Clare Murray is the founder and Managing Partner of CM Murray LLP, specialising in partnership and employment law.
Clare acts for US and UK professional services firms (particularly in the legal sector), and for equity partners in professional services and investment management firms.
She has particular expertise in the strategic handling of partner conduct and performance issues, partner exits, team moves and restrictive covenants, as well as partner discrimination and whistleblowing complaints and litigation.
Clare has advised on many sexual harassment matters in law and accounting firms, and in multi-national organisations, and has extensive experience of representing complainants, firms and employers, and those accused of alleged harassment. In March 2018, Clare was appointed as the specialist adviser to the House of Commons Women & Equalities Committee in respect of its Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Inquiry.
Clare played a leading role in the creation of the Professional Practices Alliance. Clare is also regarded as a market leader in providing strategic advice to senior executives, founders, US and multi-national companies with UK operations, and US and UK law firms on their employment law issues.
Many of the employment law matters in which Clare is involved are cross-border. Clare was instrumental in setting up global employment law alliance, Innangard.
Clare was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales in November 1993.
Clare has been ranked by Spear’s Magazine as ‘Top Recommended’ in the Spear’s 2023 Employment Lawyers Index.
Chambers and Partners UK 2024 ranked Clare as an “Eminent Practitioner” for both Partnership (Contentious) and Partnership (Non-Contentious): “Clare is a superb individual who really inspires confidence.” “Clare is a top performer and a pleasure to work with. She is very strong technically and great to have on your side in a dispute.” “Clare is a truly exceptional lawyer.”
Legal 500 UK 2024 ranked Clare in the “Hall of Fame” for Partnership. She is described as “a visionary leader in her field.” “Clare Murray is a legend. She has assembled a fabulously talented team including Corinne Staves, Andrew Pavlovic and Sarah Chilton.”
Clare is also ranked as an “Eminent Practitioner” for Employment (Senior Executive), “Clare is one of the best.” “She is absolutely top of the field.” “Clare is a confidence-inspiring individual. She is the best and hardest fighter for individuals.”
Chambers and Partners UK 2023 ranked Clare as an “Eminent Practitioner” for both Partnership (Contentious) and Partnership (Non-Contentious), “her legal knowledge is fantastic and her people skills are amazing. If I had a partnership dispute, I would head to Clare.” “She is a real inspiration and leads a fantastic team.”
Clare is also ranked as an “Eminent Practitioner” for Employment (Senior Executive), “Clare is simply outstanding. She is at the top of her game and the go-to person for employment and partnership matters. There is no one else in the City or the wider UK market who comes anywhere close in terms of ability, acumen and commerciality.” “Clare is stand out. She is very sharp and very impressive.”
“Clare Murray is a superb solicitor.”
Legal 500 UK 2023 ranked Clare in the “Hall of Fame” for Partnership. She is recognised as “The deserving star of the practice who is ‘fizzing with ideas’. Extremely hard working, thoroughly thoughtful, a pleasure to work with, and the authority on partnership law.”
Clare is also ranked in the “Hall of Fame” for Employment (Senior Executives), she is recognised as “not only the founder, but the glue who brings her extraordinary team of experts together and clearly empowers them to be the best in the class. She is supremely knowledgeable, gets quickly to the nub of the legal issues and is a forceful and tenacious advocate while being warm and supportive to her clients.” “Clare Murray and her team are experts in their field. They are both practical and resourceful. Clare’s attention to detail is extraordinary, but what sets her apart is her compassion to her clients.”
Clare has been named a “Top Recommended Employment Lawyer” in the Spear’s 2022 Legal Index.
Clare has been named ‘Labour and Employment Lawyer of the Year‘ at the Who’s Who Legal Awards 2021.
Chambers and Partners UK 2022 ranked Clare a “Star Individual” for Partnership – Contentious and in Band 3 for Partnership Non-Contentious, “she’s such a good lawyer who gives such confidence to clients, knows her stuff inside out and is completely committed.”
Clare is ranked in Band 1 for Employment (Senior Executive) and “…wins widespread acclaim for her work representing senior executives and equity partners in complex employment disputes.” ““She is a skilled adviser and she has an understanding of multinational strategies.”
Legal 500 UK 2022 ranked Clare in the “Hall of Fame” and “a market leader” for Partnership. She is recognised as “…simply the best lawyer in her field in the United Kingdom” and “…an inspirational leader who sets the tone of excellence through an impressive work ethic and her own commitment to maintaining high standards.”
