Peterborough, NH

Heather Burns represents aggrieved employees and injured victims in matters of employment discrimination, and wrongful termination. As an employment litigation attorney, she represents primarily plaintiffs dealing with discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, Family and Medical Leave Act issues, and other employment cases involving both federal and state law. Her medical malpractice practice involves representing plaintiffs in medical negligence cases in state and federal court. She has successfully litigated cases in both the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, state superior courts and the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Heather also regularly represents employees before the New Hampshire Human Rights Commission, the New Hampshire Department of Employment Security and the New Hampshire Department of Labor. She has a Martindale Hubbell AV rating. Heather has been selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® and in New England Super Lawyers and Super Lawyers Business Edition for Employment and Labor.

During his first year of practicing law in New Hampshire, Michael gave the closing argument in a gender discrimination case. The jury returned a verdict of over $1,000,000.00. Since that time Michael has been litigating cases for individuals and businesses throughout New Hampshire. Over the years, Michael has expanded his litigation practice from personal injury, employment and family law to include medical malpractice, complex product liability cases, corporate litigation and probate litigation obtaining multiple six and seven figure verdicts and settlements. Michael is a Past President and long-time board member of the New Hampshire Association for Justice. Michael is also a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association - NH Chapter and the American Association for Justice. Michael has addressed the New Hampshire Legislature multiple times on issues related to preserving the right to jury trials in New Hampshire. Michael has also been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2021. Michael has been a speaker at a number of Continuing Legal Education programs for attorneys on topics ranging from effective discovery in civil litigation to developments in New Hampshire family law. He is the author of “The Automobile Injury Case for Paralegals in New Hampshire,” published by the Institute for Paralegal Education NBI, Inc. (2000), and “Child Support Liens,” published by the New Hampshire Association for Justice. Michael has been featured on New Hampshire’s television station WMUR to discuss legal issues.

Susan is a litigator with the Employment Law, Personal Injury, and Municipal Law Groups at Upton & Hatfield. The focus of her practice is finding solutions to her clients’ problems while protecting their legal rights. Susan advocates for individuals, businesses, and municipalities throughout New Hampshire. Susan effectively counsels her clients prior to litigation, through trial, and any necessary appeal. Her advocacy has efficiently and effectively led to the best possible outcomes for her clients.

Russ is a native of New Hampshire, and has spent most of his professional career at the Upton firm, where he is now the senior partner. Since 2005, he has operated from the firm’s branch office in Portsmouth. He focuses his practice in the areas of commercial and insurance litigation, professional discipline, and alternative dispute resolution, representing businesses, municipalities, and individual professionals. Russ is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, inducted in 1995. He taught professional responsibility at Franklin Pierce Law Center (now UNH School of Law) for 10 years, and was a visiting lecturer at Tumaini University (now University of Iringa) in Tanzania in 2009 and 2012, leading courses in insurance law and judicial and legal ethics. Following his time as a professor there, he and his wife now spend two months each year in central Tanzania doing volunteer work for the Lutheran church, Russ working remotely and taking advantage of the seven-hour time difference. Russ earned his B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1973, his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1976, and his L.L.M. in taxation from Boston University School of Law in 1985. He has participated on numerous CLE panels on trial practice, insurance issues, legislative developments, and professional ethics. A highly respected attorney among his peers, he is ranked by Chambers USA, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of commercial litigation, which recognized him as “as good a litigator as you could hope to find.” He is also included in The Best Lawyers in America® for alternative dispute resolution and in Super Lawyers in business litigation. He has a Martindale-Hubbell AV rating. Russ was a founding member of the Hopkinton, New Hampshire Rotary club, serving as its charter president in 1996, and is now an honorary lifetime member. He is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Newington, New Hampshire, where he served as council president in 2010. He was inducted into the Pembroke Academy Hall of Fame in 2008.

Lauren Irwin represents plaintiffs and defendants in employment disputes and civil litigation, and regularly counsels and represents individuals, schools, municipalities, and private entities on employment law matters. Because she represents both employers and employees, she provides valuable insight into and knowledge of opposing counsel strategies. Her experience includes representing clients in employment discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, Family and Medical Leave Act, and other employment cases in both state and federal courts. She also assists employers with drafting and reviewing employment policies and practices, employment and severance agreements (including non-competes), conducting internal investigations, and providing anti-discrimination courses and other types of training. In addition, Lauren is an experienced mediator, arbitrator, and investigator. She is a certified mediator, having completed the Harvard Law School Mediation Intensive program. Lauren has been selected for the American Arbitration Association’s Mediator and Arbitrator panels for employment law matters. She serves as a mediator for the New Hampshire Courts, the New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights, and for private parties. Lauren is an experienced investigator, handling employment and Title IX matters. Lauren is a Fellow of the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Lauren regularly represents clients in the New Hampshire Superior Court, the Federal District Court, New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New Hampshire Department of Labor, and New Hampshire Department of Employment Security. She is a past president of the Gender Equality Committee and is a frequent speaker and author in her areas of expertise. She is a member of the New Hampshire Association for Justice and the New Hampshire Council of School Attorneys. She was named Best Lawyers’ 2014-15 Concord Employment Law-Individuals “Lawyer of the Year,” named among Best Lawyers’ 2017 Women of Influence, and named Best Lawyers’ 2019 Employment Law-Individuals “Lawyer of the Year.” She is also a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers and an adjunct professor at University of New Hampshire School of Law.

Jim has more than thirty years of experience assisting clients with commercial and real estate transactions. He serves as moderator of the Goffstown School District and as a member of the Goffstown Planning Board. He is also a member of the board of directors and a former president of the Concord Family YMCA. Best Lawyers selected him as Lawyer of the Year in the category of Business Organizations for 2018. He has also been selected for inclusion by Chambers and Partners in the category of Real Estate, by Super Lawyers in the category of Business/Corporate, Real Estate, Estate Planning & Probate, and by Best Lawyers in the category of Business Organizations and Real Estate. Jim has a Martindale Hubbell BV rating.

Thomas W. Morse focuses his law practice on estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate administration. He brings long-standing experience in trust administration to beneficiaries and families, with an emphasis on trust windup details. He also brings a concentration in evaluating retirement community contract documents and admission application criteria for elderly clients in view of the impact on client assets and estate plans. Thomas practiced law in Concord for over 40 years at a close neighboring law firm before coming to Upton & Hatfield, LLP. He grew up in Concord, attended Concord Public Schools, and graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy, Amherst College, and the University of Maine School of Law. He is a United States Army veteran who served in Kaiserslautern, West Germany as a Congressional Correspondent for an Army Air Defense Command. Thomas is a dedicated and tireless advocate for the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and currently serves as Foundation Co-chair for the Concord Rotary Club. Along with Rotary, his past civic and charitable involvement includes service on the boards of Eleanor Haller Animal Welfare Fund, Ragged Mountain Fish & Game Club, and as vestryman and warden of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. His service on the board of the New Hampshire Centennial Home for the Aged included participation as counsel for the Home in the cy pres case with the New Hampshire Charitable Trusts Unit, which allowed the wind-up of the Home and distribution of its assets to alternate charitable entities and confirmation of alternative beneficiary selections of five associated trusts.