The New Hampshire Department of Banking, along with
Patricia S. Gardner, Esq., and other Professionals,
is hosting a Seminar on April 19, 2011 from 6-8 p.m. on
"Alternatives to Foreclosure".
http://www.homehelpnh.org/
Presentations will include free help from the State on mortgage modification assistance, information about the foreclosure process
and bankruptcy.
It will be held at 1 New Hampshire Ave, 3rd Floor Conference Room in Portsmouth, NH. 03801 as hosted by the Gardner Law Firm.
There is plenty of free parking and the building is handicapped accessible.
There is no charge to attend, and it is intended to be an educational service for local residents.
Call 603-766-4933 for more information.
Knowledge is power!
Showing posts with label Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Press. Show all posts
Monday, April 18, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Marines Deploy with Support from the NH Bar
I am re-posting my January 23, 2011 blog, to include an article from the NH Bar News on the event. Click on, read on and enjoy!
I am an attorney who practices in New Hampshire in the harbor city of Portsmouth. Most days I am a business and bankruptcy lawyer.
About an hour's drive north of my home is the armed forces reserve center in Londonderry, New Hampshire. It was an easy drive there this morning when I left at 6:30 a.m. Few people were travelling, with the temperature hovering around zero and the snow piled several feet high in drifts from recent snow storms. Along with some other volunteers, I travelled there to be part of the "Military Pro Bono" Project. The Project was coordinated by Chantell Wheeler, Assistant Pro Bono Coordinator from the NH Bar Association, to provide legal counsel.
Approximately 88 men and women, Marine Reserves, are preparing to deploy soon to Afghanistan. One of the things they must face in preparing for active duty is the potential of their death. In so doing, they need the services of legal counsel to draft their wills, powers of attorney, and "living wills" with health care proxies.
At 8 a.m. this morning the reservists were patiently lined up in the hall outside the room where we set up temporary stations, plugging in our lap top computers, portable printers and other equipment to meet with them. One by one, the volunteer attorneys processed the documents.
Most of the Marine Reserves were from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. None of them looked older than twenty-five years of age. One was from Utah. At the end of my shift, the last Will & Testament I witnessed was prepared for a young man who recently finished at Harvard.
There wasn't a grumble from any of the reserves. Polite. Disciplined. Focused. Focused on answering the questions to draft the documents they came to complete: "Who will be guardian to your children if you die?" "Whom do you trust to make your medical decisions if your become incapacitated?" "Do you understand the disclosure statement I have given you so that we can prepare the Durable Power of Attorney for health care decisions?" "Do you have any assets?" "Where would you like them to go?" "What are your wishes on burial arrangements."
One of the attorneys I met there, Bob, said the last time he worked the Project, all of the reservists returned, and only one was wounded in active duty.
As each one of these brave young men and women left, they extended a firm hand shake and genuinely said, "Thank you." No, I said, "Thank YOU."
POST PUBLISHED BY PATRICIA S. GARDNER, ESQ.
GARDNER LAW FIRM
1 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH 03857
Phone: 1-603-766-4933
Fax 1-603-292-5207
email:
GardnerBusinessLaw@gmail.com
web site:
http://www.gardnerbusinesslaw.com/
About an hour's drive north of my home is the armed forces reserve center in Londonderry, New Hampshire. It was an easy drive there this morning when I left at 6:30 a.m. Few people were travelling, with the temperature hovering around zero and the snow piled several feet high in drifts from recent snow storms. Along with some other volunteers, I travelled there to be part of the "Military Pro Bono" Project. The Project was coordinated by Chantell Wheeler, Assistant Pro Bono Coordinator from the NH Bar Association, to provide legal counsel.
Approximately 88 men and women, Marine Reserves, are preparing to deploy soon to Afghanistan. One of the things they must face in preparing for active duty is the potential of their death. In so doing, they need the services of legal counsel to draft their wills, powers of attorney, and "living wills" with health care proxies.
