People
Kempton Rees
- DDI: 029 2082 9125
- krees@darwingray.com
- Qualified
- 1995
- Education
- Perse School, Cambridge
- Oxford University (St Peter’s College)
- College of Law, York
After graduating from Oxford with a degree in Engineering Economics & Management, Kempton worked as a production manager for a construction company in the City of London.
Though he enjoyed going to work in a hard hat, the intense atmosphere of a building site made him realise that what he enjoyed most of all was a really good argument.
Following two years at Law School, Kempton joined a major city firm in London, where he completed his formal legal training. On qualifying as a solicitor, he returned to his roots in Cardiff, joining Geldards LLP as an assistant in its Commercial Dispute Resolution Department. He was made a partner of Geldards in 2003 and went on to lead the firm’s insolvency and corporate crime and regulation teams, as well as maintaining a broad contentious caseload.
Kempton joined Darwin Gray in the summer of 2008.
Kempton is well-known in the South-Wales and West region, for his dispute resolution experience and his insolvency expertise. He serves as a member of the regional committee for the insolvency association R3.
He is recognised as a leading lawyer in Wales in both the Legal 500 and the Chambers & Partners publications. Clients describe him as “bright and confident” and his “willingness to take a flexible approach” is singled out for particular praise.
Kempton has also been appointed to the Board of Trustees of Sinfonia Cymru.
Examples of work undertaken
Commercial Dispute Resolution
General commercial litigation, including:
- Contractual claims
- Partnership disputes
- Professional negligence
- Trust/probate disputes
- Construction disputes
- Agency disputes
- Product liability
- Injunctions
- Directors’ liability and shareholder claims
- General tort and equity claims
- Public law claims (misfeasance, breach of stat duty, etc)
Alternative dispute resolution, including:
- Mediations
- Tribunals
- Arbitration
- Complaints to ombudsmen and professional bodies
- Human rights claims
Corporate Crime and Regulation
- Advised and acted for clients in defence of all manner of regulatory investigations, interviews and prosecutions, including those brought by The Environment Agency; Trading Standards; Health & Safety Executive; DEFRA; Environmental Health Departments; and the Transport Commissioner
- Prepared and implemented a ready-made protocol for advising clients on dawn raids by the Competition Commission
Insolvency
- Regularly advised insolvency practitioners on all aspects of corporate insolvency, including administrations, receiverships and liquidations
- Acted both for and against directors of insolvent companies in respect of their fiduciary duties and antecedent transactions
- Extensive experience of advising insolvency practitioners and private individuals on all manner of issues arising from personal bankruptcy
Interests
When he is not going into battle for his clients or spending time with his family, Kempton undertakes volunteer work for The Prince’s Trust and is currently learning to speak Welsh. He also enjoys singing with the Cardiff Blues choir, playing golf, watching rugby and keeping up enough flying hours to maintain his pilot’s licence.
