CMS Cameron McKenna has launched a pandemic advice team in response to the swine flu outbreak in the UK.

The pandemic advice group launched last month under the leadership of City insurance partner Jonathan Thorpe. The cross-departmental group includes 16 partners from groups including corporate and corporate recovery, health and safety, pensions, employment and insurance and litigation.

It will advise companies on a range of issues that could arise if there is a serious outbreak in the UK, with the move coming after Government predictions that the pandemic will hit the UK in earnest in the autumn.

Camerons is advising companies to prepare for the outbreak now rather than waiting for it to hit, with employment, health and safety, insurance issues and business continuity all important factors to consider.

Thorpe said: "The government figures are pretty frightening and the key message to clients is now is the time to be proactive rather than waiting to react when it is too late. It could be that businesses struggling in the economic downturn could be pushed over the edge if they were suddenly to stand without 25%-30% of staff."

Camerons' decision to respond to the crisis comes after it emerged Allen & Overy is prepared for a pandemic, building up enough stockpiles of Tamiflu to treat its entire workforce.