At 8 a.m. this morning the reservists were patiently lined up in the hall outside the room where we set up temporary stations, plugging in our lap top computers, portable printers and other equipment to meet with them. One by one, the volunteer attorneys processed the documents.
Most of the Marine Reserves were from Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. None of them looked older than twenty-five years of age. One was from Utah. At the end of my shift, the last Will & Testament I witnessed was prepared for a young man who recently finished at Harvard.
There wasn't a grumble from any of the reserves. Polite. Disciplined. Focused. Focused on answering the questions to draft the documents they came to complete: "Who will be guardian to your children if you die?" "Whom do you trust to make your medical decisions if your become incapacitated?" "Do you understand the disclosure statement I have given you so that we can prepare the Durable Power of Attorney for health care decisions?" "Do you have any assets?" "Where would you like them to go?" "What are your wishes on burial arrangements."
One of the attorneys I met there, Bob, said the last time he worked the Project, all of the reservists returned, and only one was wounded in active duty.
As each one of these brave young men and women left, they extended a firm hand shake and genuinely said, "Thank you." No, I said, "Thank YOU."
POST PUBLISHED BY PATRICIA S. GARDNER, ESQ.
GARDNER LAW FIRM
1 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH 03857
Phone: 1-603-766-4933
Fax 1-603-292-5207
email:
GardnerBusinessLaw@gmail.com
web site:
http://www.gardnerbusinesslaw.com/
We the People - revisited
Earlier in the month, I wrote about the "We the People" program, which concerns the efforts of high school students in a moot court type of setting. Since then, the state's winning team has been announced (John Stark Regional High School) and that team moves on to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. Below are two articles which appeared in the NH Bar News about the event. Click on, read on and enjoy!
"We the People: The Citizen & the Constitution" is a local, state-wide and national program designed to encourage our children to learn more about the history of our country, its Constitution and laws. Yesterday’s state finals showed that the New Hampshire program is an unqualified success with the participating high school students demonstrating a high level of knowledge and admirable poise.
Click on the inks below to learn more about this valuable learning resource for our children:
http://www.nhbar.org/law-related-education/We-the-People-Project-Citizen.asp
http://www.civiced.org/index.php?page=introduction
The program enhances students’ understanding of democracy with historical studies applied to current events. Students in grades 1-12 may participate.
High School Competition: Students at the high school level participate in group competitions that simulate Senate Hearings, with regionals held in December of each year, state finals held in January, with the top-performing high school in the state moving on to the National Competition in Washington, D.C.
NH State Finals: On January 7, 2011, I was privileged to be one of the volunteers to implement the New Hampshire State Finals held at the Legislative Office Building at the state capital, in Concord, New Hampshire. The program was sponsored by the NH Bar Association, headed by Robin E. Knippers, NH Bar Law Related Education Coordinator http://www.nhbar.org/law-related-education/ and supplemented by legal professionals, public officials and NH Bar volunteers.
The three high schools participating in the finals were: Milford High School (Dave Alcox, teacher), John Stark Regional High School (Daniel Marcus, teacher) and Nashua High School-North (Tarin LaFrance Smart, teacher). While only one of the high schools could move on to the National competition, all three were outstanding.
Volunteers: The judging panels including Attorneys Michael C. Diaz, Barbara Keshen, Lisa R. Rick, Randy S. Gordon, Martin P. Honigberg, John F. Weaver, Jeffrey M. Brown, Kathleen A. Sternenberg, Janet Hay Subers, Talesha L. Cayon, Kevin O’Neill, Thomas X. Tsirimokos, Kenneth J. Barnes, Risa Evan, Howard J. Zibel, N. William Delker, Abigail J. Sykas and Senator Robert Letourneau, Attorneys Patricia S. Gardner and Janna Cummings as timers, Arthur Pease as timer (also District 1 Coordinator), and NH Bar Staff Rose Anocibar, Lisha Brosseau, Carolann Wooding, Susan Lakeway and Emily Whiteman in addition to Robin E. Knippers.
POST PUBLISHED BY PATRICIA S. GARDNER, ESQ.
