CMS, one of largest European networks of law firms, has made tax hires in Germany and Belgium and entered into an Italian alliance to increase its coverage of cross-border European mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructurings.

CMS' largest European members include CMS Cameron McKenna, a large law firm based in London, and CMS Hasche Sigle, a large German law firm with a number of regional offices. Both firms have forged their European M&A expansion on the back of numerous corporate and private equity clients. CMS Hasche has a reputation for being one of Germany's market leaders for law firms on private equity-backed buy-outs, where tax considerations play a significant role in the type of structure used for the deal.