Dorian Schmelz

Schmelz Rechtsanwälte, the Austrian law firm led by partner Mag. Dorian Schmelz, has been named Tenancy Law Firm of the Year in Austria at the 2024 Corporate INTL Global Awards. Operating from Vienna and Klosterneuburg, the firm has built a reputation for accessible, energetic and reliable legal advice across a range of civil and commercial matters, with tenancy law among its recognised strengths.

Dorian Schmelz completed his legal studies at the University of Vienna, where his results earned him standing among the top of his cohort. Following several years at leading Austrian firms specialising in corporate and real estate law, he passed the bar examination with distinction in 2014 and established his own practice the following year. From those beginnings the firm has grown into a practice serving private individuals and businesses across the Vienna region.

Tenancy law, the practice area behind this award, is a central part of Schmelz's work. Austrian rental law is a detailed and heavily regulated field, governing the relationship between landlords and tenants across residential and commercial property. Advice in this area typically covers the drafting and review of lease agreements, questions of rent and permissible charges, termination and eviction, and the resolution of disputes between the parties. Schmelz advises clients on both sides of these relationships, drawing on his background in property and real estate law to place tenancy questions within the wider context of Austrian real estate practice.

Alongside tenancy law, the firm maintains a broad civil practice. Schmelz's areas of focus include corporate and commercial law, information technology law, inheritance law and wealth planning, and litigation and negotiation. He also advises on matters affecting older clients and on property and real estate more generally. This spread allows the firm to support individuals and businesses through connected issues, whether a tenancy dispute, a question of succession, or a commercial matter, without the need to instruct separate advisers for each.

The firm presents itself through a clear set of values, describing its approach as energetic, transparent, trustworthy, composed, secure and reassuring. That client-focused ethos is reflected in practical touches such as online appointment booking and a knowledge hub offering guidance on areas including family and association law. The aim is to make legal advice approachable and to give clients confidence that their matters are being handled with care and rigour.

Being named Tenancy Law Firm of the Year in Austria recognises the firm's depth in rental and property matters and the value clients place on its combination of technical knowledge and accessibility. Under Dorian Schmelz's leadership, Schmelz Rechtsanwälte continues to expand its presence in the Vienna and Klosterneuburg markets while maintaining the personal, solution-focused service on which its reputation rests.