CMS has reported global revenue of nearly €2.2bn for the previous financial year, pointing to a strong performance by the firm’s corporate practice.
Turnover increased 4.8% to €2.17bn in the 2025 financial year (which runs from January to December), a slightly slower pace than in 2024 when revenue rose 5.9% to just over €2bn. Meanwhile, revenue for the UK LLP increased to £839.3m in 2025, marking 7.7% year-on-year growth. CMS does not disclose its profits or profit per equity partner.
The corporate/M&A practice was the biggest contributor to revenue growth in 2025, according to CMS. Other areas with strong performances included dispute resolution, tax, employment, and banking and finance, CMS said.
"The steady increase in total revenues confirms that our approach continues to meet the evolving needs of the market," said CMS chairman, Pierre-Sébastien Thill. "Above all, this performance is underpinned by the strength of our client relationships: understanding their businesses, working closely with them and supporting them through complex challenges.”
During 2025, CMS boosted its international presence through the addition of 400-lawyer Induslaw as a member firm. CMS INDUSLAW has a presence across India’s main commercial hubs, including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai. It also officially merged with its Hong Kong alliance firm Lau Horton & Wise, creating a combined practice of more than 40 lawyers.
Over the year, the firm boosted its partnership with a 56-strong promotions round and lateral hires including Glenn Haley and Wayne Ma, who joined in Hong Kong at the helm of a seven-lawyer team from BCLP.
Having introduced GenAI platform Harvey in 2024, last year CMS announced a firmwide rollout to its more than 7,000 lawyers and business support staff, noting the software saved each CMS lawyer around 30 minutes per day on average by speeding up tasks such as contract review and due diligence.
“The pace of change in the legal market makes it essential that we keep looking ahead" said Stephen Millar, executive partner at CMS. "In 2025, we took the opportunity to review our strategy and define the next stage of the firm’s development. Our focus is on strengthening the way we work with clients and building lasting relationships. We have a clear direction, strong momentum and a renewed focus on what matters most to our clients.”
CMS’s growth is in line with UK-headquartered firms, which have been posting modest gains for the previous financial year. Earlier this month, Bird & Bird reported 4% growth to €702m, while Fieldfisher also grew revenue 4% to £398m amid a European growth push that saw it debut in Poland and Portugal.
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