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Slate of Candidates for 2009 NHBA Elections | | Please use the links below to read the biographies and statements of the Board of Governors for 2009. |
At the NHBA Annual Meeting in June, James J. Tenn, Jr., current president-elect, will become NHBA president for 2009-10. At that time, Ellen L. Arnold will become immediate past president and will remain on the Board of Governors for another year. | | President-Elect |  A graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center, Marilyn B. McNamara joined the NH Bar in 1977. She remained at the school for a year following graduation to assist in the launching of what was then the Family and Housing Law Clinic. She was in private practice in Lebanon from 1978 until a move to southern New Hampshire led to her 2001 decision to leave private practice and become the current executive director of the Legal Advice and Referral Center (LARC). In the past, she has served on the Judicial Council and on Gov. Jeanne Shaheen’s Judicial Selection Commission. She also has served on NH Bar committees including Continuing Legal Education, Professionalism and the Delivery of Legal Services. She served on the NHBA Pro Bono Governing Board for 10 years, first as a member and then as chair, and she was an active Pro Bono lawyer while in private practice. She is an adjunct faculty member at Pierce Law Center, where she has recently collaborated with the Daniel Webster Scholar program to bring law students to LARC to acquire interview and practice skills and provide telephone advocacy services to low-income clients. She has served on various New Hampshire commissions concerning the provision of legal services to low-income clients.
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| | Vice President | Jennifer L. Parent
 I am seeking the opportunity to serve as Vice President of the New Hampshire Bar Association to make a positive difference for my colleagues in the Bar.
We all face daily challenges in the practice of law. Technology continually transforms how we practice and how we communicate with others. We constantly strive to achieve a workable balance between our professional lives and our personal lives. Management of our law firm practices in this financial market presents added pressures and new responsibilities. At a time when demands have never been greater on us, I am hopeful that I can work to make a difference on behalf of a New Hampshire lawyer.
During my service to the Bar Association, and through other aspects of my professional life with the NH Women's Bar Association and local bars, I have gained a better understanding of the issues facing lawyers and our profession. I recently served two terms on the Board of Governors as the Hillsborough North Representative. Since 1996, I have served as a member of the New Lawyer's Committee, chairing the Committee for a year. I have been actively involved in the Bench and Bar Meet and Greet for newer lawyers, numerous outreach programs, and representation of the Bar's newer lawyers on a National level at the American Bar Association.
The Bar Association plays an important role in addressing the challenges and opportunities of our profession. This past year I had the pleasure of serving as chair of the Strategic Planning and Operations Task Force appointed by the Board of Governors. The Task Force was asked to prioritize the Association’s goals and programming, to provide better information for the budget process, and to support long-term strategic planning for the Association. In this challenging economic environment, this work is intended to assist the Finance Committee and the Board of Governors in preparation of the budget and to ensure that the Bar Association remains a valuable and effective organization for both attorneys and the public.
I look forward to the opportunity of serving as Vice President of the New Hampshire Bar Association to meet the challenges and to enhance the opportunities we face in our profession. I am impressed by the many lawyers who volunteer their time to the Bar Association, the courts, and the community. I am dedicated to increasing the involvement of newer lawyers in our Bar. I am committed to working to preserve the best traditions of the practice of law in New Hampshire and to serve better the needs of our members of the Bar Association and the communities in which we live and practice.
I hope you will consider supporting me for election.
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| | Secretary |  Peter E. Hutchins is a 1983 JD graduate of Boston College Law School. He has been a member of the NH Bar since 1983 and is a shareholder at Wiggin & Nourie, P.A. in Manchester, with a practice centering in plaintiff personal injury litigation. He is a past president of the NHBA (2001-02), a member of the ABA, ATLA, the NH Association for Justice, the Manchester Bar and the Dartmouth Lawyers’ Association. He is also admitted to practice in the US District Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Hutchins resides in Manchester and in Hampton, NH with his wife Kathy, a realtor/broker. He has one daughter, Jamie, a financial advisor to Merrill Lynch in Manchester. Hutchins enjoys golfing and officiates at high school basketball games.
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| | Treasurer |  Robert R. Howard, III graduated from Boston University with a J.D. in 1969 and was admitted to the NH Bar in 1969; he has been the NHBA treasurer since 1993. He is also a member of the NHBA Finance Committee and once served on the NHBA Technology Task Force; he has been a member of various NHBA sections and on faculty panels of a number of CLEs. He is a former Merrimack County governor and governor-at-large on the NHBA Board of Governors. He served nine years as a part-time district court judge and was the recipient of the NHBA President’s Award for Outstanding Professionalism in 1996. He co-teaches the Law Practice Management session of the required Practical Skills course offered semi-annually to new admittees.
