CHSH Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati is strong on both the IT and telecoms sides, with a longstanding client base that includes Telekom Austria and Hewlett-Packard. The practice had a strong 2010 capitalising on a number of M&A deals in the IT sector. The team has a particular focus on data protection law, and advised Yellow Pages France on the acquisition of Austria’s 123people, a website that allows users to search for personal data. Julian Feichtinger is the go-to name for IT law.

The telecommunications and IT practice at this large firm benefit from being part of a network that stretches across CEE. It has been especially sought after recently for advice on IT procurement, data protection, data retention and related whistle-blowing issues. The group acts as legal counsel for Hewlett-Packard, recently advising it on procurement relating to an IT system for the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Other clients include French-listed company PagesJaunes and Commerzbank. Sources highlight the practice's "considerable expertise, high-quality client service and competitive rates." Elisabeth Gruber heads the telecommunications team and Julian Feichtinger heads the IT team.