Bruce W. Felmly
Director
Bruce is the co-chairman of the Firm's Litigation Department. A trial lawyer with over thirty years of experience, Bruce has tried many cases in state and federal court to both juries and judges. His practice involves representing companies and individuals in trial in a wide range of commercial disputes including: employment matters, anti-trust, trade secret and patent litigation, construction, environmental, insurance recovery, real estate and other business disputes. Bruce is also recognized as a leading trial lawyer in substantial personal injury matters, including medical malpractice, with representation of both plaintiffs and defendants. He is a trained and experienced mediator with extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution.
Department
Litigation - Co-Chairman
Areas of Practice
- Commercial Litigation and Trial Practice
- Insurance Coverage and Environmental Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation on behalf of both Plaintiffs and Defendants
Representative Clients & Work
Bruce is consistently recognized as one of the leading trial lawyers of business disputes in New Hampshire, as well as maintaining a strong practice representing both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury cases. Recent work includes:
- Representing major Connecticut and South Carolina utilities in contribution claims relating to former manufactured gas plants. Cases pending in federal court in those states;
- Successfully tried to juries as lead counsel three major insurance recovery cases for New Hampshire's largest gas utility. In EnergyNorth Natural Gas, Inc. v. Underwriters & Lloyds, et al., 150 N.H. 828 (2003), Bruce was appellate counsel in securing a landmark victory for New Hampshire businesses seeking insurance coverage for environmental claims;
- Successfully represented Microsoft in defense of anti-trust claims, including arguing on appeal the defense of Microsoft in Minuteman, LLC and Ronald H. Proulx v. Microsoft 147 N.H. 634 (2002);
- Lead counsel for KeySpan / National Grid in environmental claims in Long Island and Staten Island, New York;
- Represented Dartmouth College in construction claims arising from a major new science building, as well as defending employment discrimination claims made by a professor against Dartmouth;
- Representing Irving Oil in defense of claims brought by the State of New Hampshire against oil industry relating to MTBE contamination;
- Represented Stop & Shop supermarkets in defense of e.coli claim;
- Successfully defended Eastman Kodak in a wrongful death action in Connecticut; and is defending Bayer Corporation in defense of pharmaceutical product claims;
- In addition, Bruce has secured recoveries in compensation on behalf of seriously injured plaintiffs with meritorious personal injury claims.
Admissions
New Hampshire, U.S. District Court for New Hampshire, First Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court for Vermont, Second Circuit Court of Appeals
Professional & Association Memberships
President, New Hampshire Bar Association (1995 - 1996); American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, elected in 1990, (prior State Chair), elected to the Board of Regents at the 56th Annual Meeting in London, 2006; Fellow, American Bar Foundation; Fellow, New Hampshire Bar Association; American Law Institute; American Trial Lawyers Association; New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association.
Recognition
- Woodward's Best Lawyers in America - Appellate Law
- Woodward's Best Lawyers in America - Business Litigation
- Woodward's Best Lawyers in America - Personal Injury Litigation (10+ years)
- Chambers & Partners America's Leading Business Lawyers - Recognized as one of New Hampshire's Leading Commercial Trial Lawyers
- New Hampshire Bar Association Awards: 2002 Award for Distinguished Service to the Legal Profession
- Commissioner, New Hampshire Citizens Commission on State Courts
- Superlawyers - 100 Best New England Lawyers 2007
- Benchmark - Recognized as one of America's Leading
Litigation Firms & Attorneys 2008
Career
- J.D. - Cornell Law School, 1972
- B.A. - University of Rhode Island 1969
Member
New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners (1978 to 1989), reappointed 2006 to present; Appointed Chairman of New Hampshire Supreme Court Long-Range Planning Task Force publishing its report long range planning for the New Hampshire Justice System, 2003 to present. The Committee's report, A Vision of Justice, was delivered to the Supreme Court and the public in September, 2004. http://www.courts.state.nh.us/cio/#reports
Recent Publications and Lectures
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