CMS

The Legal 500 Future Lawyers verdict on CMS

CMS is a giant of the UK legal market, but trainees say it manages to balance scale with a culture that feels approachable. Several recruits had already worked at the firm before their training contract, and they were drawn back by the “friendly nature of the staff,” the “future-facing” focus on technology and sustainability, and the breadth of practice areas. With standout expertise in energy, projects, and international work, the firm also offers what one trainee called “a more friendly, better work-life balance for good remuneration” compared with some competitors. Training at CMS is described as “supportive where needed but with good autonomy.” There’s “far higher quality of work and better client contact than other trainees receive” in the regions, while in Scotland, the balance of culture and quality comes out ahead of rivals. Formal seat options can be a little less extensive in some offices, but on the whole, trainees enjoy “a wide variety of teams and many seats available including secondments.” Supervisors get positive feedback for being approachable and willing to delegate responsibility early. Trainees are quick to highlight “the people” as the best part of life at CMS — “friendly, approachable, supportive, willing to delegate and provide learning opportunities and, most importantly, up for an after-work drink.” The calibre of clients impresses too, with big-name matters providing proud moments: attending hearings, closing headline-making transactions, or taking the lead at mediations. Client secondments are “really positive” and “invaluable in understanding the client relationship,” while international opportunities get strong reviews — though Scottish trainees in particular note a lack of transparency around how these are allocated. The picture isn’t perfect. Pay is a recurring complaint, with some noting that trainee salaries fall short of expectations given the hours: “London hours without the London wage.” Seat allocation processes and HR support also come in for criticism, with some frustration at “a lack of transparency” and social life being “not as strong as it could be.” On the plus side, hybrid working is “very good and flexible,” though policies can vary by team. Pro bono and CSR are a strong point, with “lots of opportunities” and “excellent initiatives that make a difference to the community.” Overall, CMS is praised for combining heavyweight clients and international reach with a down-to-earth culture — making it a compelling choice for trainees seeking high-quality work without losing sight of balance.

A day in the life of... Grace Owen-Ellis, trainee, CMS

Departments to date: Real estate disputes (RED); Planning

University: University of Exeter; University of Law

Degree: History and Spanish (dual honours) 1st class; GDL with Distinction; LPC with Distinction

I get in around 9.30 in the morning, say hi to my team, and head straight to Cannons to pick up my free barista coffee before 10.30, and a £1.50 breakfast from the yogurt bar (or a five-item full English if needed!).

I usually have a few meetings a day, either within the team to catch up on where we’re at on a certain matter, or with another team at CMS to check in. I also regularly attend client calls to update them on how a matter is progressing, explaining next steps, and outlining any further information we need from them. Trainees are an instrumental part of matter management in the teams I have been in so far, and it is often our responsibility to produce trackers and roadmaps of how we plan to achieve a client’s goal, and to maintain regular contact with the client, the other side, and all other stakeholders to keep things moving. As CMS is highly ranked in both teams I have been in, I have worked with some really interesting clients, and frequently see the matters I am working on pop up in the news.

For lunch, the other trainees and I head down to Cannons to get a £3.50 hot or cold lunch, and I usually get the incredible salad bar, or whatever the pop up of the day is – recently we have had tacos, Greek-style street wraps, and mac and cheese. If the weather is nice, we will get this to take away and go sit by the Thames for some sunshine, which is less than 5 minutes way.

In between meetings, I will usually get stuck into meaty research tasks for unusual or cutting-edge areas of law, which I find really interesting. It can sometimes feel a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack but all my supervisors have always been brilliant at pointing me in the right direction, suggesting useful resources and starting points, and letting me know early on if they think a certain line of research may just be a rabbit hole. We also have a great Knowledge team who can set up instant email alerts for updates on cases, parliamentary proceedings and news, and are brilliant at digging up tricky to find archived cases, leases or planning permissions. I also do a lot of first drafts of legal documents. In real estate disputes these involved tenancies at will, settlement agreements and letters before action, and in planning they have involved s106 agreements and due diligence reports.

I also get involved with lots of the CSR and pro bono projects, and will find time in my day to assist with organising initiatives such as CMS Pride, volunteering at St Luke’s community centre, or helping with the scholarships scheme. My supervisors have always been really supportive of my involvement with non-billable projects, and are happy to approve my requests to be out of office for a day/afternoon to volunteer.

I usually finish work at about 6.30, giving me plenty of time to exercise or socialise after work, although I am aware that some of my friends in others teams usually finish later. If I do end up having to work later, I will usually leave the office at 7ish and continue working from home. Everyone in the teams I’ve been in has been really encouraging of this, and completely understand whenever you need to work from home/head home early.

In the evenings, playing for a CMS sports team is a great way to meet amazing people from different teams at all level, and I play tag rugby on Mondays and netball on Tuesdays. In June I went on two CMS-funded sports tours, to Dublin with tag rugby and La Manga with netball, which were both incredible fun. I look forward to getting involved in the famous CMS football world cup next time round.

Overall, CMS has a brilliant culture and I have really enjoyed undertaking a range of interesting and challenging work overseen by really supportive supervisors, and have enjoyed being able to indulge in lots of ‘extra-curricular’ activities such as sports and volunteering as well.

About the firm

The firm: CMS is a future facing firm. Whether stakeholders are big or small, they always have the firm’s full attention and expertise.

The pace at which the world is changing is staggering and a slowdown is nowhere in sight. Technology is expanding the boundaries of what is possible, opening up new markets, sectors and opportunities. To make the most of these, CMS provides sound business strategies to clients, supporting development and implementation.

The deals: Please see our website.

Senior partner: Charles Currier

Managing partner: Stephen Millar

Other offices: 80+

Who we are: CMS is a full-service law firm combining top-quality sector expertise with international scale. CMS puts the interests of clients at the heart of everything they do across 90 offices in over 50 countries in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and South America. With more than 1,300 partners and 7,200+ lawyers, CMS works in cross-border teams to deliver top-quality, practical advice.

What we do: The firm is recognised for its sector excellence and focus in consumer products; energy; financial institutions; hotels and leisure; infrastructure and projects; life sciences and healthcare; real estate; and technology, media and telecommunications.

What we’re looking for in a trainee: We’re looking for well-rounded individuals who can demonstrate the following qualities: personal effectiveness; professional communication; drive for achievement; leading self and others; future facing approach; relationship-building skills; and commercial awareness.

What you’ll do: Typically, you will complete four six-month-long seats across a two-year period, working across different practice groups. We also provide alternative qualification routes, such as part-time training contracts, which are offered on a case-by-case basis.

Meeting clients and working alongside lawyers at all levels will soon become second nature to you.

Courses, lectures and workshops will sharpen your technical expertise. On-the-job training and technical workshops will broaden your skillset.

Perks: Benefits include corporate and subsidised gym membership, flexible holiday allowance, private medical/dental care, cycle to work scheme, employee referral scheme.

Sponsorship

The PGDL and SQE grant are £15,000 in London and £13,000 each outside of London.

The Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (Scotland) is £13,000.

Seat options

We offer a variety of seats within the following practice areas: corporate; EPC; finance; innovation; LAIE; real estate; TMIC. In addition, we offer client and international secondments.

Tips from the recruiter

1. Research the firm thoroughly and make sure your application includes tailored reasons for why you want to work for CMS.
2. Attention to detail is important – make sure you spell check your application before submitting it.
3. Get creative – think about what your different experiences can bring to the role, whether working in a shop or corporate environment.

Diversity and inclusion