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| Governors-at-Large
(3-year term) |  Susan H. Hassan concentrates her practice on estate and trust planning, adoptions and guardianships, Probate Administration, and bankruptcy law. Susan recently returned to a solo practice and opened Hassan Law Firm in Concord. She earned her B.S. from Lynchburg College in 1988, her M.S. from Illinois State University in 1990 and her J.D. from the Franklin Pierce Law Center in 2000. Susan is a member of the New Hampshire and Massachusetts Bar Associations and is admitted to practice in the U.S. Supreme Court. She is also a member of the NHBA’s Finance Committee and a member of the NHBA’s Elder Law, Estate Planning and Probate Section.
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 Lisa A. Wellman-Ally graduated with a J.D. degree from Washington & Lee School of Law and was admitted to the bar in NH 2002, in VT in 2003 and to NY Bar in 1990. She is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New Hamshire Association for Justice, New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Vermont Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the American Bar Association.Wellman-Ally is in private practice at Elliott Jasper Auten Shklar & Wellman-Ally Law LLP, Claremont, NH.
Before relocating to New Hampshire, she practiced law in New York City for 12 years. She previously served a two-year term on the Board of Governors representing Sullivan County.
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| Public Sector Governor
(3-year term) |  Michael T. McCormack
Statement: It would be an honor to serve as the first Public Sector Governor of the New Hampshire Bar Association. Article I of the Constitution of the Bar Association states that one of the purposes of the Association is to foster and maintain high standards of public service on the part of those engaged in the practice of law. Notwithstanding this fundamental purpose of the Association, public sector attorneys have, until now, not had a dedicated representative on the Board to guarantee that their priorities remain in the forefront for the Association as a whole. As a member of the Board of Governors, I will reach out to my colleagues in the public sector and bring their concerns before the Board at every possible opportunity. I view this position as one that provides a long-needed opportunity for the Bar Association and those attorneys working in the public sector to work together to strengthen the legal community within the state.
After giving it considerable thought, I decided to run for this position because of the perceived disconnect between public sector attorneys and the Bar Association. Many within the public sector community have told me they feel disenfranchised with the Bar Association for a variety of reasons, and this needs to change. It is my hope that my work on the Board will result in these attorneys feeling that the Bar Association is truly “their” Association, representing them and looking out for their interests, as well as the interests of the legal profession as a whole. To that end, I hope to increase the flow of communication between those in the public sector and those in the private sector, as well as between public sector attorneys and the Association itself. Additionally, recognizing my duty to the Association in general, I will inform those in private practice of the varied opportunities available to them to maintain the high standards of public service that are a primary goal of the Association, as set forth above.
The Bar Association, through the creation of this new seat on the Board of Governors, has provided those of us who choose to practice in the public sector with a tremendous opportunity. As your representative on the Board, I intend to take advantage of this opportunity to raise awareness of the work we do within the Association and to utilize the wealth of resources that exist among the public sector attorneys to strengthen the Bar Association as a whole.
Biography: Michael McCormack is an Assistant United States Attorney in Concord. He is a member of the civil division, concentrating on financial litigation and bankruptcy matters. A native of New Hampshire, Michael graduated from Duke University in 1997 and Suffolk University Law School in 2004. While at Suffolk, Michael was a student attorney for the Suffolk Juvenile Justice Program, representing juveniles charged with crime in Boston courts. Prior to law school, Michael worked as a newspaper reporter in Indiana and Florida, covering courts and crime. After graduation from Suffolk, Michael worked in the Portland, Maine office of Preti, Flaherty, Beliveau & Pachios, PLLP for a year and a half before transferring to the firm’s Concord office. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southern Maine and a past member of the Board of Trustees of The Friends Program in Concord. Michael is a fan of all New England professional sports teams and is an avid golfer. He lives in Concord with his wife, Elizabeth, a fellow member of the New Hampshire Bar Association.
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 Jacki A. Smith
Statement: As Public Sector Governor, I would provide a voice for public sector lawyers within the bar association and encourage more participation in the New Hampshire Bar Association by public sector lawyers. In my role as a Public Defender, I often interact and consult with attorneys in other public sector agencies, law firms and organizations to effectively serve the needs of indigent people accused of crimes. Based on these experiences, I understand the concerns of public interest lawyers as well as their clients, experiences and issues. I have always practiced in New Hampshire’s superior and district courts and I see first-hand how the court system’s budgetary issues affect our practice in the courts.
Only through involvement in the bar association can public sector lawyers have an impact on their profession and practice and get to know the different and/or shared concerns of their colleagues in private practice. At the same time, the bar association and its members would benefit from the participation and ideas of these intelligent, skilled, tenacious and idealistic members of the bar. I welcome the opportunity to represent our State’s public sector attorneys and to serve all members of the bar as the Public Sector Governor.
Biography: Jacki Smith earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English cum laude from the University of New Hampshire at Manchester in 1994 and her Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the New England School of Law in Boston in 2000. While awaiting her admission to the New Hampshire Bar Association in 2000, Jacki began serving as law clerk to the New Hampshire Superior Court in Nashua where she remained through 2002. Jacki then attained a position as Staff Attorney in the Nashua office of the New Hampshire Public Defender. In April 2007, Jacki assumed her current role as Managing Attorney of the Public Defender’s Stratham office. Other than a brief romance with the desert southwest, Jacki is a life-long resident of New Hampshire.
