Barrister Profile
NICOLAS HANNA KC
Year of Call: 1973
KC: 1989
Main Areas of Practice
Administrative Law or Judicial Review
Commercial Law
Mediation or Alternative Dispute Resolution
Professional Negligence
Biography
After graduating in law from Cambridge University in 1972 Nick was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1973. He took silk in 1989 and since then has practised mainly In high-value professional negligence, commercial and banking/insolvency litigation, but also in the fields of tax, pensions, judicial review (particularly in a commercial/regulatory context), chancery, procurement, and defamation/privacy.
He successfully led the defence team in a large and complex group litigation action (the Northern Ireland police PTSD group action).
In recent years his clients have included: Belfast Harbour Commissioners, the Parole Commission for Northern Ireland, the Assets Recovery Agency, the Chief Constable of the PSNI, Government Departments, most of the main Northern Ireland banks, a wide range of solicitors, architects, engineers surveyors and other professionals, and many of Northern Ireland’s leading private sector companies.
In 2011 he became a CEDR accredited mediator and since then has acted as mediator in a number of commercial mediations covering the fields of professional negligence, banking, property and shareholder disputes. He has also regularly acted as counsel on behalf of parties to mediations in these areas of law.
Qualifications
1972; BA (law) Cambridge University
1973; Called to Northern Ireland Bar
1984-89; Junior Crown Counsel for Northern Ireland
1989; QC (Northern Ireland)
1993-2012; Assessor of compensation in miscarriage of justice cases (Northern Ireland)
1996; Called to Irish Bar
1998-2004; Counsel to the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2005; Bencher of the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland
2011; CEDR Accredited Mediator
Experience
Aurora Leasing Limited v Colliers International Belfast Limited [2013] NIQB 116
Irish Waste Services Ltd v Northern Ireland Water Ltd & ors [2013] NIQB 41
The Pensions Regulator & anor v Desmond, Annick [2013] NICA 62
Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited v Curistan, Peter Gerard [2012] NIQB 47
Curistan, Peter Gerard v Keenan, Thomas Martin & anor [2011] NICh 23
McDonald, James Oliver v McKenna, Nicholas & ors [2012] NICh 24
United Dairy Farmers Limited; in re application for judicial review [2011] NIQB 3
Traffic Signs and Equipment Limited v Department for Regional Development & anor [2011] NIQB 25
King, Drew Robert v Sunday Newspapers Limited [2010] NIQB 107; [2012] NI 1
King, Drew Robert v Sunday Newspapers Limited [2011] NIQB 101
CPNI; in re application for judicial review [2011] NIQB 132
McCall, Philip Norman & anor v Her Majesty’s Commissioners of Revenue and Customs; in re McClean, Eileen (deceased) [2009] NICA 12; [2009] NI 245
Federal Security Services Limited v Northern Ireland Court Service & anor [2009] NIQB 15
AES Kilroot Power Limited; in re application for judicial review [2008] NIQB 62
Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise v Isherwood, Derek B S [2008] NIQB 104; [2009] NIJB 267
Sweeney, Seymour v Lagan Developments Limited & ors [2007] NICA 11
Tweed v Parades Commission for NI [2006] UKHL 53; [2007] 1 AC 650; [2007] NI 66; [2007] 2 WLR 1; [2007] 2 All ER 273
Mallusk Cold Storage Ltd v Department of Finance & Personnel; Anglo Beef Processors Ltd v Department of Finance & Personnel [2006] NICA 50; [2008] NIJB 209
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; in re [2002] UKHL 25; [2002] NI 236
Peninsula Securities Ltd JR [1988] EuLR 699