Shakespeare Martineau grows with Bristol merger

Shakespeare Martineau grows with Bristol merger

More than 60 professionals add on and turnover of more than £100m at parent company happen due to GL Law merge

Shakespeare Martineau, Birmingham-based firm expands England's Southwest with Bristol firm GL Law merge.

As part of legal and professional services group, Ampa, the union will see GL Law become part of Shakespeare Martineau.

For financial year 2022/23, the deal will observe more than 60 professionals transfer and take the group's turnover to more than £100 million.

Shakespeare Martineau said that in the creative industries and leisure and hospitality, the tie-up would increase its existing proficiency and expand its sector in-depth study and expand its geographical reach.

With London team, GL Law, together with Bristol headquarters, advises owner-managed businesses, SMEs and start-ups regarding commercial and general corporate law, commercial disputes and regulatory and licensing law matters.

Including dispute resolution, divorce and separation and private wealth, the firm has been operating for more than 300 years and a private client arm offering services as well.

The recent additions of Sussex firm Mayo Wynne Baxter and cyber security consultancy CSS Assure of wider Ampa group. Both of which maintain their standalone brands within the group's 'house of brands' follows the merge.

Sarah Walker-Smith, CEO of Shakespeare Martineau and Ampa informed, "Cultural fit is most vital in any new team, or entity joining the group. We observed so many synergies with GL Law's ways of working and our house of brands."

"A combination of presenting new separate brands to the group or combining new teams or entities to our present brands is our strategy. In the case of GL Law, with their existing legal offering and its market, it made sense for it to join Shakespeare Martineau and expand the national reach of this brand within our group," she added.

Later in 2022, its equity directors will formally become members of Ampa whereas GL Law has already started its changeover to the group.

As part of the merger, there are no dismissals expected. The firm is proactively looking to hire talent in the area. Those who have an equity share in GL Law will be shifted to equity share in Ampa.

Richard Hill, managing director at GL Law, said: "By joining the team at Shakespeare Martineau, we will be in a much stronger position to quicken our striving development plans. There is a lot of consolidation in the legal market presently, but none is offering what Shakespeare Martineau does, together we're bringing a completely new method to professional services in the local market.

"To raise our support strength for existing and future clients, this is a thrilling next step in our journey. Leveraging the national reach, know-how and resource offered by Shakespeare Martineau, we carried on building our services across the Southwest."

The uninsured loss recovery experts, Corclaim, planning consultancy, Marrons Planning and its consumer brand, Lime Solicitors comprise of the Ampa group.

Adding to its current locations in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Solihull, Nottingham, Leicester, Lincoln, London, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Glasgow, GL Law's Bristol base will become Shakespeare Martineau's 11th office.

Following a run of mergers in the UK, news of Shakespeare Martineau's tie-in. One of its largest present deals of £11.5m last week listed regional firm Knights announced it was set to expand in the South East through the acquisition of Coffin Mew.

Just over 100 fee earners and four new bases across the region, the transaction, anticipated to be completed in July, will see Knights gain.

In April 2022, Gateley, AIM-listed legal and professional services firm, acquired chartered surveying and structural engineering company, Smithers Purslow as it sought to further expand its property platform.

In March partners at Clyde & Co and BLM voted through a merger treaty. It will add almost £100m to Clydes' top line and 790 lawyers to Clyde's 2,440 legal professionals.

Expected to go live in July, the deal will be the largest UK-focused merger since CMS absorbed Olswang. In terms of revenue and headcount since it combined with Barlow Lyde & Gilbert in 2011 and Nabarro in 2016 it is the largest merger for Clydes.