So, what's the Big Deal?
On 14 October 2025, CERHA HEMPEL staged the "Big Deal". As part of the "Big Deal" workshop, fifteen high potentials simulated an M&A transaction and received valuable practical tips and advice.
CERHA HEMPEL invited participants to attend its traditional "Big Deal Networking" event in the evening and to an exciting panel discussion. Together with Dr. Alfred Stern, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of OMV AG, CERHA HEMPEL Managing Partner Dr. Clemens Hasenauer, LL.M. discussed career prospects, the secrets of success and their own careers.
CERHA HEMPEL is particularly pleased with the success of this exciting format. Each year for the past fifteen years, selected applicants have been given the opportunity to simulate a transaction during the course of a practical workshop and to gain an insight into M&A practice for the first time. This year the focus was on "international joint ventures".
For CERHA HEMPEL, the Big Deal has become an important platform for discovering and recruiting talented young lawyers, emphasizes Dr. Hasenauer, Managing Partner and Head of the Corporate Transactions Department: "We're delighted that every year we have the opportunity to meet outstanding young colleagues who are interested in M&A transactions at our Big Deal workshop."
A success story over fifteen years in the making: CERHA HEMPEL "Big Deal"
Each year, the CERHA HEMPEL "Big Deal" workshop offers undergraduates, graduates and PhD students of law or commercial law the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of an M&A transaction. Those participating in the workshop perform a variety of tasks ranging from structuring the transaction, drafting a confidentiality agreement, drawing up the shareholder or share purchase agreements, performing due diligence, and signing and closing the deal. Using real life M&A model documents, participants work together in groups to develop and present solutions. CERHA HEMPEL offers high potentials the opportunity to put the knowledge they have acquired at university into practice during a workshop.
