Hannah Strawbridge

CEO/Founder/Employment Solicitor

Hannah is an experienced Employment Solicitor, Tribunal advocate and is CEO and the sole founder of Han Law.

Disillusioned by the traditional business model which too often failed to deliver the best for her clients, herself and her team, Hannah set up Han Law in 2019 with the goal of improving working lives for all.

Hannah takes a fresh, modern and fun approach to employment law, where innovation and creativity go hand in hand with technical ability and a life beyond the office.

Hannah’s a passionate advocate for equal rights in the workplace. She regularly presents and writes on the topic and during the Covid-19 Pandemic, she launched a campaign for employers to be more transparent about potential redundancies, to better protect women’s rights in the workplace.

When she’s not being taxi service to her two boys, Hannah can be found playing football, cooking and generally just having fun.

Jessica Jones

Senior Consultant Employment Solicitor

Jessica is a specialist employment lawyer, providing commercial and pragmatic advice to both businesses and individuals.  She trained with Eversheds and then worked at DWF from qualification in 2009 prior to commencing a career as a consultant and joining the Han Law team. 

Jessica has a great deal of experience across different sectors, advising clients on all aspects of employment law.  This includes dealing with the whole spectrum of Employment Tribunal claims, and assisting clients to navigate employee aspects of business change, including redundancy and TUPE consultation processes.  Jessica also advises and trains clients regarding day-to-day aspects of employment law, for example disciplinary and grievance processes, as well as drafting of contracts of employment and staff handbooks.  Jessica regularly provides advice to clients negotiating settlement agreements.

Away from work, Jessica is a busy Mum of two small children.  She loves to read and socialise with family and friends when time permits!

Hannah Strawbridge

CEO/Founder/Employment Lawyer

Hannah is an experienced Employment Solicitor, Tribunal advocate and is CEO and the sole founder of Han Law.

Disillusioned by the traditional business model which too often failed to deliver the best for her clients, herself and her team, Hannah set up Han Law in 2019 with the goal of improving working lives for all.

Hannah takes a fresh, modern and fun approach to employment law, where innovation and creativity go hand in hand with technical ability and a life beyond the office.

Hannah’s a passionate advocate for equal rights in the workplace. She regularly presents and writes on the topic and during the Covid-19 Pandemic, she launched a campaign for employers to be more transparent about potential redundancies, to better protect women’s rights in the workplace.

When she’s not being taxi service to her two boys, Hannah can be found playing football, cooking and generally just having fun.

Jessica Jones

Senior Consultant Employment Lawyer

Jessica is a specialist employment lawyer, providing commercial and pragmatic advice to both businesses and individuals.  She trained with Eversheds and then worked at DWF from qualification in 2009 prior to commencing a career as a consultant and joining the Han Law team. 

Jessica has a great deal of experience across different sectors, advising clients on all aspects of employment law.  This includes dealing with the whole spectrum of Employment Tribunal claims, and assisting clients to navigate employee aspects of business change, including redundancy and TUPE consultation processes.  Jessica also advises and trains clients regarding day-to-day aspects of employment law, for example disciplinary and grievance processes, as well as drafting of contracts of employment and staff handbooks.  Jessica regularly provides advice to clients negotiating settlement agreements.

Away from work, Jessica is a busy Mum of two small children.  She loves to read and socialise with family and friends when time permits!

Ruth Deakin

Senior Consultant Employment Expert

Ruth has specialised in employment law since qualifying in 2010.  She has worked for international law firms, HR consultancies and has represented many businesses as an employment tribunal advocate.  Ruth understands the many issues faced by businesses first hand. She has also had the benefit of managing people and so knows the issues this can raise.

Ruth is committed to making a positive impact whether she’s providing practical and effective HR/employment law advice, supplying legally up-to-date and totally bespoke HR documentation or delivering training.

Ruth’s track record is backed by strong legal knowledge. She also has excellent client service skills and an ability to apply the law directly to your situation.

Lisa Gillespie

Senior HR Consultant/Mediator

Lisa grew up in Belfast with a desire to broaden her horizons but no idea how, as her Dad said an education was wasted on a girl.

Ever the rebel, she excelled at school and escaped on a ferry, ending up in Manchester with no money studying law and then, after clambering up the corporate ladder, gaining a post-graduate qualification in Human Resource Management. By that time she was in her thirties, on the leadership team of the largest consultancy business in the UK and Ireland, and the proud mother of two motorcycles, a campervan and a dog. So simply no time for marriage or children.

