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As the largest law firm in Europe, we are able to cover your needs across the entire continent. Whether you are a company with a complex legal issue that crosses European jurisdictions or are seeking local law guidance in a new business market, we have the specialists to help. Our unique local presence of over 50 offices across 26 key European countries, including the CEE/SEE regions, means we can assist you with the legal and strategic challenges you face in all your chosen markets.

Our multi-disciplinary, full-service teams across Europe can support your mergers and acquisitions, investment, employment, IP and tax work, wherever you are based.  If you are faced with litigation, our dispute resolution specialists can represent your interests before all major national courts, institutions and forums. Our sector-focused experts are committed to putting you and your business success first.

Contact us via our online form or give us a call if you are seeking experienced legal experts to help you successfully grow and expand your European business interests. 

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29/11/2023
Boarding the DORA Express: Directors' Duties, Risk Resilience and beyond
Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights into DORA, including how Directors' Duties intertwine with the Digital Transformation Maturity Model, Risk Management, and Liability within this context. Understand how these factors impact your institution's compliance.
16/11/2023
On the Pulse Webinar Series 2023 - Autumn
On the Pulse webinar series brings you updates on the latest legal and commercial developments in the life sciences & healthcare sector. The Autumn edition will see our CMS sector specialists cover: Commercial - Deal landscape and transaction trends in the Life Sciences SectorDispute Resolution - The midnight clause: why choice of law and jurisdiction clauses matterPublic Procurement - Typical pitfalls to be avoided in a procurement process for pharma and medical devices suppliesequIP - Pitfalls for life sciences start-ups to avoidEach webinar will be one hour in length with a 15-minute Q&A session. To register for the full series or just the topics of interest to you, click on the registration links below. To watch the Spring webinars in the On the Pulse series, visit here.
07/11/2023
CMS Infrastructure Index: Partnerships, policies and geopolitics
The Infrastructure Index is designed to help investors understand the environment they may encounter in 50 different jurisdictions. Data from the 50 jurisdictions was analysed against nine key criteria to create a guide to the most attractive destinations for infrastructure investment. We also look at developments in some of the nations included in the Infrastructure Index, this year highlighting in particular the situation in our top-ranked country Germany and the need for reconstruction in Ukraine.
21/07/2023
CMS International Patent Litigation Guide
Patented technology often ranks among a company's most valued as­sets. Pro­tect­ing your business from patent in­fringe­ment – or defending yourself against patent infringement claims of third parties – can be a complex and intensive process. CMS International Patent Litigation Guide (4th edition) is your essential tool to get an overview of the options and pathways to enforce patents in the courts of 18 major jurisdictions. Drawing on the expertise of CMS patent law specialists, this essential and fully-updated guide provides clear and concise coverage of patent infringement proceedings and practice. For each jurisdiction, you can quickly assess and compare critical issues such as:Standing - Who is entitled to sue for patent infringement, the number of parties that can be included in proceedings and time limits in which infringement claims must be boughtTiming and Forum – Where proceedings are brought, typical duration of trials and the handling of FRAND/compulsory licenses in court pro­ceed­ing­sEvid­ence – Use of expert witnesses, disclosure requirements and rules on seizure of evid­ence/doc­u­ment­s­Ap­peals – Routes, grounds and timings for appeal – and the potential interim enforcement of first instance de­cisionsCosts – Estimated legal costs, appeal costs and recoverability of litigation costsIn addition, the CMS International Patent Litigation Guide covers topics like Alternative Dispute Resolution, Remedies and Injunctions – and your CMS Patent Law team in each market. For dedicated information on the enforcement of European Patents before the Unified Patent Court please also visit our CMS UPC Insight  webpage.
29/05/2023
CMS European Private Equity Study 2023
We are very pleased to share with you the second edition of the CMS European Private Equity Study 2023. This study analyses hundreds of Private Equity deals that we advised on in 2022 and previous years, providing unique insights into market trends and differences between private equity and trade deals. Key findings: Deal activity remained strong until Q3 2022, but experienced a significant drop in Q4. New investments accounted for 85% of PE deals analysed, with fewer exits and secondary buy-outs in 2022 compared to 2021. Bidding processes decreased in 2022, potentially due to less involvement of PE funds on the sell-side. Entry into new markets was the most common deal driver (64% of deals), while digitalisation was no longer a deal driver­Tech­no­logy, media, and telecoms (TMT) was the busiest sector, followed by Real Estate & Construction and life sciences. Use of MAC clauses decreased to 10% in 2022, compared to 15% in 2021. Fewer FDI approvals or clearances were sought in 2022 (8%) compared to 2021 (15%).W&I insurance played a prominent role in PE M&A transactions, increasing with deal value. Locked box mechanisms for setting purchase price were preferred in 80% of PE deals, while purchase price adjustments decreased. Earn-out provisions increased overall in 2022 but were more common in smaller deals than higher value deals. ESG considerations have not yet featured in legal due diligence or transaction documents. Management incentive schemes saw shorter vesting periods, increased management allocation, but tightened leaver provisions. Overall, there were buyer-friendly developments in some deal metrics, such as the use of "tipping" baskets.
22/05/2023
Technology Transformation - Life Sciences & Healthcare
