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CMS lawyers can provide future-facing advice for your business across a variety of specialisms and industries, worldwide.

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Commercial

Future facing legal experts delivering solutions across all commercial sectors

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Commercial law reaches into all sectors. It is at the core of every business. With over 400 commercial lawyers across 43 countries globally, our multi-disciplinary teams understand the cultural and business factors impacting your commercial arrangements.
CMS Commercial at a glance:
Strong sector expertise in Automotive, Consumer Products, Energy, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Technology, Media & Communications
100+ commercial partners and 400+ commercial lawyers globally
Recommended firm in the 2022 EMEA Green Guide, Legal 500
The Times Top 50 Employers for Women

In today’s increasingly regulated markets, operators have to manage commercial risk as they work towards their business objectives. Success depends on fruitful relationships with customers and suppliers, based on effective, sector-specific contracts. Wherever you operate, your business needs the right legal advice and support, based upon in-depth understanding of your specific markets.

We organise our teams around sectors and industries relevant to you, including financial services, manufacturing, automotive, consumer products, energy, hotels and leisure, infrastructure and projects, life sciences, supply and logistics, real estate and construction, technology, telecoms, media and sports.

Whatever advice you need, we can help you achieve the optimum outcome for your business. Whether for commercial contracts, supply services, e-commerce, IT or telecoms agreements, data protection, design and manufacturing, advertising, sponsorship and marketing, consumer sales, software licensing, outsourcing or sales, agency or distribution and franchise agreements, we aim to find the best solution for you.

If you want to discuss the commercial opportunities and challenges facing your business, we would be delighted to speak with you.

Business advisors delivering smart solutions

CMS commercial specialists know the dynamics of your local markets inside out, and work in global teams across one of the world’s largest law firms. Wherever you operate, we are there for you – ready to advise on multi-jurisdictional commercial arrangements and the local services that make them work.

CMS has market-leading industry sector expertise in highly regulated sectors. Major stakeholders recognise our proven ability to deliver pragmatic, industry-specific commercial advice backed with exceptional legal expertise.

We are often asked to advise on highly complex and high-value transactions at the cutting edge of industry and legal thought, often involving the deployment of new and innovative contracting models, processes and technologies. We deliver smart solutions that make sense of and simplify transactions in ways that add value and make practical sense for all parties.

Read more about Commercial

Digital Regulation Tracker

To help you navigate the tsunami of digital regulations in the EU and in the world, visit our digital regulation hub and brand new digital Regulation Tracker tool

Highlighted experience

  • Leveraging extensive global reach

    Deliveroo

    Conducted a comprehensive contract review and presented findings to the board of directors. Negotiated contracts with more than 40 key suppliers (collective value of several hundred million GBP), including in finance, technology, HR, marketing and procurement.

  • Leveraging extensive global reach

    Honeywell

    On a full range of commercial, competition, employment and regulatory matters across Central and Eastern Europe, including greenfield investments, IT, outsourcing and supply agreements, IP rights, compliance and policy reviews.

  • Leveraging extensive global reach

    TDK Electronics

    Advised on the multi-jurisdictional standardisation of all operational procurement agreements.

  • Innovative delivery

    Medical devices company

    On its strategy and route to market in China, enabling it to license IP for the manufacture of medical device products for the Chinese market and rest of world.

  • Innovative delivery

    BP

    On its strategic Operating Model 2.0 programme, one of the largest multi-vendor technology sourcing projects in the world by value.

  • Innovative delivery

    BAE Systems

    On its transformative HR outsourcing to deliver a new technology platform and service delivery model across multiple regions.

  • Future facing

    Hewlett-Packard

    Enterprise On its $3.8bn US 10-year outsourcing deal with an investment bank to provide global consolidation and operation of data centres, associated IT infrastructure and migration to more modern cloud-based technologies.

  • Future facing

    Unilever

    On a huge variety of data protection and security matters, together with a variety of strategic, market-leading technology sourcing deals.

  • Future facing

    Multinational consumer goods company

    On the legal issues involved in its proposal to operate an e-commerce business in China.

  • On the move

    Luxury car manufacturer

    On the £40m procurement of long-term WAN and telecommunications services for operational, retail and manufacturing sites covering more than 30 international jurisdictions.

  • On the move

    A major German car producer

    On its innovative tech projects across CEE involving e-mobility, connected car services and specific software developments. Advising on all issues concerning its EUR 1bn strategic greenfield development project in CEE, including real estate, foreign investments and state aid law, corporate structure and tax.

  • On the move

    A major US car producer

    On the regulatory compliance regarding electromobility of their customer services programme in several countries.

Case studies

CMS advised a multinational conglomerate to manage cross-border payments in a seamless and efficient way across 34 jurisdictions. 

The advice, on a range of payment issues and with a key focus on the maximum length of those arrangements, was project managed by CMS Warsaw. CMS mobilised its resources to advise in 34 jurisdictions. Close co-ordination and implementation of shared quality standards, we ensured that our client received clear, commercial advice in a consistent and coherent form in every country

CMS Budapest operates a dedicated centralised hub for a major oil & gas company’s indirect procurement contracts worldwide. 

A core team of specialist commercial lawyers qualified in a range of jurisdictions deliver the service, and mobilise the resources and expertise of CMS lawyers around the world as required. The team is led by a Legal Project Manager, ensuring that all matters are handled in cost-effectively and delivering efficiencies through continuous process improvement, implementing lessons learned and minimising repetition.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    We instruct CMS because of their technical expertise, their friendliness and their outstanding ability to understand our business and address risks, before we know that those risks even exist.
    Chambers & Partners, 2022
  • Quote
    CMS has a strong cross-border practice. It is a leading firm for commercial contract law.
    Chambers & Partners Europe, 2022
  • Quote
    It’s important for our company to mandate a firm that is able to deal with the width and breadth of the different legal areas and requests we have. CMS is active on exactly such a scale.
    Chambers & Partners Europe, 2022

Events

  • blue lines, waves, abstract
    International
    04 Mar 2025

    2025 Insurance sector webinar programme

  • Scenic of panorama view of sunrise skyline and cityscape with light tail on road into metropolis, Bangkok, Thailand
    International
    24 Apr 2025

    Cross-Border Financial Services 2025 webinar series

  • International
    07 May 2025

    On the Pulse webinar series 2025 - Spring/Summer

  • RETL 23 - Paul Clark interview - paris cityscape - 840x420.jpg
    International
    27 May 2025

    CMS Breakfast | Investing in Latin America

  • International
    05 Jun 2025

    AI and Competition Law

  • Wind Turbines
    International
    17 Jun 2025

    Africa Energy Forum 2025

Local market knowledge. Global outlook

We provide future-facing legal advice to help your organisation thrive. Combining local market knowledge and a global perspective, and with lawyers in locations worldwide, your organisation benefits from the expertise it needs, even across borders.

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