GARDNER LAW FIRM
1 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH 03857
Phone: 1-603-766-4933
Fax 1-603-292-5207
Web site: http://www.gardnerbusinesslaw.com/
Email: GardnerBusinessLaw@gmail.com
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Published by the New Hampshire Bar Association News January 14, 2011
Bar News - January 14, 2011
Three Practice Tips from the First Annual FirmFuture Conference
By:
Making the move from a large corporation to a small practice has become a lot easier with the help of "FirmFuture Practice Management and Legal Technology," a conference held recently by the Massachusetts Bar Association in cooperation with the NH Bar Association, the Rhode Island Bar Association, and other legal services providers. The event was free to members of the NH Bar Association, inclusive of breakfast and lunch.
Held at the Copley Marriott Hotel in Boston, the event included seminars, networking opportunities, and exhibiters from all aspects of the business side of law firm management, and paid particular attention to the solo and small firm models of practice.
Here is just a sample of what I learned from this program:
1. Creating a Paperless Office
"Creating the Paperless Office," explained the technology and equipment needed to engage in paperless court filings as well as paperless document storage.
For those such as myself, who are dinosaurs in this area, it was particularly helpful to have someone demonstrate how to use a scanner and to provide the names and model numbers of affordable equipment.
Recommendations included the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 which I have since purchased ($429, free shipping from COSTCO) for office use, which scans and also converts to PDF format, and the "Magic Wand Portable Scanner" ($99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond) for travelling, which may be used for document scans at a deposition to download later at your office.
2. Starting Your Firm on a Budget
"Starting Your Firm on a Budget" was next, which featured three different firms who recently started on budgets of $2000, $5000 and $10,000 respectively, with each providing a list of products and services included in these budgets.
The lowest start-up firm used a "virtual office" model, where the greatest savings were achieved by the new attorney working out of a home office, but meeting clients at a professional conference room suite with included receptionist services and office equipment, all leased on a per diem basis – thus, a prestigious Boston address invoked only when needed to meet clients.
All three models reduced overhead by accessing free services on the internet (e.g. free conference calls found at www.freeconference.com) and discounted products described in the seminar below. The second firm budget included a fixed office location with lease, but focused on reducing equipment costs through coupons/coupon codes found at www.retailmenot.com, purchasing multi-tasking equipment such as a scanner that also copies, faxes and prints documents rather than four separate pieces of equipment, and obtaining "wi-fi" to provide internet access for laptop use whether in the car or on the beach while vacationing, essentially creating a "mobile office."
The most expensive start-up firm also had a leased location, but focused its efforts on Internet marketing, the creation of a website and multiple blogs for high Internet visibility in potential client searches. Each model showed that success can be achieved on all three budgets.
3. 60 Websites to Bring Your Firm into the Future
This last seminar was particularly valuable because it featured the websites where law firms could obtain at no charge legal tips, technological assistance, and where to buy equipment over the Internet at affordable, discounted prices.
Here are just a few samples: SoloSez, at www.solosez.net, on the ABA website is a worldwide list-serv of over 3,000 solo and small firm subscribers discussing everything from tech tips and legal opinions to what to wear to court; www.ZamZar.com will convert HTML documents to PDF format; www.mtgprofessor.com is the "Mortgage Professor" that addresses all aspects of mortgages and related calculations; www.tinyurl.com will truncate a lengthy URL when sending a link; www.truecrypt.com provides free encryption software; www.retailmenot.com provides coupons/coupon codes for products and equipment, and www.keyxl.com which provides keyboard shortcuts in document creation.
Thank you to the NH Bar Association for providing this opportunity to its members at no cost. See you all at FirmFuture next year!
Patricia Gardner was formerly the executive vice president and corporate counsel for Sullivan Paper Company, Inc., in Massachusetts, and moved her practice, the Gardner Law Firm, to New Hampshire at One New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125, Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth.
POST PUBLISHED BY PATRICIA S. GARDNER, ESQ.
