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Scotland

Europe

Committed to supporting businesses in an ever-changing landscape

As legal advisers and business partners, we are continually adapting how we do business to help our clients find new ways to succeed at a time when the Scottish economy is facing significant challenges.  We focus on ways to mitigate risk and harness innovation to ensure your organisation can make the most of opportunities.

Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow based lawyers are firmly embedded in their local markets and have the resources and infrastructure of a global organisation behind them.  With over 500 people here, we are serious about Scotland.

We have an exceptionally strong focus on businesses in Scotland that include start-ups, government bodies, manufacturers and investors.  We also work with some of the largest organisations operating around the globe.  Clients often tell us that our genuine ability to assemble the right teams, wherever they are located, sets us apart from other firms.  The expertise of over 5000+ lawyers in over 40 countries cities can be mobilised quickly to create the best team for every situation.

Committed to building a more sustainable world

At CMS we are committed to building a more sustainable, prosperous future for all.  In 2018 we became one of the first law firms to commit to set Science Based Targets. We have a dedicated programme of initiatives in place to reduce our emissions 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2030, across the full Scope 1, 2 and 3. This includes our offices in Scotland which are powered by 100% renewable energy. We are committed to being Net Zero by 2050 at the latest and are in the process of setting a long-term Science-based Target.

ESG factors have moved from being a niche concern to a strategic board level priority across all sectors and jurisdictions. We’re working with our clients - from multinationals to start ups – to help support their commitments in this rapidly evolving legal and regulatory landscape. 

Committed to our people and communities

And we are clear that our business is a people business. We have a culture of authenticity and inclusivity, encouraging everyone to be 100% themselves.  

Our commitment to Responsible Business lies at the heart of the firm and our purpose is to inspire, impact and support our clients, people, industry sectors and communities.  We design and deliver a wide range of activities to ensure there is something for everyone to get involved in.  Just some of our activities in Scotland include:

Guiding all our work are the UN Global Goals and our commitment to the UN Global Compact.

Find out how CMS in Scotland can help your business by contacting us now

We are proud of our consistent top tier rankings in our key specialisms such as Corporate/Commercial/M&A, Banking & Finance, Real Estate, IP/IT, Telecoms, Energy/Power/Oil & Gas, Dispute Resolution, Life Sciences/Healthcare, Infrastructure/Projects, Public Sector, Education, Hospitality & Tourism and Transport.

Please contact one of our specialists below at any time:


Our Strategic Secondment Unit offers an experienced team of lawyers dedicated to directly support our client secondment requirements.  This unique approach offers Scottish clients a full-time, permanent CMS team of specialist lawyers with private practice experience across a range of sectors.  Find out more here.

You can also view our CMS Scotland brochure.

CMS Scotland brochure cover - picture of Forth Rail Bridge

 

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Spotlight Scotland - Event programme
Our spotlight series brings you a dedicated programme of events, both digital and in-person, around the issues and topics that matter to you. Join us to keep up to date with the latest developments in your area. You can find out more about our events and register below. You can also view our previous webinars on demand.
28/02/2024
On Point: Insight paper series
Navigating the business landscape in Scotland and beyond presents numerous challenges. From escalating costs to talent scarcity, evolving regulations, and technological advancements, alongside political uncertainties. At CMS Scotland, we are committed to working with our clients to support them with these complexities.
Fintech
Supporting Scotland's ecosystem

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07/11/2024
Key real estate issues to consider with data centres
The aim of this session is to provide an overview of datacentres and how they operate in a real estate context, but also to go more in depth into a couple of sticky points, such as the meaning of reliability in the datacentre context and to then provide individuals with ample opportunity to ask any questions they may have.
15/10/2024
Impact of changes to registration of overseas entities and other Companies...
This programme of webinars provides a short and incisive review of some key topics relating to real estate, planning and construction in the United Kingdom.  
04/09/2024
What’s new with the Electronic Communications Code?
This programme of webinars provides a short and incisive review of some key topics relating to real estate, planning and construction in the United Kingdom.  
13/06/2024
CMS Real Estate webinar: Repurposing the High Street for Life Sciences...
Candice Blackwood and Henrietta Oliver will share the key findings of our recent thought leadership piece about the transformation of the UK High Street, and the opportunities for life sciences and healthcare (including medical diagnostics) to fill the voids left by retailers.
12/06/2024
IP Updates in the Food & Drink Sector
Join our expert speakers for a webinar on IP developments in the Food & Drink sector with a particular focus on recent cases, north and south of the border.  The webinar will provide an overview of the...
Spotlight Scotland - Event programme
Our spotlight series brings you a dedicated programme of events, both digital and in-person, around the issues and topics that matter to you. Join us to keep up to date with the latest developments in your area. You can find out more about our events and register below. You can also view our previous webinars on demand.
20/05/2024
Skills For Future Facing Teams: How to have coaching conversations
CMS Skills For Future Facing Teams is our programme of leadership and business skills sessions  for in-house legal teams.  Coaching is an essential skill for leaders, regardless of seniority or experience levels.  This session is an introduction to - or perhaps a refresher on - the basics of coaching.  We'll look at:what coaching is - and what it's notthe roles of coach and coacheethe mindset for an effective coachthe skillset for an effective coacha reminder of tthe "GROW" coaching frameworkAs always, we'll provide practical tips, recommend further resources and answer your questions. 
16/05/2024
Biodiversity Net Gain
This programme of webinars provides a short and incisive review of some key topics relating to real estate, planning and construction in the United Kingdom.  
02/05/2024
Navigating Complexity: Tackling Tricky HR Issues
London - 13 March 2024, 17:00 - 18:30 GMT Edinburgh - 16 April 2024, 15:30 - 17:00 BST Glasgow - 18 April 2024, 12:30 - 14:00 BST Aberdeen - 2 May 2024, 08:30 - 10:00 BST
01/05/2024
CMS Media Update Morning 2024
 Our popular Media Update Morning returns and we are excited to welcome you in person to discuss a range of topical areas including:The latest changes to the Media Bill and FAST channel regulation - Victoria Gaskell, John Enser and Sam OustayiannisWhy you need to know about ECCTA now! - Kitty St AubynThe busy world of regulation (tax credit changes, online safety and more) - Rebecca PlattPrivilege quiz (how to keep it and lose it) - Tamsin BlowPlease do come early and join us for coffee and breakfast. As ever, the content will be tailored for the media industry, and we invite you to submit any specific questions in advance by emailing us at Events@cms-cmno. com. To RSVP, please click the button below.  
30/04/2024
Class Action Risk in the Food and Drink Sector
Class action claims are a reality and are only growing in number. The risks to food producers and suppliers come in many forms, whether it be employees, consumers or even shareholders. In this session...
29/04/2024
Skills For Future Facing Teams: Contract negotiation - Top 10 Tips and...
In this session we will share our Top Ten Tips & Tactics to use when negotiating. We will use a relatable but fairly  "all-purpose" scenario to illustrate how to apply the techniques and approaches when negotiating a commercial contract.  You will learn:how to adopt an assertive and collaborative approach to support you  to achieve the best outcomehow to prepare effectively ahead of a negotiation conversationThe facilitators will bring the topic to life using forum theatre - and you the participants will have the opportunity to critique and  improve their performance from the comfort of your desk!In this session we will focus on how to apply negotiation techniques - we won't be covering substantive legal points or tips on specific types of contracts.