...as European firms integrate

Cameron McKenna has made the first steps towards its goal of forming a

single pan-European law firm, as first revealed in The Lawyer (15 March).

It has integrated its Brussels office with its CMS European alliance

partner Derks Star Busmann Hanotiau.

The CMS group, formed this year from four European firms and Cameron

McKenna, intends to become one merged firm within three years. The office

will initially house lawyers from the two firms.

Richard Eccles, a partner in the new office, says: "Being at the forefront

of the CMS integration process is both exciting and good for business,

allowing us to respond to client demands with greater flexibility and

imagination."

Camerons changed its name on 1 August to CMS Cameron McKenna. Chairman of

the CMS Committee Dick Taylor claims CMS has helped win work.

He says: "CMS Cameron McKenna recently won work to advise on the

acquisition of a public company in Warsaw - this came through the CMS

network. We have also worked with CMS Derks Star Busmann Hanotiau on a

joint pitch to the European Commission for pharmaceutical regulatory work.

"We also recently won a pitch to the Post Office for commercial work and

our enhanced European strength was one of the reasons for our success."