Category: News

bpv LEGAL advised JLL Partners on the acquisition of the Life Couriers group

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS, together with colleagues from the international bpv LEGAL offices, advised the US private equity firm JLL Partners on its acquisition of the Life Couriers group.

Munich-based Life Couriers is an international specialist in time- and temperature-critical logistics for the healthcare and life sciences sectors, including radiopharmaceuticals, life sciences, stem cell transport, direct-to-patient delivery, and pharmaceutical and emergency logistics. The group operates across Europe, the USA, Central America and Asia.

Winston Taylor advised JLL Partners as lead counsel on the US legal aspects of the transaction.

In the Czech Republic, the bpv Braun Partners team was led by partner Arthur Braun and managing associate Iva Wenzel, supported by senior associate Markéta Kleinová and associate Sabina Škrobánková. The team carried out legal due diligence on the Czech target and supported signing and closing of the transaction.

In Austria, bpv Hügel conducted legal due diligence under the lead of partner Elke Napokoj.

In Romania, bpv Grigorescu Ștefănică handled due diligence, assisted in notifying the investment for FDI screening and in obtaining FDI clearance and supported the signing and closing of the transaction, with a team led by partner Cristina de Jonge comprising also managing associate Laura Popa (employment), senior associates Anamaria Rotariu (corporate), Denisa Kopandi and Diana Ciubotaru (finance and commercial), Antonia Coman (employment), as well as associates Ioana Martin (FDI and competition), Arina Cornescu (corporate and litigation), Angelina Dănăila (real estate) and Alexandra Fălcuță (employment). 

More information about the transaction here.

bpv Huegel advises bp on Sale of Austrian Retail and EV Charging Business to volenergy AG

bpv Huegel, alongside Lead Counsel Dentons, has advised bp on the sale of its shares in bp Retail Austria GmbH.

Vienna, 21 July 2026. bp has entered into an agreement to sell its mobility, convenience and electric vehicle (EV) charging businesses in Austria to volenergy AG.

The agreement covers bp branded retail sites – of which approximately 115 are company-owned and operated under a franchise model – as well as the electric vehicle charging network and the fleet card business associated with bp Austria. Following the completion of the transaction – expected by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals – the retail sites in Austria will continue to operate under the bp brand pursuant to a brand licensing agreement.

volenergy AG operates the largest network of fuel stations in Switzerland and is part of the Volare Group AG.

bpv Huegel acted as local counsel, advising on all Austrian legal aspects of the transaction. The scope of work included conducting the vendor legal due diligence, advising on the pre-sale transaction structuring – including the demerger and cross-border conversion of bp Retail Austria GmbH – and drafting/negotiating the Austrian legal aspects of the Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) and transaction documents.

Deal Team:

The bpv Huegel team was led by Corporate/M&A Co-Head Thomas Lettau. The broader team included partners: Johannes Mitterecker (Partner, Corporate/M&A), Christian Schneider (Partner, Public Economic Law & Energy Law), Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber (Partner, Competition Law), Paul Pfeifenberger (Partner, Real Estate Law), Kornelia Wittmann (Partner, Tax), Gerhard Fussenegger (Partner, Competition Law, FDI), Filip Lukacic (Attorney at Law, Public Economic Law & Energy Law), Tim Pasternak (Attorney at Law, Corporate/M&A) and associates: Daniel Maurer (Associate, Corporate/M&A), Laurenz Kainrath (Associate, Corporate/M&A).

bpv Huegel advised bp alongside Dentons as lead counsel, led by Darren Acres (UK) and Thomas Schubert (Germany).

Press release

bpv Huegel advises ams OSRAM on EUR 1bn High-Yield Senior Notes issuance and EUR 600mn Revolving Credit Facility Amendment

ams OSRAM issued EUR 1bn 7.25% senior unsecured notes due 2032 in an upsized offering and amended and restated its EUR 600mn Revolving Credit Facility. 

15 June 2026. bpv Huegel advised ams OSRAM on the Austrian law aspects of the EUR 1bn notes issuance and the amendment and restatement of its Revolving Credit Facility.

This issuance was the largest single-B unsecured high-yield issuance in Europe in the last 5 years. Following strong investor demand, the offering was upsized from EUR 700mn.

The proceeds from the offering will be used, together with cash on balance sheet, to (i) redeem in full ams OSRAM’s outstanding USD 750mn 12.250% Senior Notes due 2029, (ii) partially redeem its outstanding EUR 1,025bn 10.50% Senior Notes due 2029, and (iii) pay related costs, fees and expenses, including redemption premiums and accrued interest.

Furthermore, ams OSRAM has amended and restated its Revolving Credit Facility, which provides for total commitments of EUR 600mn.