Clare is also recognised as “an outstanding leader in her field” and as “exceptionally bright and knowledgeable” in Employment (Employers).
Clare is ranked as a “Global Elite Thought Leader” by Who’s Who Legal Labour and Employment 2021 and was also named “Labour & Employment Lawyer of the Year” at the Who’s Who Legal Awards 2020.
Chambers and Partners UK 2021 ranked Clare a “Star Individual” for Partnership (Contentious) and in Band 3 for Partnership (Non-Contentious), described as “the best in the business” and being “extremely able, clear and straightforward, and she knows the field inside out.”
Clare is also ranked in Band 1 for Employment (Senior Executive) and is described as “A leading expert in partnership and employment law; she is inspirational.”
Legal 500 UK 2021 named Clare a “Leading Individual” in the Hall of Fame for both Partnership (Contentious) and Partnership (Non-Contentious), described as “head and shoulders above her peers and is the go-to lawyer for individuals and businesses”.
Clare is also named a “Leading Individual” in the Hall of Fame for Employment (Senior Executives) and Employment (Employers), and is as “a dean of the executive advocacy bar, across industries and across borders. She is the go-to person for this work in the UK and for matters over-lapping with the UK.”
Clare has been included in the Spear’s Magazine 2021 Employment Lawyers Spears Index, a selection of the best Legal Advisers for HNWs, for her expertise in advising Senior Executives.
Clare is ranked in the Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders Global Elite: Labour & Employment 2020. “The “outstanding Clare Murray of CM Murray LLP leads our research with an “impeccable profile and stellar global reputation” for contentious and non-contentious labour, employment and partnership matters.”
Chambers and Partners UK 2020 ranked Clare as a “Star Individual” for Partnership (Contentious) and in Band 2 for Partnership (Non-Contentious). “A source says she is “as good as it gets” for partnership disputes, adding: “She is hugely experienced and charming, has fantastic people skills and is a true expert in this area.”
Clare is also ranked in Band 1 for Employment (Senior Executive) and is described as “incredibly dynamic and driven lawyer who is helpful, thoughtful and great to work with” She wins widespread acclaim for her work representing senior executives and partners in complex employment disputes.”
Legal 500 UK 2020 named Clare a “Leading Individual” in the Hall of Fame for Partnership. She is noted as “one of the industry’s most energetic and driven practitioners”. Clare is also described as “an expert negotiator and the person you want on your side in a brawl.”
Clare is also named a “Leading Individual” in the Hall of Fame for Employment (Senior Executives) and Employment (Employers). ‘Clare Murray is excellent – impeccable judgement, wonderful manner, very practical and easy to work with […] The perfect combination of superb technical expertise and the calmest, most supportive attitude.”
Chambers and Partners UK 2019 ranked Clare as a “Star Individual” in Partnership Law (Contentious) and in Band 2 for Partnership Law (Non-Contentious): “‘Superb litigator’ Clare Murray is highly commended for her deep experience in partnership disputes. She is particularly adept at handling sensitive matters related to partner exits, discrimination claims and whistle-blowing cases. Clients say: “She is extraordinarily capable, extremely responsive to the client’s goals and needs, very commercial in her attitude and with a real understanding of the legal and commercial issues relating to partnerships. She is a genuine expert.”
Clare is also ranked in Band 1 for Employment Law (Senior Executive), and is noted for advising clients “on a range of disputes faced by senior executives such as complex restrictive covenant, unfair dismissals and whistle-blowing cases. She is well known in the market and is renowned for fighting her client’s corner.”
Legal 500 2018 named Clare a “Leading Individual”, saying “‘Head and shoulders above her peers in the industry’, founding partner and team leader Clare Murray is the ‘go-to’ lawyer for partnership disputes and is noted for her ‘superb judgement’ and significant experience.”
Clare is also described as “an outstanding lawyer” with “[…] particular expertise handling team moves, restrictive covenant issues, whistleblowing claims and discrimination cases.”
Clare is ranked as the number one “Global Elite Thought Leader” in Europe by Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders Global Elite: Labour & Employment 2019. Clare is described as ‘“an excellent litigator” with a “very, very strong reputation in the space”. She is noted for her standout work representing law firms.’
Clare is also listed in Spear’s 500 2019 as “Outstanding in field” among its “Top Recommended Employment Lawyers”.