Litigation

The Gallagher Callahan & Gartrell litigation practice advises and defends the interests of businesses, professionals, individuals, municipalities and insurers in civil litigation matters in all federal and state courts and administrative agencies in New Hampshire. We partner with our clients to achieve the most cost effective outcome for them, be it early resolution through settlement or an aggressive trial strategy to vindicate their rights.

Our litigation team members have been recognized as among New Hampshire’s best at handling and resolving matters from the routine to the highly complex.

The firm was awarded metropolitan first-tier rankings in the 2013 publication of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” Rankings, including first-tier rankings in personal injury litigation for defendants and litigation - land use and zoning. In addition, Michael Callahan was selected Concord's Personal Injury Litigation - Defense "Lawyer of the Year" for 2012 by Best Lawyers®.

Clients in need of litigation or alternative dispute resolution advice and representation retain our trial attorneys to handle matters in the following areas:

• Complex commercial litigation and business torts including intellectual property disputes
• Products liability
• Employment and labor
• Municipal and civil rights defense
• Construction/Real estate development
• Trucking
• Professional liability and licensing
• Insurance coverage
• Complex alternative dispute resolution
• Banking and financial services
• General liability
• Appellate advocacy.

Our litigation practice draws on the firm’s breadth and depth of practice areas as we represent our clients through all phases of the litigation process, including appellate advocacy. The members of the litigation group have tried hundreds of cases in all New Hampshire forums and have had dismissed or settled even more than we have tried. It is not just the senior members of our team that have or get this experience. Rather, we are committed to developing the next generation of our clients’ counsel by involving our associates, often at reduced or no cost to the client, in meaningful training, education and supervised representation. This approach makes sure that our clients will have cost effective representation now and experienced representation in the future.

Litigation is often a scary or nasty word. We work with our clients to take the mystery and pain out of the litigation process. To do that, we:

• Provide litigation avoidance advice through risk management training.
• Work with our corporate, transactional and real estate colleagues to identify risks before they happen and craft strategies to avoid those risks.
• Undertake early and thorough analysis of a claim or lawsuit to identify the issues involved and develop a strategy to resolve the dispute in the most cost effective manner.
• Meet with and counsel our clients regularly throughout the litigation to discuss where we have been and where we are going.
• Always remember that it is the client’s lawsuit, not ours, and take all appropriate steps in partnership with the client to achieve the result that the client wants and needs.

Our trial lawyers assist clients with:

• Risk Management training
• Education
• Strategic counseling
• Initiating or defending claims/lawsuits
• Coordinating document production and testimony
• Settlement negotiations
• Trial, Hearing or Arbitration proceedings

Recent matters include representating:

• Multi-national medical device manufacturer as lead counsel in personal injury litigation
• Corporations in significant individual burn and fire loss cases
• Corporation in employment litigation involving former senior manager
• Police officers and municipal officials in establishing new common law immunity
• Municipalities and school districts in sexual abuse claims
• Contractors in defective construction litigation
• Attorneys in professional licensing proceedings
• Physicians in professional licensing proceedings
• Insurers in coverage and bad faith litigation
• Transportation and trucking companies in personal injury and property loss claims.

The firm and its practice area professionals are Martindale Hubbell AV-rated, with two litigation attorneys — Michael Callahan and Charles Bauer — who are fellows in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Our attorneys are active participants and leaders in industry associations including:

• USLAW Network
• American College of Trial Lawyers
• DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar
• International Society of Barristers
• International Association of Defense Counsel
• Best Lawyers® and Super Lawyer recognition