We started this year with some exciting news when we announced that we were joining Ampa - the UK’s leading group of legal and professional services companies. For the last four months, teams on both sides have been working hard to ensure a smooth transition that does not impact on our clients and as of 1st May 2022, this merger process is now complete.
So, what’s changed? Well, outwardly not much. The very keen-eyed may have spotted some small changes to the wording on our T&Cs and legal notices but you would have to have been very keen-eyed! This wording just reflects the legal changes of ownership and that our equity partners have now merged into Ampa’s membership.
There is no immediate impact here and there have been no redundancies, in fact, we are looking to bring in an additional 35 – 40 lawyers in the immediate future. No money has been exchanged as part of the merger. We are keeping our branding and will continue to look after our clients as we have always done.
So why have we done it? Well, Mayo Wynne Baxter’s move to join Ampa is part of a wider strategy shared by the group’s businesses for growth, collaboration, and combined infrastructure, as well as shared values supporting clients and the community.
We are looking to increase our geographical footprint and are looking to expand into Surrey and Kent. We also want to be able to offer our clients the broadest range of services we can. Joining Ampa gives our clients access to over 900 experts not just in legal matters but also in planning, cyber security, and business strategy.
Being part of a bigger group gives us access to resources and expertise that further support our existing clients and will help us attract new ones too.
Dean Orgill, chief executive partner at Mayo Wynne Baxter, said: “As Mayo Wynne Baxter looks forward to the future, we are excited to be joining a group that shares our ambitions and values.
Clients will continue to enjoy our commitment to exceptional service, but that will now be available across the hugely enhanced breadth and depth of skills and expertise that Ampa can offer.”
Dean will now sit on the Ampa group board while also still working to steer the growth of Mayo Wynne Baxter as a regional anchor brand for the group.
CEO of Ampa, Sarah Walker-Smith said: “We’re delighted that Mayo Wynne Baxter will officially join the group from today.
“Transition for clients will be seamless as Mayo Wynne Baxter remains a standalone LLP in the group, however, clients will benefit from access to experts from our other brands including legal and non-legal teams.”
The merger brings Ampa to a turnover above £100m in the next financial year and a group of more than 1,200 people.
Ampa, also has pending B Corporation status which is only awarded to a business that is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials.
We will be sharing more information about the other business in the group but in the meantime, if you would like to know more about the other brands, please feel free to take a look at their websites.
This merger is good news for MWB, it is good news for Ampa, but more importantly, it is good news for our clients. If you have any questions about this merger or any of the services offered across the group then get in touch.