CMS appoints Christy Farrer as its first Chief Operating Officer
CMS is pleased to announce the appointment of Christy Farrer as the first Chief Operating Officer (COO) of CMS UK LLP (CMS UK), with effect from 21 May 2026.
In this newly created role, Christy will lead the firm’s operational strategy across its international offices. She will work closely with the leadership team to strengthen the business services platform, building a high-performing, AI-enabled, collaborative and integrated global team, and enhancing how the firm supports clients, partners and colleagues across its markets.
Christy has spent the last seven years at CMS, where she has played a central role in building the firm’s practice management function. Most recently, she served as the firm’s Chief Strategy & Practice Management Officer, driving the design, implementation and execution of firmwide strategy and leading the practice group and regional business management function.
Christy brings significant experience across strategy, operations, transformation and professional services leadership. Before joining CMS, she held senior roles across the legal sector, including as chief executive of a leading UK barristers’ chambers, as a director responsible for legal and professional services operations across EMEA, and in senior strategy and transformation roles at the Law Society and DAC Beachcroft.
Adrian Bell, Managing Partner at CMS UK, comments: “Christy has already made a valuable contribution to CMS, particularly in the development of our practice management capability and in helping to shape and deliver our firmwide strategy. The creation of our first Chief Operating Officer role is critical to strengthening how we run the firm and in ensuring we are set up to deliver consistently for our clients and our people. Christy brings exactly the combination of strategic insight and operational discipline that this role demands.”
Christy Farrer said: “I am delighted to take on this role at such an important time for CMS. This is a firm I know well and care deeply about, and I look forward to working alongside Adrian and the wider leadership team to ensure our operational foundations match our ambition. My focus will be on working with colleagues across the firm to continue to build on our strengths and create the conditions for all our people to do their best work.”
CMS UK, a member firm of CMS, advises clients from over 20 offices across the UK, Central & Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. The newly created COO role reflects the full breadth of the LLP's remit, spanning the UK domestic practice and the firm's wider cross-border operations.
