Team

Norbert Wess

Norbert Wess

Dr. LLM MBL

Attorney | Partner

­t +43 1 532 13 00

f +43 1 532 13 00-90

n.wess@wkk.law


  • "The 'excellent' Norbert Wess of wkk law Rechtsanwälte is an acclaimed top-tier practitioner who has acted on some of the most prominent cases in the market. He is acknowledged for his work on domestic as well as international matters"
    (Chambers Europe 2019)

  • "Norbert Wess is one of the most esteemed white-collar crime specialists in Austria. "He is unbelievable active and knows everything and everybody," market sources note."
    (Chambers Europe 2021)

     

  • "Norbert Wess of WKK Law Rechtsanwälte is a standout practitioner in the Austrian market. Commentators describe Norbert Wess as "the most famous lawyer in white-collar crime.""
    (Chambers Europe 2022

  • wkk law has 'an excellent reputation' for its expertise in commercial criminal law work, frequently pertaining to corruption allegations, alongside internal investigations and compliance. Key contact Norbert Wess is highly regarded
    (Legal 500 EMEA 2019)

  • „Norbert Wess at wkk law is a regular fixture in some of Austria's most prominent criminal proceedings. He handles a wide range of national and international white-collar criminal law matters, including compliance and internal investigations.”
    (Legal 500 EMEA 2021)

  • „Norbert Wess is a standout practitioner in the Austrian market. He is highly regarded by peers for his longstanding expertise on a wide range of white-collar crime mandates including corruption, compliance and internal investigations. Norbert Wess is a dominant, busy and experienced practitioner in this field without a doubt. He is straightforward, brilliant and makes the entire area tick.” (Chambers Europe, 2023)

  • ,,Norbert Wess is Austria‘s no 1 white-collar crime defence attorney.´´

    (Legal 500 EMEA, 2024)

Practice areas

  • Commercial criminal law and criminal law on corruption
  • Business (criminal) law and criminal responsibility of legal entities
  • Compliance and Internal Investigations
  • Participation in criminal proceedings of private parties as civil claimants and of potentially liable parties
  • Criminal law related to offences against property and financial criminal law
  • General criminal law, administrative (criminal) law
  • International criminal law, extradition law
  • Sports and events law

Teaching activity

Lectures on commercial criminal law and criminal law on corruption as well as in the context of events on compliance issues
Lecturer at Danube University Krems regarding the sports law programs "Sportrecht, LL.M.", "Sportrecht, MLS" und "Akademische/r ExpertIn im Sportrecht"
Lecturer at Vienna University of Economics and Business, Institute for Economic Criminal Law, specialist seminar: „Strafverteidigung in der Praxis“

Positions / Memberships

Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien (Vienna Bar Association)
Österreichischer Juristentag (Austrian Association of Legal Practitioners)
VÖStV - Vereinigung österreichischer StrafverteidigerInnen (Association of Austrian Defence Lawyers), member of the board
WiSteV - Wirtschaftsstrafrechtliche Vereinigung eV (Commercial Criminal Law Association)
AIDP (Association Internationale de Droit Pénal – International Association of Penal Law)
Deputy Chairman of the disciplinary committee of the Austrian Federal Football League
Member of Sports Law research unit, University of Vienna 
Member of the regulatory commitee of the Austrian Federal Football League 
(Co-)Editor of Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Finanzstrafrecht (ZWF, Journal for Commercial and Financial Criminal Law)
(Co-)Editor Handbuch Strafverteidigung, Manz (2017)
(Co-)Editor Praktikerkommentar Wirtschaftsstrafrecht
Member of the Disciplinary Board of the Vienna Bar Association