The bpv Huegel capital markets and finance team was led by Christoph Nauer (Capital Markets) and included Roland Juill (Lead, Capital Markets), Ingo Braun (Lead, Finance & Regulatory) as well as Barbara Valente (Capital Markets, Finance & Regulatory), Nicolas Wolski (Tax), Daniel Maurer and Laurenz Kainrath (Capital Markets, Finance & Regulatory).

ams OSRAM was advised together with Linklaters LLP. The global coordinators and bookrunners were advised by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP and Weber Harrer Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG.

The ams OSRAM Group (SIX: AMS) is a global leader in innovative light and sensor solutions as a specialist in Digital Photonics the company develops high-performance optical semiconductors and sensor solutions for sensing, illumination and visualisation across automotive and industrial end markets, as well as selected high-volume consumer applications.  Headquartered in Premstätten/Graz (Austria), with a second headquarter in Munich (Germany), the Group generated revenue of EUR 3.3 billion in 2025.

Press release

20 years of bpv Braun Partners: A Night of History, Harmony, and Gratitude

What a milestone! On Tuesday, we celebrated our 20th anniversary in a truly unforgettable way.

To mark two decades of shared success, we gathered in the impressive spaces of the Augustinian Monastery of St. Thomas in Prague at Malá Strana. Usually closed to public, this hidden gem, founded all the way back in 1285 by King Wenceslas II., opened its doors for us. Stepping into a spiritual and community-oriented place so deeply connected to St. Augustine as well as to the present pope, gave the evening a magical, timeless atmosphere.

Here a few highlights from our unforgettable night:

An Angelic Opening: The evening kicked off with a truly welcome from two main representatives of the monastery: P. William S. Faix and P. Juan Provecho Lopéz, followed by mesmerizing performance by the world-renowned soprano, the graceful Markéta Fassati. Her incredible voice filled every corner of St. Thomas Church, with at the end the guests joined her surrounded by masterpieces from Rubens, Kilian Dientzenhofer and Škréta. A breathtaking start into a perfect party!

Fine Food, Great Wine & Even Better Company: Our and our 300 guests` artistic ambitions included the joint painting of new piece of art and were paired with exceptional food, great drinks, Markéta`s wonderful jazz singing. For the quieter part, amazing harp music was accompanied by silent raindrops which could not spoil the night.

A Special Surprise: We took a trip down memory lane with a special team video presentation, showing us how we have grown over those two decades, followed by a heartfelt toast to our success story.

This evening was a powerful reminder of what makes bpv Braun Partners so special.

A huge THANK YOU to our clients and friends for your trust, to our incredible colleagues from Prague, Bratislava, Liberec and the colleagues from bpv LEGAL (bpv Huegel, bpv GrigorescuStefanica and bpv Jádi Németh) for your dedication and brilliant work. We couldn’t have reached such a milestone without you!

Here’s to the next decades of another growth, very human but still prosperous partnership,  having success together! 

Stay tuned, more to come.

   

bpv Huegel advises ams OSRAM on the sale of its CMOS Image Sensor business to indie Semiconductor

ams OSRAM sells its CMOS Image Sensor business to indie Semiconductor Inc. for EUR 40 million

18 May 2026. bpv Huegel advises ams OSRAM, a global leader in innovative lighting and sensor solutions, on the sale of its CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) business to indie Semiconductor, a company listed on the U.S. Nasdaq stock exchange. Total transaction proceeds amount to EUR 40 million.

This transaction further sharpens the strategic focus of ams OSRAM on growth areas within digital photonics, including AI photonics, such as highly parallel optical data links for AI data centers, as well as advanced display technologies for AR smart glasses and other applications.

Closing of the transaction is expected within the next six months, subject to customary regulatory approvals, including antitrust clearance.

Legal advice to ams OSRAM is provided together with Freshfields Germany.

The bpv Huegel team is co-led by Michal Dobrowolski (Corporate/M&A) and Christoph Nauer (Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets) and includes Paul Pfeifenberger (Employment), Nicolas Wolski (Tax), Patrick Nutz-Fallheier (Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets), and Daniel Maurer (Corporate/M&A).

The U.S.-based company indie Semiconductor Inc. specialises in the development of innovative semiconductor solutions for the automotive industry and related markets.

The ams OSRAM Group (SIX: AMS) is a global leader in innovative lighting and sensor solutions. As a specialist in Digital Photonics, ams OSRAM combines engineering excellence with state-of-the-art global manufacturing to provide customers with the broadest portfolio of digital light and sensing technologies.

Press release

 

 

M&A is not just about paragraphs …. bpv LEGAL Academy 2026 in Bratislava

M&A is not just about paragraphs, but also about practical insights, market standards, the business intentions; and above all, about the people behind them!

The latest bpv LEGAL Academy in Bratislava is over, and we are still filled with gratitude and nice memories. 

