Hutchinson Davidson - under new management

By Liam Cosgrove

One of the oldest Law Firms in the town – based in Bridge St. Hutchinson Davidson has transferred from the Colbert Family Practice to Senior Solicitor Elaine Bannerton, recently. Elaine is as native as you can get,  she was born in Portiuncula Hospital to parents Catherine & Tom Bannerton, as the oldest of six children. Her mother came from Funshinagh, Four Roads and her father from Banavane, Ahascragh. She grew up in Banavane, attended primary school in Kilglass National School and secondary school in Saint Cuan’s College, Castleblakeney. Like most finishing secondary school, she was very unsure as to what she wanted to do, so she took a year out and worked in Square D. She then went on to study at NUI Galway. Elaine worked in Insurance for a year after completing her studies and the entrance exams for the Law Society, while applying for traineeships. She moved to Dublin and completed her training to become a Solicitor. After qualifying, she stayed on with her training Solicitor, Orla Cummins and worked with her in Athlone for five years. Being a native of Ahascragh, only a few kilometers from the town and having married Trevor Kennedy, another village local, they decided to settle down there and have two young children, Noah and Laila. Having seen an advertisement for a Solicitor in the practice of Hutchinson Davidson, in 2015, she jumped at the opportunity and decided to apply for it, being on her doorstep, was lucky enough to secure the position.

​Being from Ahascragh, a local to the area, it was lovely to get a position in my local town” states Elaine

In 2017, the Senior Solicitor left the practice and Elaine was offered the role. She took the job and was looking forward to the opportunity she was given. An opportunity arose to take over the practice recently and it was an easy opportunity for her to take. The practice is very well established, having been based in the town since the mid-1800s and there is a very loyal client base, to whom she has become very familiar with in her time with them. Norbert P. Colbert was a young Solicitor from Waterford who was hired by Eric Davidson (whose father was Hutchinson Davidson), in the fifties and he subsequently bought out the practice in 1959. Norbert was later joined in the business by his daughter Sharon (RIP) and sons David and Norbert Jnr. and continued practising under the name of Hutchinson Davidson Solicitors. Elaine Bannerton explained that at Hutchinson Davidson, they provide legal advice and services to people including Conveyancing (Residential & Commercial), Wills, Probate and Estate Planning, Litigation and Personal Injuries, Criminal Defence, Landlord and Tenant Law, Employment Law and Family Law.

She is very excited to see the Street Refurbishment programme being completed in the coming months. She can’t wait to see all the improvements these works will make in order to fully appreciate the enhancement it has made to the town. “Hopefully, it will entice lots of visitors to the town. It’ll be a huge boost for the local business-owners who have waited so long for these improvements” exclaims Elaine. They are located on Bridge Street, Ballinasloe and offer private on-site car parking. They’re open from 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm on Fridays. However, appointments outside those hours can be facilitated, by arrangement. Their contact number is 090 964 2143.