GARDNER LAW FIRM
1 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH 03857
Phone: 1-603-766-4933
Fax 1-603-292-5207
email:
GardnerBusinessLaw@gmail.com
web site:
http://www.gardnerbusinesslaw.com/
By:
Making the move from a large corporation to a small practice has become a lot easier with the help of "FirmFuture Practice Management and Legal Technology," a conference held recently by the Massachusetts Bar Association in cooperation with the NH Bar Association, the Rhode Island Bar Association, and other legal services providers. The event was free to members of the NH Bar Association, inclusive of breakfast and lunch.
Held at the Copley Marriott Hotel in Boston, the event included seminars, networking opportunities, and exhibiters from all aspects of the business side of law firm management, and paid particular attention to the solo and small firm models of practice.
Here is just a sample of what I learned from this program:
1. Creating a Paperless Office
"Creating the Paperless Office," explained the technology and equipment needed to engage in paperless court filings as well as paperless document storage.
For those such as myself, who are dinosaurs in this area, it was particularly helpful to have someone demonstrate how to use a scanner and to provide the names and model numbers of affordable equipment.
Recommendations included the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 which I have since purchased ($429, free shipping from COSTCO) for office use, which scans and also converts to PDF format, and the "Magic Wand Portable Scanner" ($99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond) for travelling, which may be used for document scans at a deposition to download later at your office.
2. Starting Your Firm on a Budget
"Starting Your Firm on a Budget" was next, which featured three different firms who recently started on budgets of $2000, $5000 and $10,000 respectively, with each providing a list of products and services included in these budgets.
The lowest start-up firm used a "virtual office" model, where the greatest savings were achieved by the new attorney working out of a home office, but meeting clients at a professional conference room suite with included receptionist services and office equipment, all leased on a per diem basis – thus, a prestigious Boston address invoked only when needed to meet clients.
All three models reduced overhead by accessing free services on the internet (e.g. free conference calls found at www.freeconference.com) and discounted products described in the seminar below. The second firm budget included a fixed office location with lease, but focused on reducing equipment costs through coupons/coupon codes found at www.retailmenot.com, purchasing multi-tasking equipment such as a scanner that also copies, faxes and prints documents rather than four separate pieces of equipment, and obtaining "wi-fi" to provide internet access for laptop use whether in the car or on the beach while vacationing, essentially creating a "mobile office."
The most expensive start-up firm also had a leased location, but focused its efforts on Internet marketing, the creation of a website and multiple blogs for high Internet visibility in potential client searches. Each model showed that success can be achieved on all three budgets.
3. 60 Websites to Bring Your Firm into the Future
This last seminar was particularly valuable because it featured the websites where law firms could obtain at no charge legal tips, technological assistance, and where to buy equipment over the Internet at affordable, discounted prices.
Here are just a few samples: SoloSez, at www.solosez.net, on the ABA website is a worldwide list-serv of over 3,000 solo and small firm subscribers discussing everything from tech tips and legal opinions to what to wear to court; www.ZamZar.com will convert HTML documents to PDF format; www.mtgprofessor.com is the "Mortgage Professor" that addresses all aspects of mortgages and related calculations; www.tinyurl.com will truncate a lengthy URL when sending a link; www.truecrypt.com provides free encryption software; www.retailmenot.com provides coupons/coupon codes for products and equipment, and www.keyxl.com which provides keyboard shortcuts in document creation.
Thank you to the NH Bar Association for providing this opportunity to its members at no cost. See you all at FirmFuture next year!
Patricia Gardner was formerly the executive vice president and corporate counsel for Sullivan Paper Company, Inc., in Massachusetts, and moved her practice, the Gardner Law Firm, to New Hampshire at One New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125, Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth.
POST PUBLISHED BY PATRICIA S. GARDNER, ESQ.
GARDNER LAW FIRM
1 New Hampshire Ave, Suite 125
Pease International Tradeport
Portsmouth, NH 03857
Phone: 1-603-766-4933
Fax 1-603-292-5207
email:
GardnerBusinessLaw@gmail.com
web site:
http://www.gardnerbusinesslaw.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)