CMS increases Finance Disputes capacity

CMS has announced the appointment of James Gliddon as a partner in its esteemed Finance Disputes team, which serves clients in London, the South West, and Scotland. Operating from the firm’s Bristol office, Gliddon brings over eight years of previous experience with CMS and has spent the last six years as a partner at Foot Anstey, where he specialised as Head of Banking & Financial Services disputes.

James Gliddon is known for his expertise in litigating banking and financial services issues. His extensive experience encompasses advising major retail banks, finance houses, and international financial institutions, including private and Islamic Finance banks. Recently, he has assisted clients with various complex matters, including injunctive relief, receivership disputes, and bribery and corruption investigations, often under scrutiny from regulatory bodies and the media.

Ranked in the Legal 500 UK 2025 directory, he is praised by clients for stating “James Gliddon has tremendous experience of handling lender disputes and brings a client friendly and calm head to every case.” His leadership roles include chairing the South West Fraud Forum since 2022, and he has also been appointed as Co-Chair of the UK Fraud Forum. This experience allows him to engage with various stakeholders on essential fraud prevention and response legislation.

Tom Dane, Partner and Head of Finance Disputes at CMS UK, expressed enthusiasm about Gliddon’s return by commenting “We’re very pleased to welcome James back to the firm. He is a highly regarded disputes practitioner with a proven track record of delivering for a broad range of financial services sector clients. We look forward to adding James to our growing team and to continue to develop the firm’s strong Finance Disputes offering.”

In reflecting on his return, James Gliddon noted “I’m delighted to be returning to CMS. The opportunity to support clients as part of CMS’ excellent Finance Disputes team is genuinely exciting. They, and the wider Financial Services team at CMS, offer a depth of expertise and personal approach, which is rare but truly valued by clients.” He further expressed eagerness to contribute to the strategic growth of the Bristol office, highlighting its reputation for nurturing talented lawyers.

Zoe Burge, CMS Partner and Bristol Office Managing Partner, echoed this sentiment, saying “We are really looking forward to welcoming James back to our Bristol office and excited to see what he can achieve with the incredible Finance Disputes team that we have in Bristol. James is a superb lawyer and has so much good energy; we are very pleased that he is joining at this key time in the growth of our Bristol office.”

The CMS Finance Disputes team is well-versed in navigating complex, high-value disputes related to financial products, civil fraud, professional negligence, and insolvency litigation. Their expertise, combined with a robust presence in London, Bristol, and Scotland, positions them as leading specialists within the firm’s Financial Services & Regulatory team.