Mayo Wynne Baxter makes Eastbourne expansion with merger!

We are expanding our presence on the South East coast, we are merging with Eastbourne firm Lawson Lewis Blakers.

The union will see Lawson Lewis Blakers become part of the Mayo Wynne Baxter brand, taking the team to more than 220 people and adding £2 million to our turnover.

Acting for businesses, people and their families in Eastbourne, Peacehaven and Lewes, Lawson Lewis Blakers has significant experience in private client and family law, residential property, employment, commercial transactions and litigation.

No money will exchange hands as part of the merger and there are no planned redundancies. MWB will provide career progression and development opportunities for those joining from Lawson Lewis Blakers and continues to proactively recruit talented teams and individuals across the region.

Jeremy Sogno, director at Lawson Lewis Blakers, said: “We were looking for a larger organisation that shared our values and could offer greater growth opportunities for our talented and ambitious team, as well as providing additional services and expertise to our valued clients; Mayo Wynne Baxter more than fits these criteria, and we are excited about joining forces and continuing our legacy within the local area.”

With origins traced as far back as 1835, Lawson Lewis Blakers is no stranger to mergers, with the latest iteration of the brand forming when Lawson Lewis & Co and Blaker Son & Young merged in October 2012. MWB is also a firm steeped in history, having served the local community for more than 150 years.

Dean Orgill, chief executive partner at MWB, said: “Lawson Lewis Blakers is a long-standing firm with an excellent reputation and an ambition to grow – for its people and its clients. We see ourselves being stronger together and look forward to welcoming the whole team to the Mayo Wynne Baxter brand.”

Lawson Lewis Blakers’ Peacehaven office will become our eighth hub in the Sussex area, expanding our geographical footprint and remaining close to existing clients in the area. The deal is expected to complete later this year.

We are part of legal and professional services group Ampa, and this partnership with Lawson Lewis Blakers is in line with the wider group strategy of investing in and bolstering the brands within the group portfolio to truly unlock their potential.

Ampa, which has recently achieved B Corporation accreditation, also includes full-service Midlands law firm Shakespeare Martineau, national consumer legal brand Lime Solicitors, uninsured loss recovery experts Corclaim, planning consultancy Marrons Planning and cyber security experts CSS Assure.

The Ampa group of brands has been named as one of the UK’s top 100 large companies to work for as well as top 25 law firms in the Best Companies list 2022.

All Ampa brands are recruiting talented lateral hires and teams, and the group is proactively looking for like-minded businesses to join the group as either standalone brands or bolt-ons to its existing portfolio.