Vienna, September 2023. Together with outstanding academic legal experts and internationally acclaimed attorneys fwp partner Markus Fellner has published a practice-oriented book on all material aspects of shareholder agreements. 

The work "Der Syndikatsvertrag", which was recently released by Linde publishing house, addresses practitioners and is an illustrative guide to shareholder agreements. The book deals with all the material aspects of shareholder agreements, from conclusion, amendments and termination scenarios up to content and limits to their design. 

The high-profile team of authors comprised outstanding academic legal experts such as professors Friedrich Rüffler, University of Vienna, and Johannes Zollner, professor at the Institute for Corporate and International Commercial Law at the University of Graz, as well as internationally acclaimed attorneys such as Wolf Theiss partner Florian Kusznier, and Paul Schörghofer, partner at Frotz Riedl Rechtsanwälte.

Shareholder agreements are among the central sets of rules in corporate law and may be in conflict with articles of association to a certain extent. "Discussions gave rise to practice-relevant questions, in particular concerning the extent to which such arrangements are binding, the limits to designing options, and dissolution or potential abuse scenarios", emphasises fwp partner Markus Fellner. "For this reason it was important to all authors to create a practical guide on how to deal with shareholder agreements". 

The authors

Markus Fellner is a partner at Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH and head of the areas of corporate/M&A, banking law and finance, and restructuring. He works as a lecturer at different educational institutions and is author of publications in the areas of banking & finance, corporate law, restructuring, and insolvency law.

Franz Hartlieb, LL.M. is a member of the academic staff at the Institute for Corporate and International Commercial Law at the University of Graz and works at the Research Unit for Business Law established by the institute in cooperation with Held Berdnik Astner & Partner Rechtsanwälte GmbH.

Christopher Jünger, LL. M. is an attorney in the Corporate/M&A team of WOLF THEISS Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG. He regularly publishes on corporate law and lectures at Vienna University of Economics and Business and the University of Applied Sciences, Vienna.

Ines Krausler, LL.M. (QMUL) is qualified as an attorney both in Austria and England & Wales. She has been working as a Senior Associate at Wallace LLP in London since June 2022. She specialises in corporate and business law, especially in the areas of M&A and restructuring.

Florian Kusznier, LL.M. (LSE) is a partner at WOLF THEISS Rechtsanwälte GmbH & Co KG. He specialises in supporting Austrian and international clients in M&A and private equity transactions, in corporate law and public takeovers. He possesses special expertise in advising in the health sector and regularly supports clients from the most different industries (including software and technology, the automotive industry, tourism, etc.).

Friedrich Rüffler, LL.M. is a professor at the Institute of Corporate and Commercial Law at the University of Vienna. He is author of numerous essays and publications on corporate and capital markets law.

Paul Schörghofer, LL.M. is a partner at Frotz Riedl Rechtsanwälte. He specialises in the areas of corporate law, restructuring law and M&A. He especially advises banks and insurance companies at the interface between corporate law and regulatory law and is author of numerous publications and an expert lecturer, in particular on liability of managing directors and the laws on corporate banking  and partnerships.
        
Julia Told is professor of Private Business Law at the Institute of Business and Tax Law of the University of Innsbruck. Previously she was professor of Civil Law and Business Law at Vienna University of Economics and Business. She wrote her professorial thesis entitled "Leitung und Veranwortung im Konzern" [Leadership and Responsibility in a Group of Companies] at the University of Vienna.

Johannes Zollner has been a professor at the Institute for Corporate and International Commercial Law at the University of Graz since 2013. From 2011 to 2013 he was professor for Private Law at the University of Klagenfurt and previously a member of the academic staff; most recently associated professor at the Institute for Civil and Business Law at Vienna University of Economics and Business.

To the Book