Linda Johnston

Linda joined the property law department of the practice in 1983, and became the partner responsible for our Private Client and Commercial departments in 1988. She has many years of experience acting for banks and financial institutions in relation to personal finance matters, in both lending and recovery. Heading our Private Client department she specializes in estate planning, long term care issues and litigation over disputed wills.

Linda was the first NI member of Solicitors for the Elderly, a network of specialist and passionate lawyers focusing on the increasing needs of our ever ageing population. Practice in all these areas led to an interest in mediation and ultimately CEDR accreditation. Through outside interests, Linda has served as a Trustee/ Director of a number of registered charities in the health social care and environmental sectors. She is presently a Director of Age NI.

Gerry Daly

Gerry has worked with Francis Hanna & Company since 1975. He started his career as a junior clerk and worked his way up through the practice eventually qualifying as a solicitor and then a partner in 1993. Gerry has practiced in all areas of personal injury and employment law throughout his career and specialises in applications before the Industrial and Fair Employment Tribunal on behalf of employees and employers alike. He has considerable experience in regulatory work and has dealt with matters before a wide variety of disciplinary bodies. Since 2005 he has acted on behalf of The Law Society of Northern Ireland, for whom he undertakes referrals to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal. He also represents the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. Gerry is an experienced Solicitor Advocate who presents his own cases before the Tribunals and the Courts. He is also a trained Mediator and has a keen interest in this form of conflict resolution and strongly recommends mediation for workplace conflict. He also has considerable experience in the area of Professional Negligence Litigation against various types of professionals, for example Solicitors, Surveyors and Medical Professionals.

Martin Hanna

Martin has practiced law in the firm since graduating in London in 1994 and is the third generation of the Hanna family to be a partner in the practice.

He specialises in civil litigation with particular interest in asbestos related disease, clinical negligence, catastrophic brain and spinal injury cases. Martin was the solicitor involved in the first ever Periodical Payments case in Northern Ireland on behalf of a severely brain injured victim which ensured the cost of care will be paid every year for the remainder of the victim's life. He deals with all asbestos related mesothelioma cases for local victims and also those who were exposed to asbestos in Northern Ireland and now live throughout the world in places like Canada, the United States and Australia. He has been a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers since 1994 and is a Law Society accredited mediator.

Claire Edgar

Claire studied law at Cambridge University and qualified as a solicitor in 1996. She practiced as a family lawyer in England and then worked in Kosovo as a legal advisor for the United Nations before returning home to Northern Ireland to pursue her legal career. Claire was made a partner in the firm in 2010. She specialises in all aspects of family and relationship law including separation, divorce, child contact and domestic violence matters. She is a member of the Children Order Panel and appointed by the Guardian ad Litem in Children Order cases. She is an accredited collaborative lawyer and has been selected by Women's Aid to provide legal advices in their advice forum. Claire also provides advice regarding civil partnerships and maintenance issues.

Mary Gavin

Mary joined the practice in 2003 as a paralegal. In September 2005 she commenced her apprenticeship and qualified as a solicitor in September 2007. Throughout her employment with the firm Mary has worked in the employment law department and has gained considerable experience in all areas of employment law advising and representing both employee and employer clients. Mary also practices in the family and relationship law department and also deals with a range of criminal law matters.

Jennifer Young

Jennifer qualified as a Barrister in 2002 and practised at the Northern Ireland Bar until 2004. She then trained as a Solicitor in another leading law firm in Belfast and joined the firm in 2006. She specialises in the field of personal injury litigation, including employer's liability claims, road traffic accidents, occupier's liability and medical negligence. Jennifer is also responsible for all of the debt recovery work within the firm and frequently assists in the family and relationship law and probate departments.

Gareth Prior

Gareth qualified as a solicitor in 1999 and joined the firm in 2009 having trained and practised in another leading law firm in Belfast. He specialises in residential and commercial property law and acts on behalf of a wide range of clients, including property developers, private individuals and lenders alike. Gareth advices in all property related areas and he has particular expertise in matters concerning mortgages and securities. He also practices in the probate, administration of estates and litigation departments.

Emma Wightman

Emma joined the practice in 2006 as a paralegal and commenced her apprenticeship in 2008 qualifying as a solicitor in September 2010. Since joining the firm Emma has assisted in the litigation department doing mainly Plaintiff and Defence litigation work. Emma works mainly in the field of personal injury dealing with employers liability claims, road traffic accidents, occupier's liability and medical negligence cases. Emma also assists with the asbestos related disease cases.