Wistrand Advokatbyra

What Wistrand Advokatbyra does

Wistrand Advokatbyra, operating commercially as CMS Wistrand, is a full-service Swedish law firm headquartered in Stockholm with a second office in Gothenburg. The firm traces its origins to 1915 and was integrated into the international CMS legal network through a merger, becoming the Swedish member firm within a structure of 22 affiliated law firms operating 90+ offices across more than 50 countries with 10,000+ total staff and 7,400+ lawyers. The firm serves large multinational and domestic corporations as its primary segment, alongside private equity and investment funds, life sciences and healthcare companies, technology/media/communications firms, energy and environment clients, real estate investors and developers, and start-ups via the dedicated equIP Sweden program.

The firm provides legal advisory across a broad practice area set including Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Labor Law & Pensions, Tax, Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, ESG, EU & Competition, Public Procurement, and Restructuring/Insolvency. Cross-border work is coordinated through an International Desk and the broader CMS network, enabling the Swedish office to act as the local-law counterpart on multi-jurisdictional mandates. Thought leadership is delivered via webinars (IP Insights, On the Pulse series), legal updates, expert guides, podcasts, and events. In June 2025 the firm launched CMS Wistrand equIP Sweden, a dedicated program providing tailored legal support to Swedish start-ups.

The business model is professional services — fees are negotiated based on matter complexity, scope, and client requirements, with multi-year retainer arrangements available for ongoing relationships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and billing is quote-based. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. The GTM motion is enterprise field sales: services are delivered through direct client engagement with assigned legal teams and relationship managers, leveraging the CMS network for cross-border mandates. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or leadership changes are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Wistrand Advokatbyra

Legal name

CMS Wistrand

Website

https://wistrand.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Wistrand Advokatbyra, operating as CMS Wistrand, is a full-service Swedish law firm headquartered in Stockholm with offices in Gothenburg, serving large corporations, private equity, and sector-specialized clients across multiple practice areas as the Swedish member of the global CMS legal network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Advisory Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Commercial legal advisory
• Corporate mergers acquisitions
• Cross-border legal services
• Banking finance law
• Dispute resolution law

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: Professional legal services billed through hourly rates, fixed fees, or retainer arrangements for corporate and institutional clients requiring legal counsel across multiple practice areas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CMS Wistrand is a full-service commercial law firm providing legal advisory services to private and public companies, small businesses, and entrepreneurs. The firm delivers counsel across all major practice areas including Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Labor Law, Tax, Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, IP, ESG, and Public Procurement, supplemented by sector specializations such as Private Equity, Life Sciences, Energy, and Technology/Media/Communications. Services are billed through hourly rates, fixed fees, or retainer arrangements, with cross-border mandates coordinated through the CMS international network.

Product overview

CMS Wistrand is a full-service law firm operating as part of the international CMS legal network. The firm provides a unified legal services offering that combines local Swedish expertise with global reach through CMS's worldwide presence of 10,000+ staff and 90+ offices across 50+ countries. The core product is comprehensive legal advisory services spanning multiple practice areas (Corporate/M&A, Banking & Finance, Labor Law, Tax, Real Estate, Dispute Resolution, IP, ESG) across diverse sectors. The offering includes specialized programs like CMS Wistrand equIP for start-ups and an International Desk for cross-border matters, supplemented by industry-specific expertise in areas such as Life Sciences, Technology, Energy, and Private Equity. The firm operates offices in Gothenburg and Stockholm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Advisory Services Full-service legal advisory covering multiple practice areas including M&A, banking & finance, labor law & pensions, tax, real estate, dispute resolution, EU & competition law, ESG, intellectual property, commercial, public procurement, and reconstruction & insolvency. Provided to corporate clients, government entities, and institutions in Sweden and internationally.
• CMS Wistrand equIP Sweden Specialized legal support program for start-ups in Sweden, providing tailored legal advisory services to help emerging companies navigate regulatory and business challenges through funding rounds, corporate structuring, IP protection, and scaling operations.
• International Desk Cross-border legal services with country and region-specific experts helping clients access foreign markets through coordinated advisory across the CMS international network spanning 50+ countries.
• Sector-Specialized Legal Advisory Specialized legal expertise across sectors including Energy & Environment, Construction Law, Funds, Insurance, Hotels & Hospitality, Consumer Products, Life Sciences & Healthcare, Private Equity, Private Capital, Maritime & Transport Law, and Technology/Media & Communications (TMC).

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• CMS Global NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS Wistrand is part of the international CMS law firm network comprising 22 affiliated law firms across 50+ countries with 90+ offices. The network provides shared resources, knowledge sharing, and coordinated legal services delivery for cross-border matters. Lawyers worldwide collaborate on client mandates, combining local expertise with international capabilities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Linklaters: Global Magic Circle law firm with a Stockholm office offering premium cross-border M&A, banking, and capital markets services. Competes for the largest Swedish corporate and financial sponsor mandates that require international coordination.
• Bird & Bird: International law firm with a Stockholm office particularly strong in TMT, IP, and technology sector advisory. Directly competes with CMS Wistrand's TMC (Technology, Media & Communications) practice for tech and life sciences clients.
• Baker McKenzie: Global law firm with a Stockholm office providing cross-border transactional and regulatory services. Competes with CMS Wistrand's International Desk for multinational clients requiring seamless multi-jurisdictional legal coverage.

Direct peers

• Roschier: Nordic law firm with offices in Helsinki and Stockholm, offering overlapping practice areas including M&A, banking, and dispute resolution. Closest Nordic cross-border competitor for Swedish and pan-Nordic corporate mandates.
• Mannheimer Swartling: Sweden's largest law firm and the most direct domestic competitor to CMS Wistrand, offering a comparable full-service practice across M&A, banking, dispute resolution, and sector specializations. Competes head-to-head for premium Swedish corporate mandates.
• Vinge: Leading Swedish full-service law firm headquartered in Stockholm, with a similar practice mix covering M&A, capital markets, banking, and dispute resolution. Competes directly for mid-to-large-cap corporate clients and PE sponsors operating in Sweden.
• Advokatfirman Cederquist: Stockholm-headquartered full-service Swedish law firm with similar M&A, banking, and corporate practices. Targets a comparable client base of large Swedish corporates, PE sponsors, and financial institutions.
• Setterwalls: Stockholm-based full-service Swedish law firm with comparable practice areas including M&A, banking & finance, and dispute resolution. Overlaps significantly on Swedish corporate mandates and competes in similar sector verticals.

Others

• Deloitte Legal: Big Four legal services arm operating in Sweden, providing integrated legal, tax, and consulting services. Adjacent competitor targeting clients seeking multi-disciplinary advisory bundled services.
• KPMG Law Advokatbyrå: Big Four-affiliated legal services provider in Sweden offering corporate, tax, and compliance legal services. Competes for mid-market corporate legal work and represents an alternative delivery model (Big 4 integration) versus traditional law firms like CMS Wistrand.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wistrandadvokatbyra
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cms-wistrand
• Instagraminstagram.com/cmswistrand

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wistrand Advokatbyra