopia and Bhutan, as well as in South America and providing advice for legislative projects in Liechtenstein and Taiwan. He was active at counselling the Austrian government regarding several reform projects of the Austrian criminal law. In his capacity as a practicing lawyer, Peter Lewisch´s advice is regularly asked for, in one or another form, in practically all high profile cases in Austria.

Professional Memberships

Vienna Bar; IBA

Publications

Leading commentaries and textbooks on Austrian criminal law.

Personal

University of Vienna (Dr. iur. 1985, Dr. rer. soc. oec. 1987), Since 2011 Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, Department of Criminal Law, Law School, University of Vienna.

Languages Spoken

German, English, French, Russian