Bruce W. Felmly
Director, Litigation Department
Office603-628-1448
900 Elm Street
10th Floor
Manchester, NH 03101

Bruce is a trial lawyer with over forty years of experience. He has tried many cases in state and federal courts to both juries and judges.  He is a former President of the New Hampshire Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers where he served on the National Board of Regents from 2006-2010.

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.

Bruce was voted by N.H. attorneys surveyed in Business NH Magazine as the 2015 Top Litigator in New Hampshire.  He is recognized as a Super Lawyer, a 2020 Top 5 NH Super Lawyer, and in New England Super Lawyer Top 100.  Also is listed in the top rankings in Chambers USA and in Woodward/White’s Best Lawyers in America in four litigation practice areas.

Bruce is the author of “Preparing for Trial – 60 Days and Counting.”  This book is an invaluable guide for trial lawyers needing to focus, prioritize, and prepare for that morning when they say, “Ready, your Honor.”  This handbook focuses on the critical two months before trial; teaching how to organize the evidence, prepare for last minute motions and rulings, and prepare evidence, witnesses, and agreements for the trial.  It is available for purchase in paperback or eBook format on the American Bar Association’s website.

Bruce received his J.D. from Cornell Law School (1972) and B.A. from the University of Rhode Island (1969).

Areas of Focus

  • Business Litigation
  • Energy, Environmental, Utilities and Telecommunications Litigation
  • Environmental Toxic Tort Defense Litigation
  • General Civil Litigation
  • Personal Injury Litigation
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Labor & Employment Law Litigation
  • Insurance Litigation

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; President, New Hampshire Bar Association (1995 – 1996); American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, elected in 1990, (prior State Chair); Member of Board of Regents (2006-2010); Fellow, American Bar Foundation; Fellow, New Hampshire Bar Foundation, Elected Member, American Law Institute, American Association of Justice, New Hampshire Association of Justice.

New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners (1978 to 1989), reappointed 2006 to present, currently Vice Chair; 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

  • Member, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Committee on Rules (2011-2014)

Involvement

  • American Bar Association, Member
  • New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners, Vice Chair
  • New Hampshire Association of Justice, Member
  • New Hampshire Association Federal Practice Section, Member
  • National Center for State Courts, Lawyers Committee Member

Recognitions

Awards

  • Best Lawyers in America (Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation, Plaintiffs), 1993 – present

Representative Work

  • Dartmouth College/Town of Hanover Planning Board – Successful in overturning Board’s decision, which denied its proposal to construct multimillion dollar sports facility.
  • Brown et al v. Saint Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation et al. (USDC-NH Civil Action No. 1:16-CV-00242-JL) – Claims by landowners making claim for alleged PFOA groundwater contamination in southern New Hampshire communities.  Hundreds of properties potentially included in the claims.
  • Pitroff et al v. USA, City of Portsmouth, et al (USDC-NH Civil Action No. 1:16-CV-522-PB) – Represented City of Portsmouth in defense of citizens suit to enjoin and stop a major renovation of municipal waste water treatment facility.
  • William Sullivan, et al. v. KeySpan EnergyCorp., et al. (New York Supreme Court Index No. 12-36398 and Court of Appeals Case No. 2018-0433) – Environmental claim by more than 80 homeowners in Bay Shore, New York, who allege injury to property resulting from alleged contamination emanating from the former site of a manufactured gas plant.  Our utility client brought motion to dismiss claims based on statute of limitations.  Trial court decision dismissed 80 of 81 plaintiffs on that basis.  On appeal by plaintiffs to New York Appellate Division, the appellate court affirmed the dismissals except for one additional plaintiff.
  • Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Town of Hanover (New Hampshire Supreme Court Case No. 2017-0595) – Appeal to New Hampshire Supreme Court concerning the decision of the Hanover Planning Board to deny Dartmouth College a permit for a new athletic facility.
  • Estate of Michael van der Kieft v. Skovron Mechanical, et al (Hillsborough County Superior Court – Southern District Case No. 226-2018-CV-00049) – Wrongful death suit against HVAC companies in the death of a resident in condominium complex by carbon monoxide poisoning from an improperly installed and serviced gas boiler system.
  • BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. v. City of Nashua et, al. – Representation of Costco Wholesale Corporation and a developer in defending against a planning board decision appeal by competitor BJs for a new Costco retail store.
  • Boyle v. City of Portsmouth et, al.  – Appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court of a $3,500,000 verdict plaintiff obtained against the City.  Represented the City in the appeal resulting in reversal of the verdict and remand for new trial of damages.