Top 50 legal and professional services group Ampa Group is stepping up its growth in South Yorkshire with the appointment of Shakespeare Martineau regulatory partner Kamal Chauhan as head of its Sheffield office.
Kamal succeeds Carys Thompson as she steps down from her five-year tenure. He will be supported by corporate partner Matt Ainsworth, also of Shakespeare Martineau, who be working to drive the next phase of growth across the South Yorkshire market.
Shakespeare Martineau, part of Ampa Group – which, in Sheffield, also includes multidisciplinary development consultancy Marrons and consumer law firm Lime Solicitors – has established a strong and growing presence in the city since its launch in late 2021.
With its city centre location in Cubo on Carver Street, the Sheffield office has grown to more than 40 people group-wide.
Kamal, who will take on the role of office head alongside his leadership of Shakespeare Martineau’s growing regulatory practice, said: “Under Carys’ leadership, we’ve moved quickly from establishing a presence to building genuine momentum, and following her lead will be no mean feat. We will now turn that momentum into long-term sustainable growth.
“There’s palpable enthusiasm behind the Sheffield office across Ampa Group. The strength of our model lies in how closely our teams work together. By bringing our professional services expertise into one integrated offering, we’re able to seamlessly support clients strategically and in a commercially meaningful way.
“We will take advantage of this to growth and build on the strong platform by investing in local talent and broadening our capabilities. Ampa Group has positioned Sheffield as a key hub for growth, and we will continue to deliver a high standard of work both regionally and nationally.”
The Sheffield office is home to a growing partner-led team at Shakespeare Martineau, including specialists across corporate, regulatory, healthcare, charities, commercial services and intellectual property, and real estate.
Recent strategic hires – including commercial real estate partner Kellie Hatton and regulatory partner Lyn Dario – have strengthened key service lines, while the charities practice, led by Catherine Rustomji, and the commercial services team, led by Carys Thompson and Kerry Russell, continues to see significant national growth.
Marrons, which launched its Sheffield presence at the beginning of 2025, has also experienced rapid expansion and is now a 10-strong team covering planning, urban design, and transport. The team is led by planning director Megan Wilson, who is supported by urban design associate director David Kemp and transport director Anna Meer.
Lime Solicitors complements the offering with its specialist serious injury team, which includes partner Rose Gibson, associate Kevin Harper, solicitor Anna Bishop and senior litigation legal assistant Ellie Jones.
Kamal’s appointment marks a natural evolution in leadership. Carys, who has led the Sheffield office since its inception, will continue to play a key role within the senior team. Under her leadership, the office has grown from a standing start into a multidisciplinary hub, with multiple strategic hires.
Carys said: “It’s been a privilege to lead the Sheffield office since its launch and see how it has evolved into strong, distinctive brands with real depth across a number of key sectors. Our focus has always been on building the right culture and capability, and that has created a solid platform for continued success. I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved and look forward to supporting Kamal and Matt as the office continues to develop.”
Ampa Group continues to recruit in Sheffield, with further growth announcements to follow in line with its long-term regional expansion plans.