CMS is a large international law firm with deep European roots and a rich heritage in the UK.
The firm’s current structure was established in 1999 through the merger of six European firms creating a so-called “partnership of partnerships” with over 1,400 lawyers. The (admittedly) somewhat unusual structure allowed member firms to retain their separate names while operating under the CMS brand.
The firm’s London roots actually trace all the way back to 1779 with the City law practice of T Hewitt. Fast forward 200 years, in 1997 Cameron Markby Hewitt merged with fellow City law firm McKenna & Co to form Cameron McKenna (renamed CMS Cameron McKenna in 1999 after the six-way merger).
More mergers were to come. Most notably in 2017, when highly-regarded mid-market City outfits Nabarro and Olswang joined up with CMS to become CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang – a mouthful which the firm is still legally known by today (in the UK at least).
Today, CMS globally operates through 18 independent member firms, each with its own regional focus, across a whopping 80 offices in nearly 50 countries.
Its most notable member firms include:
- CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang (UK, but with offices across Europe, the Middle East and Asia)
- CMS Hasche Sigle (Germany)
- CMS Francis Lefebvre (France)
- CMS Albiñana & Suárez de Lezo (Spain)
Globally, the firm employs over 6,300 lawyers and more than 1,300 partners, making it the world’s fifth-largest law firm by lawyer headcount.
In the UK itself, CMS operates from offices in London, Aberdeen, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Reading and Sheffield.
CMS UK is known for its full-service offering, with particular strengths in real estate (a legacy of Nabarro’s highly-regraded real estate practice), media and entertainment (building on Olswang’s expertise), corporate/M&A, and energy and infrastructure.