‘Largest ever’ law firm merger completed

CMS, Nabarro and Olswang have completed the ‘largest ever’ merger in the UK legal sector.

The “transformational” merger creates the sixth largest law firm in the UK by revenue, and globally by headcount.

CMS has more than 1,000 partners and 4,500 lawyers in 70 offices across 39 countries.

Six specialist sectors include energy; financial services; infrastructure and project finance; life sciences and healthcare; real estate and technology, media and telecommunications.

CMS has offices in Sheffield and Manchester, as well as South America, the Middle East and Europe.

Penelope Warne, the senior partner for CMS in London commented: “Today is an important day for the firm and for our clients. We have made this bold move with one goal in mind: to build a new kind of future-facing law firm.

“By combining top quality sector expertise with international scale and a strategy to become a progressive technology-driven firm, we are better equipped to deliver excellence for our clients in a rapidly changing market.

“We are united in our vision and values. We are focused on building a successful, dynamic and modern law firm with a supportive culture so that careers at CMS can thrive. Diversity & Inclusion, CSR and top quality training through our CMS Academy will continue to be a priority for the firm.”

Stephen Millar, managing partner in London commented: “Today we are presenting a new and dynamic firm to the market; one that blends scale with an exceptional depth of sector expertise. I look forward to seeing our firm make the most of the opportunities that the merger presents; in particular exploring the opportunities that arise from both the cross fertilisation of our market-leading practices and sectors and our expanded global footprint.

“It has been an exciting journey so far and we have been impressed by the high level of collaboration between colleagues, not only in London but also across the UK and internationally. We have big ambitions for the future and see today as a launch pad for greater things. This merger is about a real collection of histories and cultures coming together, and achieving great things for the benefit of our clients and our people.”

Ciaran Carvalho, CMS head of Real Estate and Legacy Nabarro senior partner, added: “The commitment of our firms to this combination is already reaping rewards. With hundreds of referrals generated and new opportunities created, the complementary nature of our sectors is already proving an exciting and potent proposition. It is not just that we are market leading in six key sectors that is important; it is the overlap between those sectors. That is where we will see new possibilities, innovation and growth.”

Paul Stevens, CMS executive partner and Legacy Olswang chief executive officer, said: “This is a momentous milestone in the history of our three firms as we combine as one. I am delighted by the opportunities this next chapter presents for our people, but in particular, I am confident that it massively improves our ability to best serve clients and propel us forward in the legal marketplace.”

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