Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C., is engaged in the general practice of law, and our attorneys provide a broad range of legal services. The areas described below are those for which we are best known. The description of each area is preceded by a listing of the attorneys who practice in that field. Please contact the firm to discuss other areas of law that we can assist you with.

Eugene M. Van Loan, III John E. Friberg, Sr. James C. Wheat John A. Lassey Ronald J. Lajoie Jeffrey H. Karlin Donald J. Perrault Marc R. Scheer Gregory G. Peters Robert E. Murphy, Jr.

Dean B. Eggert Michael R. Mortimer Richard Thorner Christine A. Gordon Jennifer L. Murphy Todd J. Hathaway Stephen J. Judge Gregory M. Sargent Alison M. Minutelli Michael J. Tierney Pierre A. Chabot Joseph Mattson

Our litigation team represents clients in all state and federal courts in cases that range from the simplest automobile accident to the most complex hazardous waste litigation. We have provided representation -- either directly or through insurance carriers -- for many of the nation's major manufacturers, and practice in virtually every area of civil litigation. In addition to representing many hospitals and physicians throughout the state, we also defend other professionals, such as lawyers, architects, engineers and accountants. Our trial lawyers have served as lead counsel in many of the largest and most complex construction and commercial claims litigated in the state. We also represent both municipalities and private developers in litigation involving issues of zoning and land use planning, and school districts in special education matters.




John E. Friberg, Sr.
James C. Wheat
John A. Lassey
Donald J. Perrault
Robert E. Murphy, Jr.


Often the best and most economical way to resolve a conflict is to avoid a trial by using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques. In addition to providing legal services for clients, Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C., offers both mediation and arbitration services. The members of this group draw on their considerable experience as trial lawyers, combined with formal ADR training provided by the New Hampshire Superior Court, to assist businesses and individuals with the resolution of disputes in the personal injury and commercial field.




William C. Tucker
Eugene M. Van Loan, III
Kathleen N. Sullivan
Charles F. Cleary
Stephen L. Boyd
Joseph Mattson


We are dedicated to working with clients to solve their business problems, whether routine or unusual. The attorneys and support staff in our commercial, real estate, banking and corporate department have experience in a broad range of business fields. Our comprehensive real estate services are tailored to meet the needs of individuals who buy and sell single family residences or corporate developers and institutional lenders who require sophisticated legal counsel on such diverse matters as multi-family subdivisions, regional shopping malls or commercial and industrial parks. Services include title abstracting and title insurance, zoning and planning research and advocacy, local and state administrative agency representation, condominium and subdivision registration and the drafting of leases, purchase-and-sale agreements and other contracts. For the institutional or private lender, we draft loan and collateral documentation and provide advice about compliance with federal and state banking and lending laws and work-out procedures. Business people depend on us for expert advice about the formation of various commercial entities, such as trusts, general and limited partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and corporations. We also assist with reorganization and dissolution of business entities and such day-to-day business needs as employment contracts and government regulatory compliance.




Eugene M. Van Loan, III
Kathleen N. Sullivan
Donald J. Perrault
Robert E. Murphy, Jr.
Dean B. Eggert
Kathleen C. Peahl
Jennifer L. Murphy
Gregory M. Sargent
Alison M. Minutelli
Michael J. Tierney


Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C, provides a wide variety of services to a number of municipalities and school districts in New Hampshire, ranging from providing general legal advice to representation in complex litigation. Our services have included the drafting of municipal ordinances, special education advice and representation, zoning and land use support, representation in civil rights and other litigation, employment and personnel matters, cable franchise negotiation and support in many other areas of the law affecting towns and school districts.




Kathleen C. Peahl
Pierre A. Chabot

Clients in the private and public sector draw upon our services in the areas of labor and employment law. We advise clients about the spectrum of labor and personnel matters under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. We represent clients in discrimination cases before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights. In the area of management and organized labor relations, we provide representation before the National Labor Relations Board and New Hampshire's Public Employee Labor Relations Board in unfair labor practice proceedings, union organizational campaigns and representation elections and provide guidance and representation in grievance arbitration, collective bargaining, mediation and fact-finding. We also advise clients about affirmative action programs, offer representation before the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, assist in preparation of personnel manuals and offer representation in wrongful discharge cases.



William C. Tucker
Richard Thorner

Corporations, partnerships and individuals know they can turn to us for planning, administration and litigation of trusts and estates. We implement lifetime plans, an integral part of estate planning, in various ways, including trusts for transfer and irrevocable trusts. When our clients need wills, trust agreements, gift programs, corporate benefit plans, life insurance plans or other tax-advantaged options, we provide them. We also provide representation in connection with guardianships and custodianships, durable powers of attorney and conservatorships.



Richard Thorner
Christine Gordon
Gregory Sargent
Pierre Chabot

A marital separation, divorce, or dispute over parental rights can cause emotional and financial turbulence. At Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, we offer reassurance, a guiding hand, and timely advice during these challenging times. We take our role as your advocate seriously, and we believe each client requires individualized attention. Our experienced team of partners and associates seek the best possible outcome for you, whether through mediation or litigation. Given the breadth of our practice, we are also able to offer expertise on a broad range of matters which may arise in your case, including real estate transactions, valuation of closely held corporations, retirement, estate planning, domestic violence and criminal matters. We provide legal representation on all aspects of family law, including the preparation and execution of Prenuptial Agreements, Legal Separations, Divorce, Parental Rights Disputes (f/k/a Custody), Relocation, Child Support and Alimony disputes, Division of Retirement Benefits, and Post-Divorce matters relating to Parental Rights, Alimony, and other financial matters.



Dean B. Eggert
Kathleen C. Peahl
Jennifer L. St. Hilaire
Alison M. Minutelli

Our Education Law Group represents and advises school districts throughout the state in all aspects of school law. We have successfully represented school districts in litigated matters from the administrative level to the United States Supreme Court. Our primary goal however, is to assist school districts in preventing risk and developing sound educational practices such that they are able to devote their resources to education rather than adversarial matters. We have authored numerous publications in the field of school law and frequently lecture both locally and nationally on school law issues. We focus on offering timely, responsive and respectful client service.