Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Todd Stevens represents individuals and families throughout Strafford and the surrounding New Hampshire counties. His primary areas of practice are divorce, child custody, estate planning, family law, civil litigation and personal injury.

Richard Samdperil has been practicing criminal defense in New Hampshire since 1995.

He has tried and won cases in almost every court in southern New Hampshire, and has won new trials for convicted defendants at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Richard's practice includes criminal defense, DWI defense, appellate litigation, and civil and personal injury litigation.

Samdperil & Welsh, PLLC maintains a state-wide criminal practice, with its principal clients in Rockingham and Strafford counties. The firm represents adult and juveniles in all types of criminal and family court matters, with a significant percentage of the practice devoted to clients under the age of 21.

BACKGROUND

After graduating from law school in 1994, Richard went to Georgia to work with lawyers defending capital murder cases. In 1995, Richard returned to New England, and has been working as a trial and appellate lawyer in the New Hampshire courts ever since.

As a trial lawyer, Richard has tried and won cases in the district and superior courts of Cheshire, Sullivan, Hillsborough, Rockingham, and Strafford counties. He estimates that he has tried over 100 cases before a judge or jury.

From 2000-2002, Richard worked as an attorney with the Appellate Defender Program at the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, NH. As an appellate lawyer, Richard briefed and argued dozens of cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court. He has litigated over 50 cases before the State's highest court, many of which have resulted in published opinions.

Richard has also authored materials and taught defense lawyers on topics including New Hampshire constitutional law, law and forensic sciences, and the elements and defenses of common crimes. In 2007-08 Richard was an adjuct faculty member in the Criminal Justice Department at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH where he taught Criminal Law.

Richard is a member of both the National and New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and has been affiliated with both organizations for over a decade. Richard is also active in the local and state bar organizations. The law firm is a member of the Exeter Area Chamber of Commerce, and Seacoast Local.

Richard lives on New Hampshire's seacoast with his wife and three children.

John Pendleton has been a lawyer for more than 15 years. He has an active consumer bankruptcy practice. Attorney Pendleton is a former felony prosecutor, who today as a criminal defense lawyer works in federal and state courts throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts. John is an effective DWI defense lawyer and is certified in the National Highway Safety Administration's standardized field sobriety test.

Attorney Pendleton also practices in the areas of water law, public utility law before the NH Public Utility Commission, business, land use, personal injury and toxic waste and oil spill matters. His clients include water companies, such as Pennichuck Corporation, municipal water and sewer districts, developers and individuals relative to land use, water and environmental issues.

Attorney Pendleton is a past recipient of the Robert Kirby Award, recognizing a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association as an outstanding attorney, 35 years old or younger, demonstrating excellent advocacy and personal characteristics.

Attorney Pendleton received his B.A. degree from Trinity College and his J.D. degree from the University of Richmond. Attorney Pendleton has twice been on the NH Bar Association's Board of Governor's and served a number of years on the New Hampshire Bar Association's Ethics Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for NH Legal Assistance, as a member of the Steering Committee for the Campaign for Legal Services, and on the NH Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission. Attorney Pendleton has served the State of New Hampshire over the past ten years as Vice Chairman of the New Hampshire Plumbers Licensing Board. He currently serves his community as the Vice President of Seacoast Mental Health's Board of Directors. He has previously served on the Governor's Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission and the Board of Bridges, Rape & Assault Support Services of Nashua, New Hampshire.

Please feel free to contact Attorney Pendleton by email at jpendleton@granitestatelawyers.com or by telephone at (603) 433-7105

I concentrate my practice in the areas of workers' compensation, personal injury and social security disability law strictly for plaintiffs. I am married and have two teenage boys. My law firm has eight attorneys who cover most legal areas.

Christopher E. Ratte is an attorney licensed to practice law in New Hampshire and Maine with over ten years of legal experience. Mr. Ratte is a sole legal practitioner and a principal owner of Beacon Title & Escrow Services, LLC. His legal practice concentrates on commercial and residential real estate matters, small business start-up and counseling, and civil litigation in state and federal court. Beacon Title is a licensed title insurance agency providing real estate closing services for banks and other mortgage lenders. Mr. Ratte's key to success is his personalized client service and creative problem solving approach to the practice of law.