Before rising to a directorship in a global company and becoming bored with meetings and spreadsheets, Lisa cut her teeth advising and representing employers, and that is where her heart lies, so she does a lot of that these days. Lisa is also a regular columnist in industry magazines, writing on business, politics and economic policy. She enjoys appearing at speaking events and has dabbled in radio and television. With over 25 years industry experience and as a veteran of many complex employment cases, Lisa qualified in recent years as a mediator, because sometimes it is good to find the middle-ground, right?

Lisa also provides leadership coaching, trains managers and HR professionals in all aspects of HR and Employment Law. Lisa has a stellar CV as an effective trouble-shooter, often hired to get into the heart of a business, rally the stakeholders and get the train back on the rails. When she isn’t being wonderful, Lisa is usually travelling, DJing or getting into intense, but healthy, political debates with anyone who will listen. And of course her Dad ate his words years ago!

Ruth Deakin

Senior Consultant Employment Lawyer

Ruth has specialised in employment law since qualifying in 2010.  She has worked for international law firms, HR consultancies and has represented many businesses as an employment tribunal advocate.  Ruth understands the many issues faced by businesses first hand. She has also had the benefit of managing people and so knows the issues this can raise.

Ruth is committed to making a positive impact whether she’s providing practical and effective HR/employment law advice, supplying legally up-to-date and totally bespoke HR documentation or delivering training.

Ruth’s track record is backed by strong legal knowledge. She also has excellent client service skills and an ability to apply the law directly to your situation.

Lisa Gillespie

Senior HR Consultant/Mediator

Lisa grew up in Belfast with a desire to broaden her horizons but no idea how, as her Dad said an education was wasted on a girl.

Ever the rebel, she excelled at school and escaped on a ferry, ending up in Manchester with no money studying law and then, after clambering up the corporate ladder, gaining a post-graduate qualification in Human Resource Management. By that time she was in her thirties, on the leadership team of the largest consultancy business in the UK and Ireland, and the proud mother of two motorcycles, a campervan and a dog. So simply no time for marriage or children.

Before rising to a directorship in a global company and becoming bored with meetings and spreadsheets, Lisa cut her teeth advising and representing employers, and that is where her heart lies, so she does a lot of that these days. Lisa is also a regular columnist in industry magazines, writing on business, politics and economic policy. She enjoys appearing at speaking events and has dabbled in radio and television. With over 25 years industry experience and as a veteran of many complex employment cases, Lisa qualified in recent years as a mediator, because sometimes it is good to find the middle-ground, right?

Lisa also provides leadership coaching, trains managers and HR professionals in all aspects of HR and Employment Law. Lisa has a stellar CV as an effective trouble-shooter, often hired to get into the heart of a business, rally the stakeholders and get the train back on the rails. When she isn’t being wonderful, Lisa is usually travelling, DJing or getting into intense, but healthy, political debates with anyone who will listen. And of course her Dad ate his words years ago!

Elaine McAnuff

Elaine was employed for more than twenty years as a high-calibre, results-driven executive assistant in demanding roles, many of them at board level, in fast-paced, international organisations.  Highlights are:

• Four years supporting the Senior Partner and Board at Charles Russell LLP, including through the merger with Speechly Bircham in 2014.
• Five years supporting the Managing Partner of Field Fisher LLP through the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession.
• Three years in Saudi Arabia working with the tax team at Saudi Aramco.
• Four years running the office and private life of the late Dr Edward Haughey (later Lord Ballyedmond), a leading international entrepreneur and industrialist who sat on the Irish Senate.

After years of minuting board, committee and partners’ meetings, Elaine has a great understanding of how law firms operate, the challenges they face, and the way lawyers like to work.  She loves the world of legal ops and admin, can build strong relationships at all levels and get things done on time and to the highest standard, with impeccable attention to detail. 

In 2015, Elaine decided to leave London, move to Yorkshire, get a dog (now has two) and set up her own business supporting SMEs in the legal world.  She’s been with HanLaw since 2020 and is a key part of the team as it grows, ensuring that things get done when they should and in the most efficient and professional way possible, and helping deliver amazing service to our clients. 

Elaine has a BA (Honours) in Modern Language Studies (with French and Spanish) and is obsessive about language and detail but also always looks at the big picture and the longer-term strategy.

Outside work, when she isn’t walking Boris and Becca (her two mini-goldendoodles), Elaine likes Pilates, cycling, swimming, tennis, the gym, gardening, renovating her old house and a nice glass of wine when it’s time to chill out.