SHMP Schwartz Huber-Medek Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH

Background and Founding

SHMP Schwartz Huber‑Medek Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH (SHMP) was established in 2004 as a law firm dedicated to public commercial law – a niche that combines administrative, regulatory, and contract law in the public sphere. The firm’s founding partners, Walter Schwartz and Katharina Huber‑Medek, built a practice around four core pillars: environmental law, public procurement law, construction and building contract law, and gambling/sports betting law. Over two decades, SHMP has become one of Austria’s most acclaimed boutiques in these fields, earning top tier rankings from Chambers Europe (Band 3 in Public Procurement/PPP and Public Law: Planning and Environment) and repeated recommendations in The Legal 500, JUVE, and Who’s Who Legal.

Core Practice Areas

The firm’s environmental practice covers waste and emissions law, climate change legislation, mining law, water protection, land contamination, and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). Its procurement team advises contracting authorities and bidders through all stages of tendering and review proceedings, including damages claims. In construction law, SHMP handles project planning, building contracts, and liability disputes. The gambling and sports betting practice is a key differentiator: SHMP advises licensed operators, regulators, and suppliers on licensing, regulatory compliance, and litigation before administrative courts and the Austrian Constitutional Court.

Market Position and Recognition

SHMP’s lawyers are “attorneys by conviction” – they stress specialisation, service speed, clear communication, and accountability. The firm represents clients before all levels of Austrian administrative courts, the Federal Fiscal Court, the Constitutional Court, the Higher Administrative Court, and the European Courts (ECJ, ECtHR), as well as civil courts. The firm also uses an electronic award platform (ANKÖ) for procurement procedures. With around 24 employees (as per its European Law Institute profile), SHMP maintains a collaborative, team‑oriented culture. Its office is located at Hohenstaufengasse 7 in Vienna’s city centre. Over 85% of its mandates come from repeat clients, underscoring the trust it has built in its specialist areas.

Leadership and Culture

SHMP is a partnership led by its founding partners. Walter Schwartz and Katharina Huber‑Medek continue to guide the firm's strategic direction, and both are consistently ranked as leading individuals by Chambers Europe and other directories. The firm’s culture emphasises deep specialisation, fast response times, and clear client communication, which has fostered long‑standing relationships across its core practice areas.