A ten-strong CMS real estate team led by two partners has left the firm over client conflict issues.

The departing group, which is led by partners Simon Kanter and Alan Karsberg, is joining West End firm Fladgate.

The eight other lawyers are made up of senior and junior associates.

CMS said: “Due to confidential client conflict issues, it is with regret that we confirm that Alan, Simon and some members of the client relationship team have left the firm. Whilst we are sorry to see them go, they leave with our full support and blessing. We wish them all the best for the future.”

Both Kanter and Karsberg were partners at legacy Olswang, which along with Nabarro merged with CMS last year.

Kanter was the firm’s Israel group head at the time of the merger and acted primarily for US, European and UK property investors and funds.

Karsberg, meanwhile, focuses on real estate finance, landlord and tenant and development work. Both were at Olswang for more than a decade ahead of the merger, with Karsberg joining the firm in 2004 and Kanter in 2006.

CMS is currently bedding down its three-way merger with Nabarro and Olswang, which went live in May last year.

Earlier this year CMS won a significant real estate mandate when it was appointed the Crown Estate's sole legal provider, in a seven year deal to oversee its £2.5bn regional retail portfolio.

The hires are the latest for Holborn-based Fladgate in 2018, which has also brought in Ropes & Gray restructuring and insolvency partner Daniel Martin, Mishcon de Reya real estate partner Helen Curtis-Goulding and and Clyde & Co property litigation partner Tim Foley.