Top 50 legal and professional services firm Ampa Group – which is best known for its full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau – has signed on the dotted line to relocate to the 19th floor of the iconic The Shard building.
Reinforcing its commitment to the capital, national client base and ambitious growth trajectory, the legal and professional services group will be taking more than 11,800 square feet of the UK’s tallest building – nearly a 25% increase compared to its previous London hub in Gracechurch Street.
The Ampa Group and its brands – law firms Shakespeare Martineau, Lime Solicitors and Mayo Wynne Baxter; planning, design, heritage and development consultancy Marrons; M&A advisory firm Coadax; cyber security consultancy CSS Assure; and uninsured loss recovery specialist Corclaim – are growing bricks and mortar presence in strategic business centres across the UK, investing in the locations their clients are based in order to build stronger ties and relationships in key sectors and industries, as well as offer a sought-after space for client events and collaboration.
The newly refurbished space will support modern, agile working through a variety of adaptable work settings for more than 160 people across Ampa Group brands and central services, including desks, ‘touchdown’ zones, collaboration areas, acoustic booths and flexible meeting spaces.
The new hub will also create opportunities to host more client events, offering a refreshed and welcoming space for connection and collaboration. Fit-out works will be completed over the summer, with the hub due to open in autumn 2025.
Sarah Walker-Smith, Ampa Group chief executive, said: “Our move within London is more than just a change in location – it reflects our commitment to the capital and our confidence in its vibrant future. While others scale back, we are scaling up, investing in a space that allows us to strengthen relationships, foster innovation and deliver excellence in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.”
Standing out in a crowded market, Ampa Group is one of the largest professional services B-Corporations in the world and offers an alternative growth strategy for legal and professional services brands.
Brands within the group have the autonomy to drive strategic growth, focused on the specific needs of their client base, while also being united in a group-wide purposeful and sustainably profitable approach to business, in addition to bigger buying power and access to a raft of central support teams and experts.
Simon Robinson, partner at Shakespeare Martineau and joint head of the London hub, said: “Our new space gives us the flexibility to think bigger and work better – not only with each other, but with the growing network of clients and partners we support across London and beyond. We are a relationship-based business, so it’s important we are in the heart of the city.”
Martin Usher, partner at Lime Solicitors and joint head of the London hub, added: “The hub will be a modern, creative environment that truly reflects the work we do and the values we hold as a team. We’re excited to continue growing in London and welcome more people into our space as we expand.”
The new London office space will align with Ampa Group’s sustainability principles, incorporating upcycled and sustainably sourced materials where possible.
The Shard itself has its own combined heat and power plant, which reduces energy losses and emissions by generating electricity and using the recovered heat on-site, as well as an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating, energy efficient design and advance maintenance techniques that reduce water and chemical usage.
