NHBA - Bar News Issue

Judge John J. Coughlin, justice of the Derry district court, was recently presented with the Daniel Webster International Lawyer of the Year in recognition for his service to the practice of international law. Presented at the monthly meeting of the NHBA International Law Section at Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell in Concord, Judge Coughlin was joined by his colleagues, wife, daughter and two sons.

Judge Coughlin, a recipient of the Bronze Star – the fourth-highest award of the United States military – for his assistance on establishing the first military tribunal courts in Iraq – accepted the award and asked that he be allowed to share the honor with the many other military attorneys and personnel currently serving in Iraq.

He has served in Iraq twice: the first time as a Lt. Colonel in the New Hampshire Army National Guard when his unit was mobilized; the second time he volunteered and helped teach young Iraqi attorneys the nuances of military court processes.