This year’s core theme was Mergers & Acquisitions, discussed at the Marriott Bratislava Old Town by five expert speakers from various offices within our alliance, namely: Elke Napokoj, Sonja Dürager, Stefan Gaug, Nikolas Wolski from Austria, and Arthur Braun from the Czech Republic.

A special mention goes to Andrew Jackson from Quadra Underwriting, whose external perspective provided invaluable insights.

Our Bratislava office truly set a high bar for organization. From the morning coffee to the deep-dive lectures, every detail was handled with care. However, the true highlight was the informal “Get Together” in the historical heart of the city.

We spent a wonderful evening at FACH, located in the breathtaking premises of the “Mozart House.” The genius loci of the place—where a six-year-old W. A. Mozart is said to have performed in 1762—was perfectly complemented by the stylish, modern interior. It provided the ideal backdrop for dinner, drinks and relaxed conversations with colleagues from across the entire bpv LEGAL universe.

Our key takeaways: 

✅ Practical M&A insights that the colleagues can immediately apply to our work. 

✅ Inspiration from networking with experts across our international network bpv LEGAL. 

✅ Most importantly – a renewed sense that law is built on people, sharing knowledge and relationships among us.

Many thanks to the Bratislava team for their warm welcome! 

It was more than just a training academy!

 

bpv Huegel strengthens its team with three new attorneys following internal promotions

Raphael Lehner, Filip Lukacic, and Philipp Stengg are continuing their careers at bpv Huegel. They respectively specialize in corporate/M&A, public economic law, and competition and antitrust law.

25 March 2026. Raphael Lehner (30), Filip Lukacic (31), and Philipp Stengg (32) start as attorneys at law at bpv Huegel. All three have already acquired in-depth expertise in strategically important practice areas at bpv Huegel and work in the Corporate/M&A, Public Economic Law, and Competition and Antitrust Law practice groups.

“We are delighted to welcome three outstanding colleagues from within our own ranks to our team of attorneys. Their professional expertise and dedication exemplify our values and will significantly strengthen our firm,” says Elke Napokoj, Partner and Co-Head of Corporate/M&A at bpv Huegel.

Corporate/M&A
Raphael Lehner, LL.B (WU), LL.B (WU), is a member of the Corporate/M&A practice group. He has gained extensive transaction experience at bpv Huegel as well as during two and a half years at specialized Vienna-based law firms, particularly in the areas of Corporate/M&A, Private Equity, Litigation, and Real Estate Law. He has been part of the Corporate/M&A practice group at bpv Huegel since October 2024. He completed his degree in Business Law at the Vienna University of Economics and Business in 2020.

Public Economic Law
Mag. Filip Lukacic is a member of the Public Economic Law practice group. He studied Law at the University of Vienna (Mag. iur. 2019) and, during his studies, worked inter alia as a student assistant at bpv Huegel and as a research assistant at the Institute for Constitutional and Administrative Law at the University of Vienna. Following two years at the Federal Administrative Court, and a subsequent nine-month secondment to the regulatory department of an electricity and gas distribution network operator, he has been part of Christian F. Schneider’s team since 2022.

Competition and Antitrust Law
Mag. Philipp Stengg, LL.M., LL.M., is a member of the Competition and Antitrust practice group. He has extensive experience in merger control as well as in all areas of traditional antitrust law, with a particular focus on advising in cartel proceedings. In addition, he is regularly engaged in academic work on antitrust matters, particularly in the fields of cartel law and abuse of dominance. His professional experience includes positions at JKU Linz, the Austrian Federal Chancellery, and a renowned Vienna-based law firm before joining bpv Huegel.

Press release

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS has once again secured its ranking in the Legal 500

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS, a leading law firm in Central and Eastern Europe, has once again been recognized in the Legal 500 in the following practice areas.

  • Banking, Finance, and Capital Markets (Czech and Slovak offices)
  • Real Estate and Construction (Czech and Slovak offices)
  • Commercial, Corporate and M&A (Czech and Slovak offices)
  • Employment (Czech and Slovak offices)
  • Projects and Energy
  • Dispute Resolution
  • TMT

We are delighted with the excellent results achieved by bpv Braun Partners, which are primarily a reflection of the work of our colleagues, who have been providing high-quality legal services to clients for 20 years.

Lucie Kalašová has been recognized for the second time as a Next Generation Partner in the field of Employment Law. Also worth mentioning are other colleagues who are recommended as key lawyers in their practice areas: Arthur Braun, David Vosol, Pavel Vincík, Jiří Bárta, Ondřej Poništiak, Pavel Vintr, Robert Matas, Martin Cír, Jindra Pozniaková, František Čech, David Plevka, Iva Wenzel, Alexandr Pech, Markéta Kleinová, Evelina Weagová, Nikola Ourodová, Ivana Horáková, Adam Dobiáš, Igor Augustinič, Martin Provazník, Juraj Gazda, Zuzana Dzilská a Monika Kardošová.