CMS Cameron McKenna LLP has united its litigators globally in a new Dispute Resolution Group (DRG). The DRG practice covers all of CMS Cameron McKenna’s offices, and will comprise 39 partners and over 270 associates internationally. DRG will bring together lawyers involved in all forms of dispute resolution, including litigation, arbitration, mediation, expert determination and adjudication, and specialist strategic advice on avoiding disputes.

The turnover of the combined group topped £50 million last year making it one of the biggest litigation practices across Europe with disputes teams in London, Bristol, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Warsaw, Moscow, Kyiv, Bucharest, Budapest, Prague and Sofia. As demand for dispute resolution services has grown, CMS Cameron McKenna’s disputes team has seen strong double-digit growth in the year to date.

The Group includes experts in disputes in each of the firm’s dedicated industry sector groups: Consumer Products, Energy & Utilities, Financial Institutions & Services (comprising banking, investment businesses, insurance and reinsurance), Hotels & Leisure, Infrastructure & Project Finance, Lifesciences, Real Estate & Construction, and TMT (Technology, Media & Telecommunications).

The DRG practice will be led by Liam O’Connell, who commented, “We are creating this Group in response to increasing client demand and the changing economic landscape. Taken together, litigators around the firm contributed roughly a quarter of the firm’s turnover for 2007/08. We realised we had a real opportunity to leverage those impressive skills and experience further through the creation of a single, multi-jurisdictional group.


“I am very excited by how much potential there will be to build on our combined ability and to bring together expert teams from each of our industry sectors. Given the likelihood of a much greater need for dispute resolution services arising from the downturn in the international economy, we are responding by providing a collaborative and cohesive solution for our clients.

“We will have a close-knit team that also increases our alignment with the broader CMS organisation, which operates a similar DRG practice.”

Liam O’Connell will also remain head of the firm’s Insurance and Reinsurance practice based at 100 Leadenhall Street, London EC3, in the heart of the insurance market.