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| County Governors
(2-year term) | Cheshire
 Sheila J. Burnham
Statement: I seek to represent Cheshire County on the Board of Governors as a means of participation in our Bar. As with community involvement, volunteering for the Board of Governors assists fellow members of the bar through representation, and also helps with personal growth and professional development. As a new attorney, I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the Board of Governors for the benefit of the attorneys in our county.
Biography: Sheila J. Burnham of Rindge, NH, is an associate with Tower & Crocker, P.A. in Jaffrey, NH. She is a graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center, Juris Doctor, June 2007. She also holds an MS in Criminal Justice (2004) and a BS in Communication Media (1994) from Fitchburg State College, Fitchburg, Mass. In her community, Burnham is a board member of Shelter from the Storm in Jaffrey and a board member of the Contoocook Housing Trust. She is also a member of the Rotary Club, Jaffrey-Rindge chapter. She is also a New Hampshire Pro Bono Program Panelist.
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Coos
John G. McCormick
 John G. McCormick received his J.D. from Penn State University’s Dickinson School of Law, and his A.B. in English from the University of Georgia. Attorney McCormick was admitted to the NH Bar, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in 2004; he was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2003. Working primarily in the public sector, he served for two years as a contract attorney within the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. Prior to relocating to New Hampshire to serve as the Assistant Coös County Attorney, he worked for almost two years as a Staff Attorney at a domestic violence legal clinic in suburban Maryland, representing largely low-income and Spanish-speaking clients in protective order and family law cases.
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Grafton
Quentin J. Blaine
 I am seeking a second term as Grafton County representative to the NHBA Board of Governors. During my first term I gained a renewed appreciation for the service that lawyers throughout the state contribute to the Association and our profession. We have a strong Association with very capable leadership and staff. As Grafton County Governor, I am mindful of the impact that Association decisions may have on the solo and small firm lawyers that comprise the majority of lawyers who practice in the county.
I have been a member of the NHBA since 1986. For most of that time I have practiced in Plymouth. In 2001, I began a four year tenure as Clerk of Concord District Court. After leaving the court system, I practiced briefly in Concord before re-opening my solo office in Plymouth in 2006.
I would appreciate your support for a second term. Please contact me if you would like to discuss any aspect of the NHBA or if you would like to become more involved in the Association.
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Merrimack
 Kenneth J. Barnes was awarded his JD degree from Yale Law School in 1976 and joined the New York Bar. In 1992 he became a member of the NH Bar. He holds an MA from the Yale Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and also a Master’s in Philosophy; in addition, he earned a diploma in economics from King’s College, Cambridge University.
Barnes is a civil litigator who enjoys appellate and trial work in both state and federal courts. He has handled complex litigation and class actions, with a caseload ranging from employment law to family law, from business disputes to town environmental matters, from right-to-know law to children’s rights to professional licensing disputes. He is also an active mediator, under the courts’ Rule 170 program and has served on the New Hampshire Child Protection Task Force; the Citizens Review Panel for the Division of Children Youth & Families (DCYF); and on the Board of Directors of the Disabilities Rights Center.
Before entering private practice, he served in the United States Department of Justice and clerked for judges on the First Circuit Court of Appeals and the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He has worked as an advocate for impoverished families, children and the elderly in positions at Bronx Legal Services, New Hampshire Legal Assistance, and the New York City Commission on Human Rights.
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Rockingham
Philip L. Pettis
Statement: I have been privileged to practice law in Rockingham County, New Hampshire for 11 years, and I would be honored to represent the lawyers of this County on the Board of Governors.
My office recently expanded our pro bono services to assist indigent clients in emergency eviction situations. As part of that experience, I have enjoyed working closely with members of the NH Bar Association and Pro Bono Referral Program, and look forward to expanding my involvement on the Board of Governors.
In addition to the Pro Bono Program, there are many other positive activities and services the NH Bar Association offers to its members and the public. I do not want to serve on the Board of Governors with an agenda to make drastic changes and create new, untested policies or programs. I do, however, want to ensure that existing programs operate efficiently and effectively, and I am optimistic that my experience and judgment can positively influence decisions affecting the Bar's activities. I will bring 11 years of experience, a respect for the camaraderie between NH attorneys, and a fresh new look to the Board.
I would enjoy the opportunity to represent the interests of the Rockingham County members, and I appreciate your consideration.
Biography: A partner at Boynton, Waldron, Doleac, Woodman & Scott in Portsmouth, since 2002, Philip L. Pettis focuses his practice on employment law, business law, civil litigation, construction law and personal injury law. He has been a NH Bar member since 1998 and is admitted to practice in both the United State District Court – New Hampshire and the First Circuit Court. He holds a JD degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center and BA in Political Science from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. He has taught many seminars, ranging in subject from building civil trial skills to workplace issues in the electronic age. He is also an active member in the Portsmouth community, as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and as a member on several other charitable organization boards.
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