Company Focus: Kempton Law

Kempton Law is a long established and well trusted legal practice in the local community here in Armagh. The firm, formerly known as Kempton Maurice Solicitors, was recently purchased by Roy Dougan and rebranded to Kempton Law. With a new business venture, a new location at the Dean Swift Building and a brand new website, never mind the challenges of a global pandemic, it has been a busy few months for owner Roy Dougan. We met with him virtually (due to Covid-19 restrictions) to hear of his experience to date.

Tell us about Kempton Law

Kempon Law has been in business here in Armagh for over 25 years, offering a range of legal services including wills, property/conveyancing, family and business law.  We have a small team of 5 staff – Maurice Kempton and I are solicitors, assisted by two legal executives and a company accountant.  We are firm believers in delivering legal services in a straightforward fashion and insist on keeping matters clear and concise for our clients, as we recognise that very often legal jargon can be overwhelming or even misleading for them.  We tailor our support to the individual needs of our clients and are very much focused on achieving the best outcome for them, no matter what the legal matter is at hand.

How long have you been a tenant of Dean Swift?

We moved into the building in February 2020, just before we entered this very challenging phase for business and the wider community. Thankfully we managed to complete the physical move just days before entering lockdown, with all the essentials being transferred over just in time.  We were fortunate to have had such a smooth transition and a very straightforward move into our new premises.

Why did you make the move into a shared workspace environment?

Being a multiple business owner, my main concern was convenience. For me, the less organisation and management required for property the better. With a shared workspace environment, all the small things are taken care of and these little things can easily become big things if not addressed properly.  I love not having to worry about opening and closing the premises, checking and maintaining the heat, taking care of repairs etc. Everything is done for us here and it is a huge part of the attraction for us.

How long was the process between first enquiring about space and subsequently moving in?

We enjoyed a very smooth process from enquiry to moving in – it was perfect for us.  The IT system took awhile to set up but the delay was at our end.  Had we needed the process to move even more quickly, I know this would not have been an issue as I know other tenants of the building have been up and running on their IT systems within 24 hours!

Why did the Dean Swift building appeal to you?

The location and facilities were ideal for us when we first encountered Dean Swift.  The building is on the outskirts of Armagh and is so easily accessed by staff and clients alike. Ample parking means we don’t have any added hassle for our clients, many of whom are visiting us during stressful life events such as discussing wills after the death of a loved one or addressing sensitive family law issues.

The building itself was very appealing due to its appearance – it is very fresh and modern and has a very impressive feel about it.

Central to the appeal was the fact of having one monthly bill that includes our rent, rates, electric, heating, lighting etc.  This is an invaluable advantage to us as it saves us a lot of administration time and certainly saved us a lot of stress during the process of setting up in our new office.

Why did the location appeal?  Both Armagh in general and the location in particular? 

Our business was based in the centre of Armagh and all our client base is here and in the surrounding areas so remaining in Armagh was important to us. When we began looking for available options, we soon realised than most of the property in the area would have needed renovation works and/or preparation work and this did not suit our expansion model.  For this reason we were drawn to the Dean Swift building as there was no preparatory work required at all.

What has your experience been since signing up with Dean Swift?

Our experience to date has been fantastic.  The landlords could not be more accommodating and the team have really been enjoying their time here so far, with all the facilities they need.

How would you describe the premises?

The building is impressive, with a fresh feel about it; it is very on trend. It’s important to us to make a good impression on clients on their first visit, and to make existing clients feel at home aswell, and I think the building strikes a good balance in this regard.  We also want to give our staff a working environment that they can be happy in and for us the Dean Swift ticks all of these boxes.

What is the greatest positive about Dean Swift in your experience?

Honestly, it is difficult to pinpoint one thing as everything about it has been so positive!  And we’re hoping this positivity will only increase as more of the businesses here return to a ‘new normal’ – we’re looking forward to getting to know the other business owners here and their staff.