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Georg Krakow

Partner
Georg Krakow is one of the most distinguished experts in white-collar crime and compliance matters in Austria.
Client, Legal 500 EMEA 2023
About

Georg Krakow is a partner and heads the Litigation & Regulatory practice at DLA Piper in Vienna.

He is a board member of a major non-profit organization in the field of Rule Of Law and anti-corruption and has extensive experience as a lecturer at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Laxenburg, the University of Vienna and Sigmund Freud University. He previously held a position as head of cabinet at the Federal Ministry of Justice and worked as a senior public prosecutor and public prosecutor in white-collar criminal cases in Vienna. Prior to that, he worked for ten years in the private sector, including in contract law. He is author and partly co-editor of several publications in the field of criminal law, AML-regulatory law, compliance, and lobbying.

As a lawyer, Georg advises and represents companies, institutions and individuals in all areas of white-collar criminal law and compliance issues. One of his main areas of expertise is the assessment and evaluation of criminal law cases through internal investigations in multidisciplinary teams. The holistic support of all necessary legal and other steps in criminal law matters is his specialty. Another focus is on shortening or avoiding lengthy proceedings and keep criminal law risks at bay with the help of comprehensive risk analyses and the implementation of efficient compliance systems. In the sense of “Panta Rhei” an ever adaptive approach to complex legal situations is key for his understanding.

Professional QualificationsRechtsanwalt registered with Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien

EXPERIENCE

  • Representing and advising in criminal proceedings from the police and the prosecutors office to the court and the supreme court, as defence lawyer or representing aggrieved parties.
  • Conducting international and national Internal investigations of criminal and regulatory law related issues as basis for decision-making, for pursuing or defense against claims, avoiding or supporting proceedings.
  • Representing and advising in civil and arbitration proceedings related to a core criminal law issue.
  • Representing and advising in fiscal penal proceedings.
  • Cases with involvement of crypto-currencies.
  • Representing and advising in administrative proceedings, in particular regulatory proceedings regarding AML, conduct and sanctions compliance, including financial institutions.
  • Representing and advising public entities including cases that involve dealing with public law compliance including parliamentary committees issues.
  • Representing and advising in administrative penal proceedings. 
Languages
  • German
  • English
Education
  • University of Linz, MBA, 2011
  • University of Linz, akad. Expert in European law, 1999
  • University of Vienna, Mag. iur., 1997

Awards

Georg Krakow is listed as a leading criminal law and compliance expert in Austria in all major lawyer directories:

  • Hall of Fame lawyer in dispute resolution: white-collar crime (including fraud) Legal 500 EMEA, 2024
  • Recognised practitioner for White-Collar Crime in Chambers Europe, 2024
  • "The DLA team, headed by Georg Krakow, has extensive experience in white-collar crime. Even in complex cases, Georg Krakow knows every detail and never loses focus. He always provided legal advice to our complete satisfaction. We really appreciate his calm manner and the timely, pragmatic, and solution-oriented advice.“ Client, Legal 500 2024
  • "He's very approachable, hard-working, and brilliant in his ideas." Client, Legal 500 2024
  • "If you have 20 questions, he could answer half by heart and could answer the rest with a laptop.“ Client, Chambers Europe 2024
  • "Georg Krakow is one of the most distinguished experts in white-collar crime and compliance matters in Austria." Client, Legal 500, 2023
  • "Georg Krakow’s extensive knowledge of the Austrian public sector and his experience as a former public prosecutor helped us choose the right strategy for our case. What made the experience unique was that he used the mentioned skills to provide a set of solutions and was ready to take immediate action. His experience gave us great confidence in our decisions." Client, Legal 500, 2022
  • "Georg Krakow is a first-class white-collar crime practitioner with a particular focus on internal investigations and compliance matters. He also handles tax evasion and credit fraud proceedings as well as matters relating to export regulations.” Chambers Europe, 2021

Seminars

  • Lecturer at:
    • University of Vienna
    • Sigmund Freud University of Vienna
    • International Anti Corruption Academy, Laxenburg
    • Various professional training institutions
       

Prior Experience

  • 2014 to 2021 Partner, Vienna based international law firm
  • 2011 to 2014 Senior Counsel, Vienna based international law firm
  • 2008 to 2011 Head of Cabinet of Ministry of Justice, Senior Public Prosecutor
  • 2004 to 2008 public prosecutor and senior public prosecutor
  • 1998 to 2004 Austrian judiciary (trainee judge, judge, ministry of justice)
  • 1992-1998 Head of legal department of private retail company
  • 1988-1992 Sales person and Department head in furniture retail company

Additional Information

  • Georg Krakow engages in rule-of-law-work and is asked on a regular basis to comment on matters of the judicial system and criminal law in the media

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Vienna Bar Association
  • Transparency International (Austrian Chapter), Member of the board
  • International Association of Penal Law (AIDP)
  • Vereinigung österreichischer StrafverteidigerInnen
  • ICC Working Group on corporate responsibility Vienna

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