Legal and professional services group Ampa has announced 16% growth in its latest year-end results, before factoring in its two recent mergers.
In its 2021/22 financial results, the group - which includes full-service law firm for life and business Shakespeare Martineau, consumer champion law firm Lime Solicitors, planning consultancy Marrons Planning, uninsured loss recovery experts Corclaim and cyber security consultancy CSS Assure – has, for the first time, broken the £80 million turnover milestone, publishing a year-end result of £80.4 million.
Ampa’s two recent mergers - which saw Sussex firm Mayo Wynne Baxter join the group in May 2022 and will see Bristol-based GL Law merge into the group’s Shakespeare Martineau brand later this year - will increase the group’s turnover to more than £105 million for the next financial year; a 50% increase on last year’s result.
With the group's growth almost entirely organic, Ampa leaders say such significant progress is down to its people and ‘House of Brands’ strategy, which enables the group to offer brands relevant to client needs and geography. All member equity is held at group level rather than entity level, to reflect the group’s ‘in it together, in it for the long-term' philosophy.
Sarah Walker-Smith, CEO of Ampa, explained: “In 2020 we pressed ahead with our plans despite the uncertainty of the pandemic. Our house of brands portfolio provides resilience and sustainability in a volatile and uncertain economic and political landscape. We are looking to change business for good – benefitting our clients, communities and people with a collaborative and conscious approach to commercial strategy.”
Martin Williams, MWB's deputy chief executive partner adds; "The excellent performance demonstrated by these results shows why Mayo Wynne Baxter wanted to join Ampa. The cultural fit was essential, and part of that synergy in culture is a growth mentality. Ampa wanted Mayo Wynne Baxter on board because we will be able to contribute yet more significant growth for Ampa in the future."
The group’s brands currently have 18 hubs across the Midlands, South, South East, South West, South Yorkshire and Scotland. All brands are looking to recruit like-minded, talented individuals.
In 2021, the award-winning group created more than 190 new roles, welcomed 17 lateral partner hires and promoted more than 30 people across legal and non-legal teams. The group has made no redundancies as result of any of its mergers - remaining committed to being people-led and doing things differently from typical market consolidators.
Sarah added: “While we are taking our time ensuring that the practicalities of our current mergers work and that our people and clients have room to grow, we are continuing conversations with interested people who are seeking to join one of our existing brands as a ‘bolt on’ or –for bigger brands with unique geographies or different services – to join as a new ‘legal regional anchor’ or ‘other professional services’ brand.
“Our overall approach is different because we don’t combine with flailing businesses, but ones that are ambitious and looking for a fast-track to fuel growth. Culture comes first and if the main objective is to make a quick gain at others’ expense, then we know we’re not a fit.
“We don’t profess to have all the answers or that we’re perfect – instead we have a growth mind-set, we learn from mistakes, and we welcome constructive feedback. We empower our people, take accountability, stay agile and embrace new ideas, which has helped us achieve 16% largely organic growth in the year just finished.”
Ampa is B-Corporation pending and listed in Best Companies 2022 as one of the top 100 best large companies to work for in the UK. It also ranked as a top 25 law firm, top 75 East Midlands company, top 75 West Midlands company, and top 50 large London company to work for.
About Ampa
Ampa is a group of legal and professional services companies with a shared purpose: to unlock potential.
Ampa creates opportunities and provides businesses within the group with the infrastructure needed to enable and accelerate growth. The group encourages abundance mentality, distinct brands with personality, empowerment with accountability, and autonomy with transparency. It believes in fostering trust and honesty with authenticity.
Current brands within the group include full-service law firm for life and business Shakespeare Martineau, consumer champion law firm Lime Solicitors, planning consultancy Marrons Planning, uninsured loss recovery experts Corclaim, cyber security consultancy CSS Assure, and Sussex law firm Mayo Wynne Baxter.
The group is proactively seeking mergers, acquisitions, team recruitment and lateral hires that share the group’s culture and values, with the ambition to double in size by 2023.
For more information, please visit: ampa.co.uk.