2_1_DiscoverGermany_January15_Issue22:Scan Magazine 1
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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Austria’s Legal Experts
PHH Rechtsanwälte The New Kid On The Block As one of the leading corporate law firms in Austria, PHH Rechtsanwälte prides itself on being a trendsetter in the legal industry and preaches a change in the mindset of the way law firms work. We talked to Rainer Kaspar, partner in the corporate department of PHH Rechtsanwälte, to learn more about the firm. TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: PHH SOLICITORS / NATASCHA UNKART
Rainer Kaspar says: “Our firm is relatively young: We were founded only 15 years ago and started with a focus on private equity and mergers & acquisitions. Today, our fields of activity have severely extended and we cover all aspects of modern business life.“ Approximately forty experts from a wide range of different areas of specialisation satisfy any demand a client may have.“We have heavily invested in industry expertise over the last few years as we believe that the future lawyer should be more a comprehensive trusted advisor and trouble shooter than a mere legal consultant. Our advice is therefore more holistic and we
savour to be creative and don’t shy away from finding unconventional solutions for our clients,“ Rainer Kaspar adds. Working in small teams, with each of them having a focus on one or two industry sectors, PHH Rechtsanwälte prides itself “on thorough commercial knowledge and understanding of the sectors involved. Our clients especially appreciate that our partners are available to them 24/7 and that the teams on a transaction very rarely change.“ When it comes to taking risks, the law firm is willing to ‘share the pain‘ with its clients. Rainer Kaspar says: “Over time, we have
Main image: (from left to right) Mario Schiavon, Wolfram Huber, Rainer Kaspar, Maria Hoffelner, Hannes Havranek, Stefan Prochaska, Dörk Pätzold, Nicolaus Mels-Colloredo, Mathias Preuschl Above: Rainer Kaspar, Partner
developed structures enabling us to share in the commercial risk of the client by offering flexible, some may even say unconventional, fee models. We have moved away from the traditional hourly rates model and typically work on the basis of fixed fees or success oriented structures. This way clients do not need to fear high legal fees with no successful deal to show. I have been told a lot of times that this is a bold step for a law firm, but honestly, I think that this adaptation of the way we do business is absolutely necessary to adapt to the changing requirements of the business world.” He finishes:“If you asked me to summarize in a sentence what makes us stand out, I would say that it is our will and the ability to reach tailor-made solutions for any issue raised by the client, using not only legal skills but especially also taking a strategic and commmercial view of the problem.“ www.phh.at
Issue 22 | January 2015 | 59