CMS

Overview

CMS is a large, international full-service law firm and a 'future facing' organisation of independent law firms that combines deep local market understanding with a global perspective. The firm emphasises sector-specialist teams (notably energy, real estate, financial institutions, TMT, infrastructure and hospitality) and invests heavily in early‑career development through programmes such as its two-week CMS Academy and a broad apprenticeships offering. CMS is present across the UK and in major international hubs (including Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore), positioning itself to deliver cross-border, multi-jurisdictional work alongside strong regional practices.

• Headquarters: London, Cannon Place
• Founded: 1779
• Trainees: 70
• Offices: 84

Values & Culture

Practice Areas

• Energy & Natural Resources
• Real Estate
• Financial Services & Regulation
• Corporate & M&A
• Construction & Engineering
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Intellectual Property
• Employment
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Technology & Digital
• Hospitality & Leisure
• Healthcare & Life Sciences
• Pensions

Geographic Focus: CMS combines strong UK regional capability (key UK offices in London, Bristol, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool and Scottish offices in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow) with international hubs in Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. The firm leverages a global network of offices to deliver cross-border work in major sectors such as energy, real estate, financial services and TMT.

Training Contract

CMS offers direct two-year training contracts. New trainees attend a two-week CMS Academy (one-week Business of Law programme plus a one-week internship in the chosen office) before beginning four six-month seats across at least three distinct practice areas. Alternative and part-time training contracts are available on a case-by-case basis. Trainees have designated seat supervisors, access to the Emerging Talent team and an elected trainee representative committee.

• Starting Salary: London: First-year trainee (£50,000), Second-year trainee (£55,000); Bristol: First-year trainee (£43,000), Second-year trainee (£45,000); Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool: First-year trainee (£33,
• NQ Salary: London: Newly-qualified (£110,000); Bristol: Newly-qualified (£70,000); Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool: Newly-qualified (£62,000); Scotland (NQ): (£60,000)
• Trainee Intake: 70
• Qualification Rate: 69%
• Academic Requirements: CMS recruits graduates, undergraduates and postgraduates from law and non-law backgrounds. Applications are reviewed holistically using contextual recruitment (RARE contextualised recruitment system is referenced elsewhere on site) and there is no published minimum degree classification for the standard training contract route. (Specific apprenticeships have formal GCSE/A-level requirements.)
• Application Deadline: 30 November 2025

Seat Options

• Real Estate
• Energy & Natural Resources
• Corporate & M&A
• Construction & Engineering
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Insurance & Reinsurance
• Intellectual Property
• Employment
• Infrastructure & Projects
• Technology & Digital
• Pensions

Sponsorship

If offered a training contract CMS will sponsor LPC or SQE and PGDL studies and pay a maintenance grant while you complete the SQE. Grant amounts published: LPC or SQE £15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London); PGDL £15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London).

SQE Support

CMS will sponsor studies and pay a maintenance grant while trainees complete the SQE. The firm publishes grants for LPC or SQE of £15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London); the same amounts are shown for PGDL in firm materials.

International Opportunities

Training contract information confirms opportunities for international secondments (restrictions permitting) and explicitly lists international locations including Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong as potential destinations for international secondments.

Client Secondments

The training contract notes that candidates may have the opportunity to undertake a client secondment; no fixed percentage or duration is published but client secondments are presented as a recognised option within the programme.

Mentorship

Trainees receive a designated seat supervisor, access to a mentor (senior lawyer) and a buddy (junior lawyer) during early months. They are supported by the Emerging Talent team and an elected trainee representative committee.

Apply on the CMS website →

Programmes & Schemes

Notable Matters

What CMS Looks For

Key Competencies

• Commercial awareness
• Professional communication
• Personal effectiveness
• Drive for achievement
• Teamwork and relationship-building
• Resilience and adaptability
• Future-facing approach
• Attention to detail

Evidence Signals

• Demonstrable commercial awareness (use of news and legal press)
• Examples of teamwork and leadership (group work, societies, team sports)
• Relevant work experience or shadowing (including pro bono or placements)
• Academic commitment and contextualised results (contextual recruitment welcome)
• Engagement with diversity, social mobility or sustainability initiatives
• Interest or engagement with legal tech and innovation

