Austrian firm Schoenherr has launched a dedicated compliance and white-collar crime practice in response to an increase in client demand.

The new practice will be led by partners Wolfgang Hoeller and Heidemarie Paulitsch, and will specialise in advising companies that have been damaged by criminal activities and face criminal liability.

The team will work alongside the firm's compliance lawyers in antitrust, data protection, capital markets, employment, tax and corporate.

The move comes in response to a rise in the levels of risk and criminal law faced by the firm's clients in an increasingly global market.

Paulitsch said: "We have launched this practice in response to client demand and we will definitely look to grow it over the next few months.

"Every law firm wants to do this right now as the sector is very busy and most law firms are looking to recruit professionals and lawyers with a background in this area."

Hoeller comments: "The team is a response to the increasing requests that we receive from clients about the individual responsibility and liability of managers when it comes to corruption and fraud. There is a lot of uncertainty about professional compliance."

The firm hired Paulitsch from rival firm Wolf Thiess earlier this year to help launch the practice. There are currently two partners and two associates in the team.