By Tom Jarvis
With just under 500 attendees, the New Hampshire Bar Association’s 2025 Midyear Meeting (MYM), held on Friday, February 21, at the DoubleTree Hilton in Manchester, marked the highest turnout since in-person gatherings resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s meeting, themed “Civility and the Rule of Law,” focused on the role of civility in the legal profession and its impact on democracy and public trust.
“When I first started discussing this theme, we were at the outset of what everyone knew would be an extremely contentious election cycle,” says NHBA President Kate Mahan. “Regardless of the election’s outcome, the rhetoric, challenges to the court system, and questioning of foundational democratic principles – like judicial independence – would be at the forefront of people’s minds. I thought it would be the perfect time to highlight the role of lawyers in supporting the rule of law and demonstrating how we can engage in difficult conversations with professionalism and civility. The meeting was a tremendous success, thanks to the efforts of the Bar staff. We had a sold-out crowd that was extremely engaged throughout the day, with great speakers and timely topics.”
Three of the four CLE sessions were each designed to explore a specific aspect of civility in the legal system: one examined its critical role in the administration of justice, another addressed the effect of eroding public confidence in the rule of law, and the third considered the importance of constitutional disagreements in shaping legal and democratic frameworks.
NHBA Professional Development Director Vince O’Brien reflects on the relevance of the presentations.
“The CLE sessions aligned well with this year’s theme,” he says. “There were some great discussions on civility in legal practice, and the speakers shared practical strategies on how to defend the rule of law. They effectively connected these ideas to the challenges we face today. Each presentation offered something valuable to help us approach law and society with integrity and foresight.”
In addition to civility discussions, the fourth CLE addressed the evolving landscape of technology in law, including digital evidence, computer forensics, and cybersecurity, examining their increasing influence on legal practice and the administration of justice.
“Thanks to the vision of Kate Mahan and Vince O’Brien, this year’s meeting was timely and thought-provoking,” says NHBA Executive Director Sarah Blodgett. “For the first time in several years, the Midyear Meeting sold out, reflecting the significant relevance of these topics for many attorneys. We also recognized both the Public Defender program and prosecutors, which was a fitting tribute to the attorneys that play such a crucial role in upholding the rule of law.”
In keeping with the MYM tradition, the day kicked off with the 2025 Gender Equality Breakfast, hosted by the NHBA’s Gender Equality Committee (GEC), which drew more than 70 attendees.
GEC Chair and New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association (NHWBA) Treasurer Meredith Lasna emceed the breakfast, outlining the committee’s mission and sharing statistics on women in the profession. She emphasized that while progress has been made, more work remains. She also highlighted the many efforts of the committee to advance gender equality.
Afterward, NHWBA Secretary Laurie Young presented the 2025 Philip S. Hollman Award for Gender Equality to Manchester City Solicitor Emily Gray Rice.
Rice, the first woman appointed by the President of the United States to serve as the US Attorney for the District of New Hampshire, expressed deep honor in receiving the award and reflected on her experiences with Judge Hollman.
“I had the privilege of appearing in Judge Hollman’s courtroom and experiencing firsthand his kindness, thoughtfulness, and equanimity,” said Rice.
In her remarks, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to promote women’s leadership in the legal profession. She highlighted the critical role of public service lawyering in fostering women’s leadership but warned that the demanding nature of prosecutorial and defense work is driving lawyers away, potentially limiting women’s career advancement and leadership opportunities. She urged the community to support efforts to make these careers more sustainable and preserve pathways for women’s success in leadership roles.
“I accept this award on behalf of bossy little girls everywhere – those nerdy, awkward creatures who feel that they never quite fit in,” Rice said in closing. “And to all the family members, neighbors, teachers, and friends who care enough to take these precious little beings under their wings, to protect them, inspire them, encourage them, and show them grace. There were so many times in my childhood when I was saved by an adult who just took the time to pay attention to me. But for their kindness, I truly would not be standing here today.”
The breakfast concluded with keynote speaker, Judge Arianna Freeman, who was the first Black woman to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Freeman highlighted the contributions of women in law, drawing on stories of pioneers like Sarah Bulah and Constance Baker Motley, who advanced legal progress through their determination and noted how important court rulings, such as Brown v. Board of Education and Mapp v. Ohio, paved the way for future generations. In closing, she called on attendees to take chances, to seek and accept help in the pursuit of their goals, and to help others achieve theirs.
