McConnell Kelly Solicitors Unveil £2.5M Expansion Programme

ONE of Northern Ireland’s ‘top three’ independently-owned criminal law firms has announced plans to expand its workforce as part of a £2.5 million expansion programme.

McConnell Kelly Solicitors, who have worked with more than 100,000 clients over a quarter century and has claimed tens of millions of pounds in client compensation and settlements, said it had seen a significant business uplift year on year, a trajectory that’s set to grow in the future.

The firm already employs 25 people across its Ballyhackamore, Dundonald and Bangor offices and the new jobs will come through the expansion of their conveyancing, family law/matrimonial and white-collar crime divisions. The jobs will comprise a mix of solicitors, IT professionals, and clerical/administration staff.

Co-founder Pat Kelly said the company was going from “strength to strength.”

“For the past quarter of a century we have succeeded in building not just a legal practice but one that has stood the test of time and been at the forefront of many of the most significant and notorious criminal cases in NI’s history – landmark cases, unparalleled anywhere in the UK,” he said.

“After the ‘Troubles’ and the recession, our landscape has evolved presenting us with new challenges and opportunities as people request new legal services in areas as diverse as white-collar crime, and cybercrime while continuing to represent victims of the past through legacy work and the HIA (the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry).

“We continue to represent on average some 30 clients at court daily, right across Northern Ireland, with and prison custody suites.a 24/7 emergency call-out facility to PSNI

“This new investment expands our resources and techniques, particularly with forensic status software to fast-forward cases as well as launching new divisions within our company structure. We feel privileged to have been able to facilitate professional legal solutions that have proved effective and advantageous for our clientele.”

Co-founder Fergus McConnell added:

“The beauty with McConnell Kelly is that we are truly independent. We are local, trusted and on your side … we always have been and always will be.

“We are currently celebrating our 25th anniversary and as a business see the need for new jobs now to support our continued growth in both Northern Ireland and beyond, where we are operating with a number of blue-chip clients.

“The new positions will help expand the team already in place at our four locations and we are considering the acquisition of a new HQ office as we look towards further growth in 2016/2017.

“Our strength is our team, and every member has been integral to the success of our business development and we hope to continue creating more jobs for local people in the future.”