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

  • Das Günstigkeitsprinzip im Bilanzstrafrecht (Ausgabe 2017/05) - ZWF (gemeinsam mit RAA Dr Vanessa McAllister)
  • Der Parteiantrag auf Normenkontrolle („Gesetzesbeschwerde“) im Rahmen der österreichischen Strafgerichtsbarkeit, in Vereinigung Österreichischer StrafverteidigerInnen ua, Strafverteidigung im Kreuzfeuer, Tagungsband 7. Dreiländerforum Strafverteidigung 2017, NWV Verlag (gemeinsam mit Dr Julia Sagmeister)
  • Zum Anwaltsprivileg im Rahmen von unternehmensinternen Ermittlungen in Lewisch (Hrsg), Wirtschaftsstrafrecht und Organverantwortlichkeit, Jahrbuch 2017, 57 (gemeinsam mit RAA Mag Markus Machan)
  • Bribery & Corruption (4th Edition, 2017) – Austrian Chapter (gemeinsam mit RA Mag Bernhard Kispert)
  • Zur Zulässigkeit der Abgabe von schriftlichen Stellungnahmen durch den Beschuldigten im Ermittlungsverfahren (Ausgabe 2017/04) – ZWF (gemeinsam mit RAA Dr Vanessa McAllister) 
  • Die Stellung des Verteidigers im Strafverfahren, in Kier/Wess (Hrsg), Handbuch Strafverteidigung, Manz (2017), 1
  • Verteidigung im Ermittlungsverfahren, in Kier/Wess (Hrsg), Handbuch Strafverteidigung, Manz (2017), 113
  • Erfahrungen der Staatsanwaltschaft sowie der Verteidigung bei Verfahren wegen Insiderhandel, in Glaser/Kert (Hrsg), Marktmanipulation und Insiderhandel, Linde (2017), 75 (gemeinsam mit OStA Mag Beatrix Winkler)
  • Strafrechtliche Verantwortlichkeit des Vorstands, in Kalss/Frotz/ Schörghofer (Hrsg), Handbuch für den Vorstand, Facultas (2016), 1383  
  • (Neben-)Folgen einer Verurteilung nach dem VbVG (Ausgabe 2017/02) - ZWF (gemeinsam mit RAA Mag Markus Machan, RAA Dr Vanessa McAllister)
  • The International Investigations Review (7th Edition, 2017) – Austrian Chapter (gemeinsam mit RAA Mag Markus Machan, RAA Dr Vanessa McAllister) 
  • Vermögensschaden beim Betrug; Anknüpfungsgegenstand des Verfalls (OGH 28.06.2016, 14 Os 29/16w), JBl 2017, 399 (gemeinsam mit RAA Dr Vanessa McAllister)

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

  • Aktuelle Rechtsfragen zur Stellung des Sachverständigen in Wirtschaftsstrafverfahren in Lewisch, Wirtschaftsstrafrecht und Organverantwortlichkeit, Jahrbuch 2012; NWV Verlag
  • Sachverständigengutachten auf dem Prüfstand in Wirtschaftsstrafverfahren – Statement in Soyer/Stuefer, Strafverteidigung – Kritik vorbeugender Maßnahmen/Sicherheit
  • Der Kampf um Sachverständigengutachten in Wirtschaftsstrafprozessen, Journal für Strafrecht (JSt) Heft 1, 18ff

2011

2008

2021
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime
Legal 500 - „Leading Individual“ - White Collar Crime

2020
Trend AnwaltsrankingCriminal defence and Commercial criminal law 
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime
Legal 500 - „Leading Individual“ - White Collar Crime
Handelsblatt - Lawyer of the year in Austria - White Collar Crime

2019
Trend Anwaltsranking – Criminal defence and Commercial criminal law 
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime
Legal 500 

Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award – White Collar Crime - Law firm of the year in Austria

2018
Trend-Anwaltsranking - Criminal defence and Commercial criminal law 
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime
Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award – White Collar Crime - Law firm of the year in Austria

2017
Trend-Anwaltsranking - Criminal defence and Commercial criminal law 
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime
Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award White Collar Crime - Law firm of the year in Austria

2016
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime
Trend-Anwaltsranking - Criminal law and Criminal defence
Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award White Collar Crime - Law firm of the year in Austria

2015
Chambers Europe - White Collar Crime
Format-Anwaltsranking - Criminal law and Criminal defence
Format-Anwaltsranking - Commercial criminal law 
Corporate Intl Magazine Legal Award: White Collar Crime - Law firm of the year in Austria
Dispute Resolution Award - Criminal Defense Firm of the year - Austria

2014
Expert Guides – White Collar Crime
Corporate Intl Magazine Global Award: White Collar Crime - Law firm of the year in Austria
Format-Anwaltsranking – Criminal law and Criminal defence
Chambers Europe – White Collar Crime

2013
Format-Anwaltsranking - Criminal law and Criminal defence
Chambers Europe - White Collar Crime

2011
JUVE - Commercial criminal law Austria