We represent … 
… your interest out of conviction and with great commitment:
We offer you a well-founded examination of your matter and competent advice and representation at affordable conditions.
In a non-binding initial consultation, you will receive clear information about the chances of success of your case.
We will represent your interests in the ongoing proceedings with commitment and conscientious reliability.
We will keep you informed about the progress of your proceedings and are available to answer any questions you may have.
Thanks to our many years of experience in legal representation and advice as well as
cooperation with specialised organisations and experts,
you can rely on competent information - even in areas beyond our core expertise.
Because law enforcement should not be a privilege.
Contact & office hours
Our Team
Dr. Christian Schmaus
has been a self-employed lawyer in Vienna since passing the bar exam with distinction in 2012.
He has also been a lecturer at the Institute for Constitutional and Administrative Law (Institut für Staats- und Verwaltungsrecht)
at the University of Vienna since 2017 and teaches there as part of the Refugee Law Clinic.
He is part of the board of Integrationshaus and is a regular lecturer in the areas of asylum and immigration,
for example for Asylkoordination Österreich, the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund,
the Austrian Integration Fund (Österreichischer Integrationsfonds) and the Vienna Social Fund (Fonds Soziales Wien).
He is co-author of the guidebook
Fremdenrecht: Asyl – Ausländerbeschäftigung – Einbürgerung – Einwanderung – Verwaltungsverfahren,
which was published in its 8th edition in 2023.
Mag.a Clara Zimmermann
has been an associate at the Schmaus law firm since 2023.
Previously, she worked as a research assistant and organisational head of the
“Clean Mediterranean Sea!” project at the Vienna Forum for Democracy and Human Rights.
In the past, she has worked in various NGOs (such as Amnesty International, Verein Ute Bock, Caritas)
in the field of fundamental and human rights. In 2021, she co-founded the Civil Action Network association,
which works to strengthen civil society, and served as its chairwoman for two years
Michaela Fischer-Langer
has been responsible for the organisational management of the law firm since 2014.
Among other things, she is responsible for reception, appointment coordination,
file and deadline management, mail management, enforcement proceedings and general office management.
Mag.a Angelika Weber
responsible for administration and office management.
Main Areas of Expertise
Asylum and immigration law
We advise and support you in all instances of the asylum procedure – from the asylum application to the highest courts.
We support and represent you with:
- Application
- Hearing before the BFA
- Hearings before the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht)
- Proceedings before the Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgerichtshof) and/or the Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof)
We draft statements, complaints or an appeal to the competent authorities or courts.
We also inform you about your prospects in the event of a termination of residence
(e.g. an expulsion, a return decision or an entry ban).
You can count on our many years of experience and expertise, as well as our full commitment to enforcing your rights.
As usual, we will inform you realistically in advance about your chances and legal options.
Settlement and residence
We advise and support you in all matters relating to settlement and residence law, e.g. for
- Family reunification with your relatives abroad
- Employment of employees from abroad in your company
- Attending school or studying in Austria
- Switching to another residence title
- Applying for an employment permit
- Applying for a visa
We can help you find the right residence permit, take care of communication with the authorities if required
and guide you through the process.
Citizenship
Obtaining Austrian citizenship is often a lengthy process.
We support you in preparing your application well and
carrying out the procedure as efficiently as possible.
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Arranging appointments to appear before the authorities as well as communicating with the authorities is,
of course, also our task if we have taken over the representation in the procedure.
Criminal proceedings
If you are suspected of a criminal offence, we will support you in proceedings with the police,
the public prosecutor's office or in court.
It is best to contact us as early as possible so that we can work out a targeted defence strategy together.
Victim representation
If you have been the victim of a criminal offence, we will represent your interests in criminal proceedings
and help you to assert your rights in the proceedings and claim compensation for damages caused to you.
Civil law
Someone owes you money? Are you being wrongly sued for an alleged claim? Has someone caused you damage
or are you being sued for alleged damage?
We will be happy to support you in out-of-court clarification and - if necessary - in court proceedings.
It is not always necessary or expedient to go to court.
Depending on the facts of the case, an out-of-court settlement can save time, nerves and possibly also money.
We will advise you and explain the legal aspects, advantages and disadvantages of the various options
so that you can make an informed decision. We support you in finding out-of-court solutions or
asserting your claims in court or defending against unfounded (counter)claims in court.
Do you want to buy, sell or donate a property, flat or house?
We will be happy to advise you and take over the drafting of the contract and - regularly in cooperation
with a neighbouring notary's office - the execution of the contract.
Other areas of law
Do you need legal advice in another area? Are you unable to categorise your matter in any of the above areas of law?
You are very welcome to contact us about other legal issues without obligation.
Thanks to regular cooperation and many years of exchange with specialised lawyers,
legal experts and institutions, we can also offer support in legal matters beyond our areas of expertise.
After examining your case, we will let you know whether we can support you ourselves
or refer you to a competent colleague.
Fee
We agree on the fee individually with you in a personal initial consultation.
We offer various options depending on the legal topic:
- On the basis of a fixed hourly rate
- According to the Autonomous Fee Criteria (AHK) and the Lawyers' Tariff Act (RATG)
- In individual cases on the basis of flat rates
When setting fees, we emphasise the greatest possible transparency
so that the costs you can expect are as predictable as possible.
Cooperations:
