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Birgit Kraml

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

Professional QualificationsRechtsanwältin registered with Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien

EXPERIENCE

  • Representing a south-korean fund in a forward share purchase transaction regarding an office building in Vienna. The deal was finally not signed. *
  • 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. *
  • Representing Nuveen in the purchase of the office building Adler & Ameise. The post-closing work included the asset management.*
  • Representing Nuveen in the sale of an office building in Vienna.*
  • 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.
  • Advising three project partners, a transportation company, a multinational commercial real estate company, and a global furniture retail company on the development of a major infrastructure project on the outskirts of Vienna.
  • Representing and advising a Lindner group in taking over a hotel in Tyrol.*
  • 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 corporate issues.
  • 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

  • Börsen-Kurier, October 2024 on Expo Real 2024
  • CFO aktuell 2024, The liability of the management in case of greenwashing.

Seminars

  • 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

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