Education: Brian was educated at Queen’s University, Belfast where he obtained an LLB (Hons) in Law in 1968. He qualified as a Solicitor in 1971 and became a Partner in Carson McDowell in 1973.

Brian headed up the Firm's Commercial Litigation department dealing with the varied contractual and tortious disputes arising out of business until May 2006. The department, which comprises five solicitors plus secretarial staff, is also heavily involved in the field of intellectual property litigation. Brian acts as Consultant to this team across a wide range of practice areas and remains involved with a number of the Firm's clients.

Brian has for many years been on the Law Society Panel for the defence of professional negligence claims against solicitors and is therefore greatly experienced in this field. He also represents the National Pharmaceutical Society in the Province in employers liability, disciplinary and professional negligence cases.

Brian also acts as Consultant to Carson MCDowell's Employment team and, with over 30 years’ experience in employment law, he is an invaluable resource to this team. He has been heavily involved in all shades of employment law starting with advice to employers/employees of their rights and obligations under contracts of employment. Brian deals, on a daily basis, with problems involving equal pay, unfair dismissal, TUPE, sexual and religious discrimination. The Firm would handle in the region of 500 to 600 employment related cases per annum and has considerable experience of contested tribunal actions on several occasions appearing before the Court of Appeal.