Private Clients

Schindler Attorney’s private Client Practice combines the specialised know-how of our core areas with the personal dedication and specific experience that private clients require. Our clients are individuals or entire families, as well as single or multi-family offices, private foundations, trusts and private banks.

We assist our clients in a wide range of areas including estate and succession planning, corporate governance and shareholder structures, private foundations and trusts, asset management, asset protection, prenuptial agreements and divorces, as well as citizenship and residency issues. Private clients particularly appreciate our in-depth knowledge of the various legal fields as well as our integrated legal and tax advice. Additionally our practice is complemented by charity and philanthropy matters.

Estate and Success Planning

Our Private Client Practice has extensive experience in implementing cutting edge estate planning solutions, both inter vivos as well as causa mortis, either through specific vehicles such as private foundations and family holding structures, or through contractual arrangements, such as wills, inheritance contracts, and prenuptial or shareholders’ agreements. Frequently, multiple jurisdictions are involved, as cross border structures often yield benefits from a legal, as well as tax perspective. Often we are retained to bring corporate structures in-line with applicable inheritance law implications, e.g., to protect the family business against claims of heirs for their compulsory portion. Additionally the structuring of family offices is another area of expertise.

International Probate Proceedings

Wealthy individuals or families regularly hold assets in a large number of countries. Accordingly, probate proceedings often have a cross-border dimension and cases in which local courts have to apply foreign inheritance law regimes are steadily increasing. We are assisting our clients in protecting their interests in those challenging situations, which demands in-depth knowledge of Austrian and foreign inheritance law.

Private Foundations

We are often asked to establish new private foundations or to examine and revisit existing structures. We advise founders and beneficiaries, but are equally retained by members of the board. Related disputes, either within the family (e.g., in situations where the next generation is contesting decisions of the founder’s generation, or as a consequence of a divorce) or with outside parties (e.g., creditors that try to seize family assets), is another focus of our Private Client Practice.