Buzzable hours! CMS lawyers to get lessons in beekeeping

Global law firm introduces hives across offices to mark World Bee Day 🐝

Lawyers at CMS will soon have an opportunity to get to grips with the art of beekeeping through a new initiative launched today to mark World Bee Day.

The global law firm is introducing hives across its UK and international offices to help enhance biodiversity in its local communities, as part of a new tie-up with Bee Conservation.

As part of the deal, CMS will establish ‘Bee Clubs’ where lawyers and staff will have the opportunity to look after the bees and learn the basics of beekeeping. And to ensure there’s no sting in the tail, this will all be overseen by professional beekeepers.

Bee gardens are also being created to enhance the environment and ensure the bees and ecosystems are well supported, the firms said.

The first hives will be based at the firm’s offices in London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Bristol and Sheffield, with plans to introduce further hives to Manchester, Liverpool and finally its international offices next year.

And there will be on-site catering for the new residents too, with the firm supplying a range of pesticide-free, nectar rich flowers and trees in the vicinity so the bees won’t need to travel significant lengths to find their food or compete with nearby hives.

Buzzing about the new initiative, Barbara Mendler, managing director operations and strategic projects at CMS, said:

“We want our staff and clients to be fully involved in this wonderful initiative and will be offering them the opportunity to learn about beekeeping and the importance of bees and other pollinators, and the ways we can support these insects at home. We are incredibly passionate about our bee programme, which is just one of the many projects that we are undertaking as part of our sustainability drive.”

A number of law firms across the City already have hives in place, with some even at one point producing their own branded honey.

But the City-bee connections don’t stop there. Earlier this year Legal Cheek sat down with Michael Walsh, a former Covington & Burling associate who quit legal practice to pursue his passion for beekeeping. You can read his interview here.