Partners at CMS UK, Nabarro and Olswang have voted to merge, and will become the world’s sixth largest law firm by headcount and sixth largest in the UK by revenue. After the merger, due to complete by 1 May 2017, the firm will trade as CMS. It will have more than 1,000 partners, a global team of more than 4,500 lawyers, and global revenues in excess of €1.2 billion. CMS senior partner Penelope Warne said the merger “is a great endorsement of the extraordinary export of English law throughout the world”.
13 October 2016
CMS merger
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Bell Yard Kysen—Liz Giles
Bell Yard Kysen appoints senior legal PR and ex-government communications adviser, Liz Giles
Clarke Willmott—Lee Edwards
Clarke Willmott boosts Southampton commercial property team with addition of partner Lee Edwards
Lime Solicitors—four promotions
Lime Solicitors announces four promotions
NEWS
The Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, and Solicitor General, Andy Slaughter KC MP, marked the 25th anniversary of Pro Bono Week by joining lawyers, charities, students and parliamentarians at events celebrating voluntary legal work
A polished legal defence may owe more to artificial intelligence than legal merit—and creditors risk paying the price in delay and expense
Witness evidence can be compromised by AI before a solicitor sees the draft, leaving safeguards focused on authorship incomplete
Possession claims are entering a new digital era, with procedural traps awaiting practitioners who assume familiar rules still govern every step
The Environment Agency can prosecute offences beyond environmental legislation where proceedings support its statutory functions, the Divisional Court has confirmed
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