Alerts

Warning: Emails misusing the name of 'Robbie Leckie' at CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang LLP

9 May 2022

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from 'CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang LLP' in relation to supposed new bank details for a payment.

What is the scam?

Emails have been sent falsely claiming to be from 'CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang LLP' (see below for genuine firm details)

The emails seen by the SRA falsely claim that the genuine firm has a new bank account for receiving payments due to internal audits and asks the recipient to make payment to the new account.

The emails seen by the SRA appear to be sent from the email address 'kym.blackbourn@cms-cmmo.com' (with an incorrect 'mm' in the domain name). The emails also misuse the name and email signature for 'Robbie Leckie' (a genuine solicitor, see below).

Any business or transactions through an individual named 'Kym Blackbourn', the email address 'kym.blackbourn@cms-cmmo.com' (or other emails from the domain '@cms-cmmo.com') are not undertaken by a solicitors' practice or an individual authorised or regulated by the SRA.

Is there a genuine firm or person?

The SRA authorises and regulates a genuine firm of solicitors called CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP whose head office address is Cannon Place, 78 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AF and telephone number is '0207 367 3000'

The firm's genuine email domain ends with '@cms-cmno.com' and the genuine website for the firm is 'www.cms.law'

The SRA also authorise and regulate a genuine solicitor called Robert (Robbie) Leckie (SRA ID: 445382) who is a partner at the genuine firm of CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang LLP.

Both the genuine firm of CMS Cameron Mckenna Nabarro Olswang LLP and the genuine solicitor Robert Leckie have confirmed that they have no genuine connection to the emails referred to above.

The firm have also confirmed that they do have a genuine employee called Kym Blackbourn, whose genuine email address also ends with the firm's real domain of '@cms-cmno.com'. The firm have confirmed that their employee Kym Blackbourn has no genuine connection to the emails referred to above.

What should I do?

When a firm's or individual's identity has been copied exactly (or cloned), due diligence is necessary. If you receive correspondence claiming to be from the above firm(s) or individual(s), or information of a similar nature to that described, you should conduct your own due diligence by checking the authenticity of the correspondence by contacting the law firm directly by reliable and established means. You can contact the SRA to find out if individuals or firms are regulated and authorised by the SRA and verify an individual's or firm's practising details. Other verification methods, such as checking public records (e.g. telephone directories and company records) may be required in other circumstances.