Growing national firm Shakespeare Martineau has expanded its so-called ‘house of brands’ by taking on a south west practice. The firm today announced a merger with GL Law, transferring more than 60 people and taking the group’s turnover past £100m for this year.

Shakespeare Martineau is now part of the legal and professional services group Ampa. It last year revealed plans to become a ‘house of brands’ – merging with other firms - some of which would keep their identities - and double the business in size by 2023. In this case, GL Law will become part of the Shakespeare Martineau brand, with the leaders of both firms agreeing that taking on the national moniker would resonate well with the local market.

The takeover increases the Shakespeare Martineau group’s presence in Bristol and the south west, and expands its sector specialisms in the creative industries and leisure and hospitality sectors.

With headquarters in Bristol and a team in London, GL Law has been acting for owner-managed businesses, SMEs, start-ups and private clients across the south west and beyond for more than 300 years.

L-R Sarah Walker-Smith and Richard Hill

Sarah Walker-Smith and Richard Hill

No redundancies are planned, and those with an equity share in GL Law will be transferred to become equity shareholders of Ampa.

Richard Hill, managing director at GL Law, said the business will be in a much stronger position operating as Shakespeare Martineau to accelerate growth plans. ‘There is a lot of consolidation in the legal market right now, but no one is offering what Shakespeare Martineau does,’ said Hill. ‘Together, we’re bringing a completely new approach to professional services in the local market.

‘This is an exciting next step in our journey as we continue to build our services across the south west, leveraging the national reach, expertise, and resource offered by Shakespeare Martineau, to grow our support for existing and future clients.’

Shakespeare Martineau now has 10 offices across England, having recently added Sussex firm Mayo Wynne Baxter and cyber security business CSS Assure, both of which retained their standalone brands.

Sarah Walker-Smith, chief executive of the group, added: ‘Our house of brands strategy is a combination of introducing new standalone brands to the group or combining new teams or entities to our current brands, and in the case of GL Law, its 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.’

 

* Meanwhile, national firm Irwin Mitchell has expanded its wealth management team with the acquisition of Cheshire-based TWP Wealth.

The chartered financial planning company, based in Alderley Edge, will support the firm’s complex personal injury clients with a range of investment management services.

 

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