Merger Control

We have a long and extensive track record of advising clients on merger control requirements and representing them in UK, EU and international merger control proceedings. We have an award-winning UK merger control practice, having won Legal Business Awards Competition Team of the year 2020 for steering a complex digital merger to an unexpected phase one unconditional clearance. We are strategic advisors, combining  quality advocacy and practical project management of all regulatory filings – merger control, FDI and regulatory. We cooperate closely with our CMS M&A team which consistently advises on the greatest number of M&A transactions of all law firms in Europe. In addition, many clients entrust us directly with their merger control cases. We have represented clients successfully in numerous landmark merger cases in the UK and internationally, often shaping major sectors of the economy.

Merger control and FDI is where our exceptionally wide footprint is particularly valuable with 225 CMS competition lawyers across CMS offices in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. This, together with a very extensive network of long-established contacts across all other relevant countries worldwide (e.g., via the World Law Group), allows us to offer a one-stop shop solution for all of our clients’ transactions. 

On a daily basis we steer our clients through any “gun-jumping” pitfalls in the context of the due diligence process and the preparatory phase between signing and closing. And we set up the necessary safety mechanisms to ensure compliance with competition laws during the transaction process (clean teams, data rooms etc.). 

We also represent the interests of third parties to achieve their strategic goals concerning mergers between other industry players.