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CMS

Europe's leading crypto law firm — 400+ digital asset lawyers across 84 offices in 47 countries

London, UK (international)Est. 1999 (as merged entity)5,000+ lawyers; 84 offices; 47 countries; 400+ crypto-specialist lawyers
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Quick Facts

Best For
European and cross-border crypto mandates requiring scale, deep local regulatory knowledge across multiple jurisdictions, and a firm with proven crypto specialism at the highest industry recognition level
Pricing
Large firm rates — competitive relative to US BigLaw; varies by office and matter complexity

Overview

CMS has built what is widely regarded as the largest and most comprehensive crypto and digital assets legal practice in Europe — with over 400 crypto-specialist lawyers across 84 offices in 47 countries. The firm has advised on crypto and digitalisation aspects of IP disputes, insolvency, tax, regulation, banking, investments and acquisitions, and commercial technology across more than 40 jurisdictions. CMS won 'Best Digital Assets Law Firm in Europe' at the Future of Finance Awards and 'Best Digital Asset Law Firm' at The Digital Commonwealth Awards 2025. The crypto practice is led in the UK by Charles Kerrigan, one of the UK's most recognised crypto lawyers, who has advised on over $5 billion in fintech funding, 65+ NFT projects, and 250+ cryptoasset clients. CMS is particularly strong for European and cross-border crypto mandates where both scale and deep local regulatory knowledge are required simultaneously.

Focus Areas

Crypto & Digital Asset RegulationToken Issuance & NFT ProjectsDeFi Legal StructuresStablecoins & PaymentsBlockchain-based M&ACrypto Insolvency & LitigationIP Disputes & Digital AssetsRWA TokenisationCrypto Tax (European)MiCA Compliance

Who They Work With

Global Crypto ExchangesToken IssuersDeFi ProtocolsFinancial InstitutionsInstitutional InvestorsGaming & NFT PlatformsWeb3 Infrastructure CompaniesEnterprise Blockchain Teams

Notable Work

250+ cryptoasset clients advised; 65+ NFT projects; $5B+ in fintech funding transactions; named Best Digital Assets Law Firm in Europe 2025. Charles Kerrigan authored 'Crypto and Digital Assets Law and Regulation' (Sweet and Maxwell, 2023).

Key Contacts

  • Charles Kerrigan (Finance Partner, UK Crypto Lead)
Charles Kerrigan

Office Locations

LondonFrankfurtAmsterdamSingaporeHong KongParisMadrid

Frequently Asked Questions about CMS

What does CMS's crypto and digital assets practice cover?
CMS offers one of the broadest crypto legal practices in Europe — covering digital asset regulation, token issuance, NFT projects (65+ advised), DeFi legal structures, stablecoins, blockchain-based M&A, crypto insolvency and litigation, IP disputes involving digital assets, RWA tokenisation, and MiCA compliance. The interdisciplinary practice draws on specialists across tax, insolvency, IP, banking regulation, and commercial technology across 40+ countries.
Who is Charles Kerrigan and why is he well-known in UK crypto law?
Charles Kerrigan is the Finance Partner leading CMS's UK crypto practice. He has advised on transactions worth over $5B in fintech funding, 65+ NFT projects, and 250+ cryptoasset clients including global exchanges, blockchain gaming projects, and DeFi platforms. He was named in The Lawyer's 2022 Hot 100, sits on advisory boards of the UK APPG on Artificial Intelligence and the APPG on Blockchain, serves on the Bank of England's Financial Markets Law Committee on Virtual Currencies, and authored 'Crypto and Digital Assets Law and Regulation' (Sweet and Maxwell, 2023) — the leading UK practitioner text on the subject.
Does CMS work with early-stage crypto projects or only large institutions?
CMS's scale and interdisciplinary structure mean it can accommodate clients across a wide range of sizes, from growth-stage token projects through to institutional mandates. Rates at a firm of CMS's size are significant but generally more competitive than US BigLaw — and for European mandates requiring multi-jurisdiction coverage, CMS offers better value than assembling multiple specialist boutiques. Early-stage founders with complex multi-jurisdiction needs are within CMS's scope, though straightforward single-jurisdiction matters are better served by smaller boutiques.
What jurisdictions is CMS strongest in for crypto legal work?
CMS has crypto-competent lawyers in 40+ countries with particular strength in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Singapore, and Hong Kong — making it the leading choice for European MiCA compliance, UK FCA regulatory work, and Asian market entry. The firm's UK office, where Charles Kerrigan is based, is specifically recognised as one of the leading UK crypto law practices, with coverage spanning the full regulatory lifecycle from launch through to enforcement defence.
How do I engage CMS for crypto legal work?
Initial contact via cms.law or directly through Charles Kerrigan's page is the standard route for UK and international crypto mandates. The firm's scale means it can quickly assemble multi-discipline teams (combining regulatory, tax, IP, and disputes specialists) once a relationship is established. CMS has a global network of entry points, with the London, Frankfurt, and Singapore offices being the most active crypto hubs.
What recognition has CMS received for its crypto practice?
CMS was named 'Best Digital Assets Law Firm in Europe' at the Future of Finance Awards and 'Best Digital Asset Law Firm' at The Digital Commonwealth Awards 2025. Charles Kerrigan was named in The Lawyer's Hot 100 2022. The firm is also regularly ranked by Chambers and Legal 500 as a leading digital assets practice in the UK and European markets.

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