The Life Sciences and Healthcare Sector is highly tech­no­logy-driv­en and an increasingly dynamic approach is taken when adopting busi­ness-crit­ic­al technologies. This sector’s above-average uptake in technology is reflected in its prioritisation of measures against IT failure. However, the sector is often underprepared for technology risks, with many businesses still not having processes in place to manage key risks despite current and future concerns around disputes arising from this area. This report is a deep dive into data first produced for the report Technology Transformation: Managing Risks in a Changing Landscape. This saw over 500 people surveyed from multiple industries across the world. Here we look in detail at the 75 respondents from the Life Sciences and Healthcare sector, and their perspectives on the risks associated with busi­ness-crit­ic­al technologies, including emerging technologies. Download the Technology Transformation Life Sciences and Healthcare report now to read about:Drivers of technology adoption in the Life Sciences and Healthcare sectorNew risks emerging and traditional barriers to risk man­age­ment­Cur­rent technology risks in the Life Sciences and Healthcare sectorFuture risks, including IP concerns and AIPreferred approaches to technology dispute resolution for the Life Sciences and Healthcare sector
23/03/2023
On the Pulse webinar series 2023 - Spring
Welcome to the launch of the On the Pulse webinar series
22/03/2023
CMS European M&A Study 2023
The CMS Corporate/M&A Group is pleased to launch the 15th edition of the European M&A Study
07/03/2023
CMS Expert Guide to ESG Compensation
Incorporating ESG KPIs into directors’ remuneration The urgent need to place sustainability at the heart of company strategy is inextricably linked to incentives provided to its directors and employees. This Expert Guide aims to provide practical insights into key market practices and trends aimed at incorporating sustainability and/or Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) KPIs into directors’ remuneration. The regulations and recommendations on ESG-related remuneration vary considerably from sector to sector and from country to country. The trend is, however, undoubtedly towards providing directors (and in some cases senior/mid-level managers) with an incentive to commit to ESG objectives designed to support and promote effective management of sustainability risks. We hope this guide provides the practical roadmap you need to further your business’s sound remuneration practices – wherever in the world you need to operate. For further legal support and advice, get in touch with your regular CMS contact or email us at em­ploy­ment@cmsleg­al. com.
08/11/2022
Technology Transformation – Media
The media sector is known to be highly competitive, with that competition driving innovation. Older media businesses have had to grapple with disruptive new entrants. And those new entrants are constantly working to deliver better and more engaging content and user experiences to maintain their advantage. Digitisation has changed how media companies interact with their audience in ways we could not have imagined just a few years ago, but this comes with risk. This report is a deep dive into the data first produced for the report Technology Transformation: Managing Risks in a Changing Landscape. This saw over 500 corporate counsel and risk managers surveyed from multiple industries across the world. Here we look in detail at the 75 respondents from the media sector, and their perspectives on the risks associated with busi­ness-crit­ic­al technologies, including emerging technologies. What did we find? Media is a dynamic sector and can be an early adopter of many novel technologies as companies push for competitive advantages to create and satisfy customer demand. As we look to the future, the sector does seem underprepared in some areas, which is a potential cause for concern. Download the Technology Transformation media sector report now to read aboutThe principal drivers in the adoption of busi­ness-crit­ic­al technology in the media sectorConfidence in managing tech-related risks among senior media executivesFuture threats from new technologies like AI and blockchainWhich plans and processes media companies are putting in place to protect tech in­fra­struc­ture­Cul­tur­al barriers to managing tech risks in the media sectorPreferred approaches to dispute resolution in the media sector
18/10/2022
Technology Transformation – Financial Services
The Financial Services (FS) sector is a leader in protecting its tech infrastructure, reflecting the high degree of scrutiny from regulators. FS firms are at a tipping point, with large incumbents eying smaller firms and fintechs for their IP and skills to remain competitive while considering upgrades to legacy systems. Simultaneously, regulation is changing to reflect new and emerging technologies and threats. This report is a deep dive into data first produced for the re­port Tech­no­logy Transformation: Managing Risks in a Changing Landscape. This saw over 500 people surveyed from multiple industries across the world. Here we look in detail at the 85 respondents from the FS sector, and their perspectives on the risks associated with busi­ness-crit­ic­al technologies, including emerging technologies. This sector is more highly regulated than most of the other sectors surveyed, with many historical tech disputes relating to regulation. But the focus of regulation is shifting, and so are the risks affecting this sector. Download the Technology Transformation Financial Services report now to read about:Drivers of technology adoption in the financial services sectorNew risks emerging and traditional barriers to risk man­age­ment­Cur­rent technology risks in the financial services sectorFuture risks, including AI and crypto­cur­ren­cies, and measures to deal with themPreferred approaches to technology dispute resolution for the financial services sector
08/09/2022
Technology Transformation - Consumer Products & Retail
Digitalisation has transformed how consumer products are manufactured, distributed and sold. The push to maintain a competitive advantage, drives increased investment in new technologies. This investment may reduce operational cost and ease the retention of legacy systems, but what challenges arise and how do businesses approach the changing risk profile?This report is a deep dive into data first produced for the re­port Tech­no­logy Transformation: Managing Risks in a Changing Landscape. In the original report we surveyed over 500 corporate counsel and risk managers from multiple industries across the world. Here, we look in detail at the 75 respondents surveyed in the consumer and retail sector, and their perspectives on the risks associated with busi­ness-crit­ic­al technologies, including emerging technologies. Our survey shows that businesses across the sector, whether retailers or manufacturers, have the same concerns but the influences on the adoption of technology, the resulting risks, and the approaches taken to mitigate or resolve those risks vary depending on whether or not the business involves a direct sales relationship with the consumer. Download the consumer and retail sector report now to read about: Drivers of technology adoption in the consumer and retail sectorNew risks emerging and traditional barriers to risk man­age­ment­Cur­rent technology risks in the consumer and retail sectorFuture risks and measures to deal with themPreferred approaches to technology dispute resolution for the consumer and retail sector