As I have only been New Hampshire’s Consumer Chief for a little over two years, I have not yet had the opportunity to meet many of you. I am hoping that as life starts to return to normal, our ability to congregate and learn from shared experiences will return as well, and I will be able to get to know more of this great community.
I was fortunate enough to grow up in New Hampshire’s beautiful Lakes Region. I left the Granite State to attend law school at the University of Maine School of Law in Portland, but always knew that I would end up returning to build a career. After law school, I was lucky enough to land a job at a county attorney’s office prosecuting felony cases. I quickly developed a passion for criminal law and jury trial work.
After several years as an assistant county attorney, I was given the opportunity to join the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office to create a new unit dedicated to the investigation and criminal prosecution of crimes against the elderly. In my time as New Hampshire’s elder exploitation prosecutor, I saw first-hand the devastating effect that scams and crimes of deceit have on our most vulnerable population. It was a privilege not only to hold perpetrators of these heinous crimes accountable for their actions but also to travel the state educating New Hampshire’s seniors on how to protect themselves from becoming victims of scams, fraud, and unscrupulous family members.
Two years ago, our longtime Consumer Chief was promoted, and I was asked to take over the position. New Hampshire’s Consumer Protection Bureau is somewhat unique in that it does the majority of its consumer protection enforcement work through the criminal process. Our consumer protection act allows for both civil and criminal enforcement and our front office has given us general criminal authority to bring theft, fraud, financial exploitation, and other criminal charges when appropriate. My priorities as chief have focused on contractor fraud, used car sales, and elder exploitation. Looking forward, my goal is to get New Hampshire more involved in the ever-frustrating battle against illegal robocalls.
In my two years as chief, I have found consumer protection work to be some of the most rewarding work of my career. I particularly enjoy the diversity in the types of cases that come in the door and the ability to obtain swift justice for average people who feel outmatched and overwhelmed by the potential of standing up to big business.
In my free time I enjoy traveling internationally, playing golf, spending time on the water, and downhill skiing in the winter. My wife (who is also a prosecutor) and I are eagerly anticipating the birth of our first child this summer.
Other articles in this edition include:
- Using UDAP in an Action Against the Manufacturers of the Antiplatelet Medication Plavix
- Attorney General Consumer Protection News
- Federal Consumer Protection News
