A former New Hampshire Circuit Court judge, Steve brings extensive legal experience to his practice, which focuses on environmental law, land use and development, corporate law, and real estate and commercial transactions.
Prior to returning to New Hampshire to practice law in 1984, Steve was the budget officer for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. He was a Presidential Management Fellow from 1978-1980, serving in Washington, D. C in the Department of Labor
Counsel to the town of Rollinsford for the last 20 years, Steve served as a district court judge in the Somersworth and Dover District Courts from 1989-2011, and was president of the New Hampshire District Court Judge’s Association for two years during his tenure. From 2003 until his retirement in 2011, he was one of two judges selected to sit on the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council. Most recently, he was selected by Portsmouth’s police commission to lead an investigation into an officer’s disputed inheritance. Steve also was chosen to serve on an investigative committee appointed by the New Hampshire Attorney General to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting death of former Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney.
For over 15 years, Steve has been actively involved in handling all aspects of commercial transactions, including the creation of new companies, purchased and sale of businesses, and the related financing of those transactions. He has a rather unique combination of expertise in real estate, corporate law and environmental law that allow him to apply those skills for clients without involvement of multiple lawyers.
Admissions
- New Hampshire, 1984
- Virginia, 1983
- U.S. District Courts of New Hampshire and the Eastern District of Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the Fourth Circuit
Education
- The George Washington University School of Law, with honors, J.D., 1983
- University of Connecticut, M.P.A., 1978
- Boston University B.A., 1975
Recognition
- “Best Lawyers in America,” Environmental Section, 1997-to date
- “Best Lawyer,” Environmental and Insurance law, New Hampshire Magazine, 2010-to date
Community Involvement
- Member, Board of Trustees, Kennebunk Savings Bank, Kennebunk, ME
- Vice president, Board of Directors, Portsmouth Athenaeum, Portsmouth, NH
Philosophy
Life is too short to go through it with a ‘half-empty’ attitude. Enjoy the incredible blessings that we have and have a positive attitude. A sense of humor can defuse a tense situation, if done properly. There is no law that states that lawyers can’t use humor in their practice.