- Probate Litigation
- Business Litigation
- Medical Malpractice

10th Floor
Manchester, NH 03101
Ralph has developed one of the region’s leading probate litigation practices and recovered multiple Probate Court seven-figure verdicts. He handles will and trust contests, fiduciary accounting claims, guardianships and conservatorships, and other cases. Reflecting their confidence in his abilities, lawyers within and outside the firm entrust their clients to Ralph when they need aggressive, responsive litigation representation. Mindful of the costs of litigation, Ralph delivers aggressive representation efficiently and strategically with careful attention to planning and budgeting.
Ralph received his J.D. from Boston College Law School (1984) and a B.A. from Lafayette College (1980).
Areas of Focus
Significant Verdicts and Appeals
- $3.4 million verdict in Trimble v. Bolduc, a fiduciary duty case against trustee and related entities
- $2.8 million verdict in Whittemore v. Hersey, a fiduciary duty case against trustee and attorney-in-fact
- $6 million verdict in Loconti v. Loconti (in concert with counsel representing another claimant) to compel settlor’s contractual obligation to fund trust for benefit of claimants
- Successfully defended fiduciary duty claims against Trustee relative to management and sale of manufactured housing park in Tay v. Grondin
- Successfully challenged will and trust due to incapacity and undue influence in In re Estate of Frederick W. Whittemore (affirmed on appeal)
- Successfully obtained contested trust reformation against plain meaning in Preuninger v. Youschak
- Successfully defended fiduciary duty claims against attorney-in-fact inTherrien v. Therrien
- Successfully defended trustee removal action in In re Trust of Gordon F. York
- Successfully defended challenge to will on capacity and undue influence grounds in Betjemann v. Betjemann
- Successfully defended challenge to trust on lack of consent and other grounds Belisle v. Belisle
- Successfully enforced pre-nuptial agreement in In re Hollett Estate, reversed on appeal, 150 N.H. 39, 834 A.2d 348 (2003)
- Successfully defended spendthrift trust on appeal in Scheffel v. Krueger, 146 N.H. 669, 782 A.2d 410 (2001)
ProbateTrial.com
Ralph is a frequent contributor to ProbateTrial.com – a resource for attorneys and the general public that offers commentary on practical and legal issues, including will and trust challenges, elder exploitation, and guardianships. In addition, the website includes a bank of sample pleadings as a resource for attorneys.
Admissions
- Fellow of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
- Federal Courts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts
- State Courts in New Hampshire and Massachusetts
Involvement
- New Hampshire Estate Planning Council, Member
- ACTEC, Member
- Manchester Bar Association, Member
- New Hampshire Bar Association, Trusts & Estates Section, Member
- President of the New Hampshire Association for Justice
- Legal counsel to the Greater Manchester Chamber
- President of the Moore Disabilities Foundation.
Recognitions
Awards
- Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs), 2005 – present
- Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America (Litigation – Trusts & Estates), 2020 and 2024
- Fellow, New Hampshire Bar Foundation
Latest News
- 37 McLane Middleton Lawyers Included in Super Lawyers (October 17, 2023)
- 10 McLane Middleton Attorneys Named 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” By Best Lawyers in America (August 22, 2023)
- 57 Attorneys from McLane Middleton Recognized in 2024 Best Lawyers in America (August 17, 2023)
- 59 Attorneys from McLane Middleton Recognized in 2023 Best Lawyers in America (August 18, 2022)