Benefits & Wellbeing

• Trainee salaries published by location: London Year 1 £50,000 / Year 2 £55,000; Bristol Year 1 £43,000 / Year 2 £45,000; Manchester/Sheffield/Liverpool Year 1 £33,000 / Year 2 £35,000; Scotland Year 1 £33,000 / Year 2 £35,000
• NQ salaries published by location: London £110,000; Bristol £70,000; Manchester/Sheffield/Liverpool £62,000; Scotland £60,000
• LPC or SQE grant: £15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London)
• PGDL grant: £15,000 (London) and £13,000 (studying outside London)
• Maintenance grant/sponsorship while completing SQE (amount not separately published beyond the statement that a maintenance grant will be paid)
• Apprenticeship starting salaries: Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship London £40,000; Solicitor Apprenticeship London £30,000 (Bristol £28,000; One North £26,000)
• Apprentices receive 25 days paid holiday each year
• CMS will cover reasonable travel expenses for work experience participants and will investigate travel support for applicants invited to assessment days
• Paid holidays, study support and sponsorship for apprentices and apprenticeships (earn-while-you-learn model)
• No published annual target billable hours for trainees (firm states 'No targets' for annual target hours)
• Travel policy, mentoring, buddy system, Emerging Talent team support and trainee representative committee

Wellbeing

CMS provides a range of wellbeing initiatives including access to 24/7 confidential counselling, UK-wide Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), monthly mindfulness sessions, a 'Time Out! No questions asked' unpaid leave scheme (up to four weeks), Employee Resource Groups, and mental health awareness activity such as 'This is Me' colleague videos.

Awards & Recognition

• Legal 500: 32 Tier 1 practice areas (latest published rankings data)
• Legal 500: Total Ranked Practice Areas: 105 (multiple tiers across jurisdictions)
• Chambers & Partners: Firm ranked across multiple practice areas (20 ranked areas listed)
• Early‑career/training recognition: internal CMS Academy described as award-winning (firm materials)
• Science Based Targets initiative: CMS set carbon reduction targets approved by SBTi (30% by 2025, 50% by 2030, Net Zero by 2050 commitment)
• Signatory or member recognitions: Race at Work Charter; UK Law Society’s Pro Bono Charter; Disability Confident Employer; Stonewall corporate membership; Halo Code; 30% Club involvement

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

CMS captures and analyses diversity data at stages of the employee lifecycle, uses contextual recruitment and briefs hiring managers on unconscious bias. The firm is a signatory/member of multiple pledges and charters including the Race at Work Charter, Stonewall corporate membership, Disability Confident, Halo Code and the UK Law Society’s Pro Bono Charter. CMS has set SBTi‑approved carbon reduction targets and commits to social impact guided by the UN Global Goals and the UN Global Compact.

• Employee Resource Groups
• CMS Women
• LGBT+ network
• Neurodiversity Strategy
• Time Out! No questions asked (unpaid leave scheme)
• Athena Project (gender equality initiative)
• CMS Scholarship scheme
• PRIME (founding member)
• Social Mobility Pledge involvement
• Disability Confident Employer status
• Five faith networks (Christian, Jewish, South Asian, Sikh and Hindu, and Muslim)
• Chapter One reading volunteers
• Young Citizens legal education programmes

Pro Bono

CMS is a signatory to the UK Law Society’s Pro Bono Charter and runs a global pro bono programme. Notable activities include acting as Pro Bono Legal Advisor to COP28 (160+ volunteering lawyers), partnership with legal advice clinics (e.g., Islington Law Centre, Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre), pro bono support to the Superhumans Center (Ukraine), and long-standing charity partnerships (Médecins Sans Frontières as global charity partner).

Innovation

CMS emphasises innovation and legal technology as part of its 'future facing' strategy. The firm hosts innovation-focused webinars and houses a Tech Hub in its London office; legal tech is an identified strength (insider-style legal tech grades are top-rated). Trainees and early-career hires are exposed to innovation and legal tech content through events and induction activity such as the CMS Academy.

• Tech Hub (London office)
• Innovation and legal tech webinars and virtual events
• Sustainability champions network (100+ across UK and international offices)
• CMS bees and biodiversity programme

Quick Application Angles

• Highlight CMS’s ‘future facing’ sector focus — cite an interest in energy, real estate or TMT and show awareness of a recent sector challenge or regulatory change to demonstrate commercial awareness.
• Reference the CMS Academy and early responsibility offered to trainees — emphasise examples where you took ownership or worked on live tasks to show you can handle practical client-facing work.
• If applying for apprenticeships or work experience, mention CMS’s PRIME/foundation and scholarship activity (PRIME membership, CMS Scholarship) to align with the firm’s social mobility focus and to show genuine cultural fit.
• Show interest in legal tech and innovation — CMS scores highly for legal tech, so reference any experience with tech tools, legal research platforms or innovation projects.
• For regional office applications, explain why that office’s sector strengths matter to you (for example: Sheffield’s strong corporate/real estate and construction work; Bristol’s real estate and financial institutions focus).