birgit_kraml_web_large

Birgit Kraml

Partner
Birgit Kraml was the perfect match.
— Client, Legal 500 EMEA 2024
Vienna
About

Birgit Kraml can draw on decades of experience in real estate law and regularly advises national and international corporations on major real estate projects in Austria and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Her practice includes project developments, transactions, lease and tenancy law, condominium law and real estate litigation. One of her further focuses is environmental and sustainability law.

Due to her cross-disciplinary approach, Birgit also helps clients with distressed assets and in restructuring as well in real estate litigation. Birgit focusses in particular on the asset classes retail, office, hotels, logistics and residential.

Birgit regularly contributes publications in legal reviews on real estate law and has lectured at Universities in Vienna on environmental and planning law. She is the chairwoman of ULI Austria and was appointed by the French Prime Minister as Conseiller du commerce de l’extérieur de la France.

Birgit joined DLA Piper in October 2024 as partner and heads the Austrian Real Estate practice of DLA Piper.

Areas of FocusReal EstateInfrastructure, Construction and TransportConsumer Goods, Food and RetailIndustrialsMedia, Sport and EntertainmentTechnologyEnergy and Natural Resources
Professional QualificationsRechtsanwältin registered with Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising Ibersol Group, a Spanish hotel operator, on entering the Austrian market. This includes the takeover of an existing hotel and the negotiation of a hotel lease in Vienna. 
  • Advising a distributor of automotive equipment on the negotiation of its lease agreement for sites in Austria.
  • Representing Deka in the forward share purchase of the landmark office tower AustroTower in Vienna and advising the client in the letting of the tower. *
  • Advising a family office in the sale of its Palais in the first district in Vienna. *
  • Advising a family office in the purchase of a Palais in the first district in Vienna, including advise in real estate development with adjacent property.
  • Representing and advising a German hotel group in negotiating a hotel management agreement for a hotel to be built in Vienna.
  • Representing and advising BobW Technologies in entering the Austrian market and rolling out their serviced apartments.
  • Advising a German lender in NPL issues for a construction project in Austria including advice in restructuring and insolvency law.
  • Advising a UK shareholder of an Austrian company in shareholder and managing director issues and in the valuation of the properties held by the Austrian company.* 
  • Negotiating lease agreements for a data center developer.*
     
*Denotes experience from previous firm.
Languages
  • German
  • French
  • English
Education
  • London School of Economics and Political Science, LL.M., 2001
  • University of Vienna, PhD., 2001
  • University of Vienna, Master in Law, 1998

Publications and media

Seminars

  • Real Estate ESG Breakfast Event organized with BDO , EHL and Raiffeisenlandesbank NÖ, April 2025
  • Event on the future of AI at DLA Piper Vienna, April 2025
  • Panellist on a high-profile panel that includes state governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner at an Event organized by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield on the topic of sustainability in the real estate sector, 9 April 2025 
  • Event organized with BDO on ESG and market trends in the hotel industry, event organised with BDO: Panellist, 20 November 2024
  • Event of Controller Institute Austria on CFOs: Panellist on the question of CSRD together with i.a. the Austrian Minister of Justice, Alma Zadic, 2024
  • Organising and moderating Event in cooperation with BDO "Europe's Green Deal: Is sustainability affordable?" with i.a. the Austrian Minister for Europe and Constitution, Karoline Edtstadler, 2024
  • Panellist of "Immobilienrederei" organised by Sparkasse Niederösterreich on the Austrian real estate industry, 2024
  • Interview for the Austrian newspaper Der Standard on legal issues of photovoltaic panels, 2024
  • Organising and moderating a panel on the resilience of retail as asset class with Unibail, Cineplexx and McArthurGlen, 2024
  • Immolive in September 2024: Legal and regulatory developments in the real estate industry
  • Series of Webinars between 2020 and 2022 on Austrian lease law and reduction of rent during Covid19

Prior Experience

  • 2001-2024, Partner, Attorney at law, Associate, Austrian law firm.
  • 2007, Stage International, Ordre des Avocats à la Cour de Paris.
  • 1997-1999, Journalist, Kurier, Mediaprint.

Additional Qualifications and Positions

  • Urban Land Institute Austria: Chairwoman since July 2023
  • Conseiller du commerce extérieur de la France, appointed by the French Prime Minister in February 2023
  • University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna: Lecturer 2011-2013, English Master program, lectures in international and European environmental law.
  • Technical University Vienna: Lecturer 2014-2015 on planning right, environmental impact assessment proceedings and neighbour rights.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Vienna Bar Association
  • Urban Land Institute
  • Chambre de Commerce Franco-Autrichienne

My latest insights

News
Abstract Architectural Red Wave

DLA Piper advises Spanish hotel group Ibersol on entry into Austria and takeover of a...

30 June 2025 .2 minute read

Publication
vienna dct

New Regime On Austrian Real Estate Transfer Tax

23 June 2025 .3 minute read

Events
Fractal_light_S_2666

Unlocking the Future of AI – Insights on the AI Act

14 April 2025 .2 minute read

CallvCardLinkedInPrint

Connect

Phone

+43 1 531 781 750
(Work, Vienna)
+43 1 533 52 52
(Fax, Vienna)
+43 676 8888 1750
(Mobile)