Ten new jobs are to be created with the launch of a third office by a Dorset-based law firm.

Frettens Solicitors is to open a second Ringwood branch in March.

It has signed a six-year lease on two units in Friday Court, High Street, which cover approximately 1,700 sq ft.

A two-month refit costing around £50,000 gets underway this month.

The work includes the installation of air conditioning and new lighting as well as a new kitchen.

Seven fee-earners are among the ten new posts.

They will bring the number of people employed by the Christchurch-based firm to 75.

What’s being described by Frettens as ‘Ringwood 2’ comes nearly three years after the opening of its first Ringwood office, at 2 Christchurch Road, in July 2018.

Matt Fretten, Managing Partner, pictured left, said: “Ringwood has been a fantastic move for us from a geographical, client and staff point of view.

“We have clients from Wimborne, Fordingbridge and Ferndown and everywhere between.

“Ringwood 2 will triple our size in terms of space with extra meeting rooms.

“As well as the seven fee-earners we will be looking for support staff.”

Michelle Hayter, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution, heads up ‘Ringwood 1’ and will also be the partner in charge of ‘Ringwood 2’.

She said: “Our brand of approachable, modern legal advice has proved highly successful in Ringwood.

“We offer a full range of services from family, commercial property and conveyancing through to dispute resolution, commercial and wills and tax.

“The expansion will allow us to provide our services to even more people and businesses in the months and years ahead.”

Frettens was founded 43 years ago when Ian Fretten began practising as a sole practitioner in Christchurch on January 1, 1978.

He retired in 2012 and his son, Matt, took over as Managing Partner.

New specialist services introduced in 2020 include insolvency and restructuring led by Partner Malcolm Niekirk, known as the ‘Insolvency Guru’, and social housing, headed by Ben Cobb with Oonagh McKinney.

Matt said Frettens’ turnover had increased by 25 per cent to £4m in the year to June 30, 2020, a record for the firm.

He added: “We’re in a very strong position and very ambitious for the future.

“2021 is all about getting back to normality and increasing our market share as well as launching Ringwood 2, a new CRM (customer relationship management) system and a new website.

“We have such a great team of people working for Frettens but we’re always looking for the brightest and the best to join us.

“I can see us growing eventually to 85 to 90 staff and feel very, very optimistic about the future.”

• frettens.co.uk