Offices – Austria
Explore all Offices
Global Reach
Global Reach

Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.

Explore our reach
Insights – Austria
Explore all insights
Expertise
Insights
Insights

CMS lawyers can provide future-facing advice for your business across a variety of specialisms and industries, worldwide.

Explore topics
Offices
Global Reach
Global Reach

Apart from offering expert legal consultancy for local jurisdictions, CMS partners up with you to effectively navigate the complexities of global business and legal environments.

Explore our reach
CMS Austria
Insights
About CMS

Select your region

Dieter Zandler
Partner

Dieter Zandler

Head of Antitrust, Competition and Trade, CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz

Languages
  • German
  • English
  • French
Social media

Dieter Zandler is a partner specialising in Antitrust, Competition and Trade Law (in particular foreign direct investment control). He heads the Antitrust, Competition and Trade Law team of CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz (Austria and CEE/SEE) and co-heads the Austrian team. Dieter represents national and international companies, especially in cartel (fine), antitrust, merger control and abuse of dominance proceedings before Austrian competition authorities, the European Commission and in court. He also advises his clients on antitrust compliance and antitrust damages claims as well as on foreign direct investment control.

Dieter Zandler represents companies from various sectors, including finance (especially banking and insurance), private equity, energy, packaging, consumer goods, services, IT, telecommunications, media, chemicals, engineering, food and life sciences. 

Dieter Zandler regularly provides courses and trainings, focusing on antitrust compliance and the competition law aspects of distribution contracts and distribution systems. For several years, he is also a guest lecturer at the University of Vienna.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Dieter Zandler is an excellent adviser; there really is nothing left to be desired."
    Chambers Europe 2025
  • Quote
    "We appreciate his excellent expertise in his field and ability to look beyond and coordinate and drive topics."
    Chambers Europe 2025
  • Quote
    Dieter Zandler is an advisor who consistently works at the very highest level.'
    Legal 500, 2025
  • Quote
    "He provides great expertise and quick solutions."
    Chambers Europe, 2024
  • Quote
    ’‘Dieter Zandler in particular is a valuable advisor who understands the economic context very well and makes well-thought-out suggestions for implementing the objectives. His international knowledge is impressive."
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2024
  • Quote
    ‘Dieter Zandler: very broad expertise, always eager and very responsive."
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2024
  • Quote
    Dieter Zandler is always a pleasure to work with. Very experienced and well connected to colleagues in the other CMS offices. 24/7 availability and very responsive. Exceptional legal service.
    Legal 500 (2022)
  • Quote
    "Dieter Zandler has a great deal of experience in the field of antitrust and competition law. We see him as a perfectionist taking care of every detail and offering top-notch advice always on time and on a wide range of antitrust issues."
    The Legal 500, 2021
  • Quote
    "Dieter Zandler provides very reliable advice and convinces with detailed and in-depth result down to the last point."
    The Legal 500, 2021
  • Quote
    "His expertise in Austrian and EU antitrust and competition law has always been accurate and practicable. His team has worked together excellently."
    The Legal 500, 2021

Publications

The Law Reviews publications: 
  • Zandler/Horaceck, Chapter 4: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Merger Control Review14 (2023) 53.
  • Zandler/HoraceckChapter 5: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Merger Control Review13 (2022) 72. 
  • Zandler/HoraceckChapter 6: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Merger Control Review12 (2021) 86. 
  • Zandler/Marterer/HoraceckChapter 7: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Merger Control Review11 (2020) 93. 
  • Zandler/Marterer/HoraceckChapter 8: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Merger Control Review10 (2019) 89. 
  • Zandler/MartererChapter 8: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Merger Control Review9 (2018) 85. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/HoraceckChapter 3: Austria, in Knable Gotts/Schwartz (eds.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review16 (2023) 22.
  • Elsner/Zandler/Scharf, Chapter 3: Austria, in Knable Gotts/Schwartz (eds.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review15 (2022) 22.  
  • Elsner/Zandler/Wimmer-Nistelberge, Chapter 4: Austria, in Knable Gotts/Schwartz (eds.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review14 (2021) 37.
  • Elsner/Zandler/Wimmer-NistelbergeChapter 4: Austria, in Knable Gotts/Schwartz (eds.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review13 (2020) 35.
  • Elsner/Zandler/Wimmer-NistelbergerChapter 4: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review12 (2019) 36. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/KosChapter 5: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review11 (2018) 41. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/Kos, Chapter 5: Austria, in Knable Gotts (ed.), The Private Competition Enforcement Review10 (2017) 51. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/HoraceckChapter 2: Austria, in Dolmans/Mostyn/Todd (ed.), The Dominance and Monopolies Review11 (2023) 12.
  • Elsner/Zandler/HoraceckChapter 3: Austria, in Dolmans/Mostyn (eds.), The Dominance and Monopolies Review9 (2021) 29. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/HoraceckChapter 3: Austria, in Dolmans/Mostyn (eds.) The Dominance and Monopolies Review8 (2020) 30. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/HoraceckChapter 3: Austria, in Dolmans/Mostyn (eds.), The Dominance and Monopolies Review7 (2019) 27. 
  • Elsner/Zandler/KosChapter 3: Austria, in Dolmans/Mostyn (eds.), The Dominance and Monopolies Review6 (2018) 25. 

Memberships & Roles

  • Austrian Bar Association 
  • Studienvereinigung Kartellrecht 

Awards & Rankings

  • Often recommended, JUVE Ranking Antitrust Law, JUVE - Magazine for Business Lawyers in Austria 11-12/2018, 11-12/2020, 11-12/ 2022. 
  • EU & Competition: Next Generation Partner, Legal 500 Austria, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. 
  • Ranked lawyer, Competition/European Law - Austria, Chambers Europe, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024.

Lectures list

  • Dieter Zandler regularly provides courses and trainings, focusing on antitrust compliance and the competition law aspects of distribution contracts and distribution systems. For several years, he is also a guest lecturer at the University of Vienna in the field of distribution (antitrust) law in the courses of Univ. Prof. RA Dr. Johannes Reich-Rohrwig.

Education

  • 2011 – Admission to the bar 
  • 2006 – MA, Law, Central European University, Budapest/New York 
  • 2006 – Visiting JD Programme, Emory University School of Law, Atlanta 
  • 2005 – Erasmus, ELTE ÁJK, Budapest 
  • 2005 – Dr. iur., Law, University of Salzburg 
  • 2002 – Mag. iur., Law, University of Salzburg