Local Business Profiles: MJ McIvor Solicitors

Name: Martin McIvor
Business Name: MJ McIvor Solicitors
Business Location: Lancer Buildings, Gortrush, Omagh.

How long have you been in business? We are now into our fourth year. Time certainly flies.

How many staff do you employ? There are five staff altogether, including myself.

What are your strengths? I firmly believe our strength lies in our team of staff. We are all committed to providing a high level of customer service in a professional, friendly and approachable manner.

What are your weaknesses? That is a difficult question to answer! Everyone has a personal weakness, for me personally I am a bit of a perfectionist. However, I am a great believer in focusing on strengths not weaknesses, and the strengths I attribute to myself are attention to detail and organisation skills.

Has Covid-19 affected your business? We are fortunate in that we can continue to remain open, subject to restrictions. We have had to vary how we operate. Appointments are being offered with all possible precautions in place including hand sanitizing stations, face coverings and screens.
Most recently, we have installed a 65-inch HD TV screen with a high-quality web camera in order to better facilitate video call appointments. We offer video call consultations to clients who cannot attend the office or feel safer with a video call. The focus is to keep everyone safe and all being well, in another few months with the roll-out of the vaccine, we can get back to normality or as near normality as possible.

What makes your business unique? Our ethos is to provide a professional and friendly service with a modern edge. We provide all the traditional services of a firm of solicitors while at the same time we have invested in technology as it is important to move with the times.

What does your business mean to you? My business is of great personal importance to me. That is why we strive to provide an excellent customer service. As a testament to this a lot of our business comes from repeat clients or referrals from existing clients and I am always humbled by that.

What are your plans for the future? I have always envisaged a certain element of growth perhaps over the next three to five years but it is really important to me that any growth is tempered so that we can continue to provide a high quality level of customer service.

Aside from family and friends, who has been the greatest influence on your life? I have always been my own person and generally know what I want to do although it’s always helpful to speak to others along the way.

 Any advice for anyone starting out in your industry? For anyone starting out in any business I would say plan, plan and plan again. It is important to have a well thought-out business plan, take legal and accountancy advice and talk to someone else who has gone on the same journey before. If it still feels right then go for it.

If you weren’t in this field of business, what would you be doing? I have absolutely no idea! Possibly a teacher.

What do you do to relax? I spend time with my wife Marcella and two children, Mariana and Jarlath. We are also about to get a dog so that will be fun although I am not sure if it will be relaxing. I am also a runner and try to get as many miles in during the week as I can.

What would you do if you won the lottery? I honestly feel blessed for what I have although if I won the lottery I might have an odd day off here and there!

We might be limited in our travel at the moment but where is your favourite holiday destination? I’m not a huge fan of foreign holidays, although over the years have been to various holiday destinations around the world. However, I have to say I really enjoy visiting other places in Ireland. We didn’t go away last year because of the pandemic but the year before that we had a brilliant holiday in Westport and intend to return there this year, fingers crossed.

What do you miss most about Tyrone when you are away? I’m not away too often so I can’t really answer that one. We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world.

If you could swap lives with someone, who would you choose and why? I wouldn’t swap lives with anyone, I am happy with my own life and wouldn’t change that for the world.

And finally take the chance to give a shout out to another local business who you think is doing great things: I would like to give a big shout-out to all local businesses particularly those who are most affected by the restrictions at present meaning they are unable to trade.

To me, there is a real significance to the #shoplocal theme. I think it is really important that everyone supports those local businesses in Omagh and surrounding areas that have had to close. When the restrictions are lifted I certainly intend to do that where I can, whether it is calling in for a coffee or sandwich, having a meal in a restaurant or going out for an evening in some of the local bars. A thriving local business makes for a thriving local community.

Ulster Herald Local Business Profiles in association with Omagh Chamber of Commerce