Putting down roots in Southampton

With its sights set on significant growth, leaders at the full-service national law firm Shakespeare Martineau have established permanent roots in Southampton and the Central South. With a commitment to excellence, sustainability and a client-centred approach, Shakespeare Martineau is poised to make a significant impact on the local legal market and community.

A strategic move

The certified B-Corporation firm, which already has 11 hubs across the South West, London, East and West Midlands, Yorkshire, and Scotland, secured office space at the prestigious University of Southampton Science Park, recognised as the South of England’s innovation hub, in April this year.

This strategic location is not just a new office; it represents the firm’s dedication to fostering innovation and supporting the region’s vibrant business community, as well as posing a perfect opportunity to service existing clients on their doorstep and attract new talent.

Victoria Tester, managing director at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “We work with several clients in Southampton and the Central South region already across a range of our sectors. With Southampton sitting in the UK’s top 10 most populated urban areas, it felt like the next natural move for our on-the-ground presence.

“While many of our peers are shying away or retrenching from bricks and mortar investment in regional spaces, we’re more committed than ever to growing and investing in local expertise and establishing deep roots in new regions.”

Growing the team

Heading the new local office is James Hawkeswood, a leading corporate partner who joined the firm from Blake Morgan, where he was the national head of its corporate practice. With more than 25 years’ experience in corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures, private equity investments, and complex cross-border transactions, James is the perfect fit to spearhead Shakespeare Martineau’s expansion in the region.

Commenting, James said: “My primary mission is to establish Shakespeare Martineau in the Central South – supporting a significant recruitment drive and raising the profile of the firm locally. I recognise it as a region with huge influence and opportunity – particularly in research, technology, and innovation – making it a great location for Shakespeare Martineau.”

Since announcing the Southampton expansion, Shakespeare Martineau has welcomed a further four legal experts into the fold.

Paula Swain, who joined in May, is a highly-experienced commercial litigator. Formerly the head of Shoosmiths’ Solent office, Paula joined the firm’s debt and asset recovery team as partner, bringing more than 24 years of post-qualification experience to Shakespeare Martineau. Her expertise includes handling disputes around guarantees and indemnities, complex asset recoveries, breach of warranty, and fraud claims.

Embedded in the community, Paula is on the board of the Solent Freeport and a visiting fellow at Solent University’s law school.

She said: “The calibre of Shakespeare Martineau’s debt and asset recovery team was already very well known to me. I love nurturing positive relationships with colleagues and clients, and I am looking forward to bringing my energy, passion, and experience to the team.”

Banking and finance expert Jake Holmes also joined as partner in June. After spending more than a decade at Blake Morgan, Jake is highly regarded for his work in acquisition, real estate, and development finance. He regularly advises banks, corporate and individual investors, as well as other institutional lenders and borrowers across various sectors, including leisure, healthcare, and education.

Jake is eager to contribute to the firm’s growth, saying: “I am delighted to have joined Shakespeare Martineau and be based in our newly-established Southampton hub. Having worked in the Solent region for the majority of my career, I know what fantastic businesses there are in this area and what a terrific opportunity there is to work alongside these businesses as their strategic legal advisors.”

Paula and Jake have been joined in the Southampton hub by team supervisor Ray Welsby, who was previously at Shoosmiths, and solicitor Lauren Green, who joined the firm from Blake Morgan.

Changing business for good

As part of Ampa, Shakespeare Martineau has been awarded B-Corporation certification, which means it is legally required to consider the impact of business decisions on its people, customers, suppliers, communities and the environment.

The rigorous auditing process for B-Corporation certification ensures that only businesses with the highest standards of social and environmental performance are recognised.

James said: “It is absolutely possible for a business to be both purposeful and profitable – it’s not about ‘balance’ but about doing what’s right and knowing that this is not just the morally astute approach, but a commercial one too, as more and more of our clients are also looking for responsible suppliers and partners for their businesses.”

Just the beginning

It is not just clients and referrers who can identify positively with the B-Corporation message. Together with the firm’s approach to empowered working, it also resonates strongly with those looking to work within an ambitious firm – a point of difference that will come in handy, as the firm is looking to reach a double-figure headcount in Southampton by the end of the financial year.

This may sound like a significant undertaking, but as James notes, the firm has a strong track record for growing teams from ground zero in new geographies; something evidenced by its recent successful expansions in Edinburgh, Lincoln and Sheffield.

James said: “Aside from having a strong bank of ‘lessons learned’ from previous office openings, the key is the firm’s ability to marry up a passionate regional focus with the depth and calibre of expertise we have across the country.

“With more than 1,200 legal and business experts, our clients are able to call upon niche specialisms and the strength in depth a firm our size can offer, while knowing that their key contacts are committed to the growth and success of their local region.”

Shakespeare Martineau’s expansion into Southampton is more than just a strategic move; it’s a commitment to excellence, innovation, and the local community. With a team of top-tier professionals and a clear vision for the future, Shakespeare Martineau is set to become a cornerstone of the legal landscape in the Central South.