Following the breakfast, Mahan opened the MYM, offering an overview of the day’s events and sharing her thoughts on civility before inviting New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald to the podium.
Chief Justice MacDonald emphasized the role of lawyers as guardians of the rule of law and urged attendees to renew their commitment to civility, despite the pressures of modern legal practice.
The first CLE of the event, “Raising the Bar for Lawyer Conduct: The Case for Mandatory Civility,” featured University of St. Thomas School of Law Professor David Grenardo, who argued in favor of mandating civility in the practice of law.
Grenardo, the associate director of the Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions, covered the benefits of civility and the negative impacts of incivility. He addressed myths surrounding mandatory civility and provided civility rules that, in his view, would be effective. As polarization and divisiveness persist, Grenardo emphasized the importance of civility while navigating difficult conversations and fostering respectful disagreements, both as individuals and attorneys. He argued that civility should be mandatory, highlighting the existing civility rules in four state bar associations and several federal district courts.
“Professor Grenardo was very effective as a speaker,” says O’Brien. “He efficiently integrated anecdotes and humor while focusing on and engaging participants through each step of his timely presentation.”
A panel discussion, “The Lawyer’s Role in Protecting the Rule of Law, Civil Discourse, and the Courts,” followed. Moderated by Mahan, the panel of Grenardo, retired judge and Berkeley Judicial Institute at Berkeley Law School Executive Director Jeremy Fogel, ABA Immediate Past President Mary Smith, and University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law Dean Megan Carpenter addressed how lawyers can serve as mediators of civil discourse and protect the integrity of the courts.
“It was inspiring being on the panel with these tremendously experienced speakers who all had very relevant and unique perspectives to offer about the lawyer’s role,” says Mahan.
After lunch, Mary Tenn, who sits on the New Hampshire Bar Foundation’s Board of Directors, gave a brief update on the work of the Foundation and the importance of the IOLTA program.
Mahan then presented the MYM Awards, followed by 603 Legal Aid Vice Chair Rory Parnell, who presented the organization’s Pro Bono Awards.
New Hampshire Judicial Council Executive Director Jay Buckey then delivered a brief presentation on the Judicial Council, urging attorneys to assist by taking on indigent defense conflict cases.
The afternoon then segued into the presentation, “Cybersecurity, AI, and Deep Fakes,” by University of St. Thomas School of Law Professor Mark Lanterman. Lanterman, a former member of the US Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force and an expert in cybersecurity and digital forensics, discussed the growing sophistication of fabricated digital evidence and its impact on the legal system. He delved into the increasing ability to manipulate evidence convincingly, especially in criminal and civil cases, and stressed the importance of attorneys and judges educating themselves on these issues.
“Because of his background and experience, Lanterman sees and knows a lot of the most cutting-edge information in cybersecurity,” says O’Brien. “His presentation style, combined with real-world scenarios, were entertaining, scary, and practical.”
The final CLE, “Understanding the Beauty of Disagreement Within the US Constitution,” featured Dartmouth College Professor Sonu Bedi exploring the idea that disagreement is not a flaw but an essential aspect of the Constitution.
Examining the history of the Constitution and philosophical debates in the Supreme Court, Professor Bedi explained how principled disagreement strengthens the nation’s democratic framework. Often referring to his pocket US Constitution, Bedi emphasized that disagreement on the Court is not political but rooted in principle, and that such disagreements reflect foundational tensions from the nation’s inception. By viewing disagreement as inherent in the Constitution, Bedi argued that civility becomes easier, as it encourages openness to diverse viewpoints rather than suppressing them.
“Professor Bedi gave an excellent presentation,” says O’Brien. “His mastery of US Supreme Court opinions and how they’ve evolved was phenomenal, and even when he talked with audience members who disagreed with him, the substantive content and level of interest were phenomenal.”
After the event concluded, nearly 30 attendees gathered in the DoubleTree’s Penstock Room for the After-Hours Networking Social, hosted by the NHBA’s New Lawyers Committee.
“The Midyear Meeting was a powerful demonstration of our profession’s commitment to the values of civility and the rule of law,” says Mahan. “I am so grateful to every person in the room who took the time out of their day to listen, engage, and connect with other lawyers in the state. I hope everyone left with something valuable from the day. I’m so pleased with the way everything went.”
The CLE sessions from the 2025 Midyear Meeting will be available online in the CLE catalog later this spring. Be sure to mark your calendars for the NHBA’s Annual Meeting, scheduled for June 7-8 at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel.