NH Women's Bar Association upcoming events

Live CLE- Ethics in Domestic Relations Practice (Thursday, November 12, 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Join attorneys Joseph Mattson and Pam Peterson of Devine Millimet on November 12th for a practical, high-value Ethics CLE- Ethics in Domestic Relations Practice—Navigating Ethical Pitfalls in Emotionally Charged Litigation.

Domestic relations practitioners must adhere to the same rules of professional conduct as other lawyers; however, the ethical problems can sometimes appear magnified because of the emotional nature of the litigation, the clients’ vulnerabilities, and the inter-personal nature of issues relating to custody, divorce, and the family in general. In this session, we’ll review and discuss how to avoid common ethical issues that arise in domestic relations practice, with specific discussion of ethical complaints raised by both clients and non-clients.

As Abraham Lincoln famously said about litigation, “the nominal winner is often a real loser—in fees, expenses, and waste of time.” This warning is relevant to any discussion of the domestic relations practice. This type of litigation takes what is typically a joyous event, like a marriage or the birth of a child, and turns it into an adversarial process. Because of the emotionally charged nature of domestic relations litigation, the potential for a lawyer to become an emotionally-charged fighter, rather than a principled advocate, is huge. This is especially true when the opposing party is unrepresented.

In this presentation, we’ll address five professional responsibility topics that are particularly common in domestic relations work:

The requirement that only meritorious claims and contentions be made.
The requirement that a lawyer be fair to the opposing party and counsel.
The requirement that lawyers be truthful in their statements to others, including unrepresented parties.
The allocation of authority between client and attorney.
The requirement that artificial intelligence be used only in a manner consistent with the rules of professional conduct.

By the end of this presentation, you will be able to spot common ethical pitfalls, learn how to avoid them, and achieve your client’s aims without compromising your own ethics or violating the rules of our profession.

About the Presenters
Attorney Pam Peterson has been a family law attorney since 1994. She advocates for her clients in divorce, child support, alimony, and other family law cases in New Hampshire. She also works as a private marital mediator. At Devine Millimet, she is a Shareholder, the Assistant Chair of their Litigation Department and the Chair of the Domestic Relations Practice Group. She is a graduate of Vermont Law School and received her undergraduate degree at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Attorney Joseph Mattson is a New Hampshire native who graduated from Plymouth State with highest honors and the Franklin Pierce Law Center with high honors. He is a Shareholder in Devine Millimet’s litigation department. Before coming to Devine, He was a partner at another large New Hampshire firm. He has defended lawyers in ethics proceedings in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He has represented lawyers in malpractice actions as well, including everybody from solo practitioners to partners at this state’s largest firms. In addition to his legal malpractice and ethics work, he defends doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers, and have defended class action lawsuits in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and New York.

This CLE is being offered both in-person and virtually. If attending in-person, we will be meeting at the Devine Millimet offices in Manchester, NH. It virtually, you will receive an email prior to the presentation with the log-in details. You will choose your attendance preference during the registration process.

Cost
Members- $30.00
Non-Members- $50.00
Public Interest Members- $25.00

*Please note: NHWBA believes our CLEs meet the requirements of NH Supreme Court Rule 53 and that this CLE may qualify for up to 60 minutes of Ethics toward the annual NHMCLE requirement. NHMCLE does not preapprove or accredit CLEs. Attendees must self-determine whether a program is eligible for credit, and self-report their attendance.

November Book Club: By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle (Monday, November 16, 2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Join us for November's Book Club!

For our November Book Club, we will meet on Monday, November 16 at 6:00 PM at The Puritan Backroom in Manchester to discuss By the Fire We Carry by Rebecca Nagle.

Registration is highly encouraged so we can have an accurate count for reservation purposes. Attendees are responsible for their own food and/or beverage expenses.

Please contact our Networking Chair, Katie A. Mosher, with any questions. Katie will be the point-of-contact for this event.

Not able to join us this time? Take a look at the list below to plan ahead for the rest of 2026!

December: My Friends – Fredik Backman

Curious about what we will be reading in 2027? Reach out to Katie to learn more about our plans and the book selection process!

Happy Reading!

The Rising Bar: Cultivating the Next Generation of Oral Advocates (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Join the New Hampshire Women's Bar Association for a panel discussion on cultivating the next generation of oral advocates in both state and federal courts. Our panelists will share their experiences building their advocacy careers, practical guidance on developing courtroom skills, and strategies for finding and creating argument opportunities. The discussion will also explore how we can better encourage the next generation to seek out these opportunities — and how the bench and bar can work together to create more of them.

This discussion topic was inspired by data gathered and trends observed by Retired Justice James Bassett during his 13+ years on the New Hampshire Supreme Court about the number and types of cases argued in front of the Court by women. Justice Bassett and our other panelists will speak about their personal experiences being mentored and mentoring in the courtroom as well as their ideas for creating more advocacy opportunities for the next generation.

Our panelists include:

Judge Samantha Elliott, United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
Justice Daniel Will, New Hampshire Supreme Court
Justice James Bassett, Director at Orr & Reno and Retired Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court
Attorney Doreen Connor, Shareholder/Vice President at Primmer, Piper, Eggleston & Cramer
Attorney Elizabeth Velez, Director at Orr & Reno
Attorney Heather Cherniske, Deputy Commissioner, New Hampshire Employment Security

You can view Judge Bassett's Report here.

Whether you're a litigator looking for more opportunities to enhance your advocacy skills, or an experienced litigator committed to mentoring emerging talent, this program will offer strategies for strengthening the future of oral advocacy in New Hampshire and empowering the next generation of advocates.

*Refreshments will be served for everyone to enjoy.

Post-Holiday Party (Thursday, January 28, 2027)

Thu, 28 Jan 2027 22:30:00 GMT

We look forward to seeing you for our post-holiday party at Vine 32 - Wine + Graze Bar on Thursday, January 28, 2027 at 5:30 PM.

Registration is complimentary and includes charcuterie, flatbreads, and dessert.

There will be a cash bar for you to purchase your own beverages - which is an adventure at Vine 32, as this self-service wine bar has a rotating selection of 32 different wines!

Please see our 2026-2027 Sponsorship Opportunity page for more information on sponsoring this and other wonderful events!

Thank You to our Event Sponsors
Macaron Sponsor

Charcuterie Sponsor

Supporter Sponsors

SAVE THE DATE- 2027 Annual Retreat (Friday, March 12, 2027)

Fri, 12 Mar 2027 19:00:00 GMT

Our Annual Retreat is a not-to-be-missed, overnight event! The Annual Retreat involves opportunities to connect with attorneys from firms and organizations across the state, to receive continuing legal education ("CLE") credit, and to relax at a beautiful lake side resort and event facility.

The 2026 event will take place on March 12 and 13, 2027 at The Lake Estate on Winnisquam at 725 Laconia Road - Tilton, NH 03276

More information, hotel booking link, and registration link will be available soon. But please save the date so you will be able to join us for our 2027 Annual Retreat!

Thank you to our 2027 Annual Retreat Sponsors!