By Tom Jarvis
With fresh mountain air, sweeping views, and a full weekend of events and activities, attorneys, judges, and family members gathered at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in Whitefield from June 12–14 for the 2026 NHBA Annual Meeting.
Titled “Reconnect & Recharge: A Grand Gathering in the White Mountains,” this year’s meeting brought nearly 150 attendees together for professional development, recognition, networking, and relaxation. The weekend also marked the Association’s final resort-based Annual Meeting until 2030, after which the NHBA will shift to holding resort-based annual meetings every five years.
“The Annual Meeting is always special, even more so when we meet in such a beautiful setting,” NHBA President Robert Lucic says. “It was particularly great to see many young lawyers in attendance, especially graduates of the Leadership Academy. Given that we have fewer and fewer opportunities for members of the Bar to meet in person, especially in a relaxed setting, it is very important for us to take advantage of those opportunities we have. We need to form and strengthen our relationships among members so we can maintain that spirit of cooperation and professionalism that is a hallmark of the New Hampshire Bar.”
NHBA Executive Director Sarah Blodgett also reflects on the importance of the weekend.
“This year’s Annual Meeting was a wonderful opportunity to bring our members and their families together in one of New Hampshire’s most scenic venues,” she says. “Because this was our last resort-based Annual Meeting until 2030, it felt especially meaningful to see members reconnect, celebrate the accomplishments of their colleagues, and enjoy time together outside the usual demands of practice. I’m grateful to everyone who helped make the weekend such a success, and I’m excited to work with Bob Lucic as he begins his year as president.”
The weekend began Friday afternoon with the annual business meeting, followed by a video replay of the CLE, “Financial Healthcare and Advance Directives.” That evening, attendees gathered in the Crystal Ballroom for the Honors and Awards Banquet, where outgoing NHBA President Derek Lick recognized recently retired judges before presenting three prestigious President’s Awards.
The Distinguished Service to the Legal Profession Award was presented to University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law Professor John Greabe. During the presentation, Judge Seth Aframe offered remarks about Greabe’s contributions to the profession.
Greabe then used his remarks to recognize the often unseen contributions of career law clerks, whom he described as “truly outstanding lawyers who, without fanfare, do first-class legal work.” He said he was accepting the award on their behalf, dedicating it “to the career law clerks, who do so much to make our courts run smoothly, and who play such an important role in training new lawyers and law students to become the next generation of our leaders.”
The E. Donald Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism was presented to Lauren Irwin. During the presentation, New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association President Katherine Hedges spoke about Irwin’s professionalism and service.
When accepting the award, Irwin emphasized the importance of collegiality and in-person connection within the legal profession.
“One thing I think we should fight to hold on to is the goodwill and sense of community that is created when lawyers get together in person, outside of the adversarial setting,” she said. “Since COVID, those opportunities are less frequent. … However, getting together and talking to each other socially is important. It allows us to communicate as people instead of as adversaries. As my great friend and law partner Heather Burns would say, ‘without our boxing gloves on.’”
The Justice William A. Grimes Award for Judicial Professionalism was presented to Judge N. William Delker, who was unable to attend. Superior Court Chief Justice Mark Howard accepted the award on his behalf and spoke about Delker’s contributions to the Bench and Bar.
In prerecorded remarks, Judge Delker reflected on Justice Grimes’s legacy in judicial education and the importance of preserving public confidence in the courts.
“Our role as judges extends far beyond deciding the individual cases that come before us,” he said. “We have an obligation to educate people about the important role that courts play in our democracy. And that responsibility is more critical now than ever.”
After the awards presentation, Lick then acknowledged incoming and outgoing members of the NHBA Board of Governors. He also presented a plaque to Immediate Past President and outgoing board member Kathleen Mahan, following remarks from Blodgett honoring Mahan’s leadership on the Board, including her work to welcome new voices into the Association and strengthen connections with the UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law.
After the banquet, members were invited to gather outside for s’mores by the campfire.
Saturday morning began with a video replay of the “20th Annual Ethics CLE” before attendees spread out across the resort grounds. Some members tried ax throwing at the activity center, using long-handled, double-sided axes that Lick likened to “Viking war axes.” Others enjoyed golf, lawn games, and visits to the on-site farm. In the afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to take part in a historical presentation and tour of the Mountain View Grand, as well as a beer and wine tasting event.
The evening began with a lively reception in the Grand View Tent before the President’s Banquet and Leadership Academy graduation. Lick opened the banquet by recognizing newly appointed New Hampshire Supreme Court Justices Bryan Gould and Daniel Will.
Leadership Academy Steering Committee Co-Chairs Nicole Forbes and Hilary Holmes Rheaume then led the graduation ceremony, presenting certificates to the 11 graduates in attendance: Nicole Bluefort, Justin Braga, Rebecca Dowd, Katheryn Dumais, Julia Hawthorne, Madeline Matulis, Ariana McQuarrie, Cassandra Moran, Christopher Morrow, Mark Waldner, and Graham Steadman.
Lick closed his term by reflecting on his year as president and his time on the NHBA Board of Governors, saying the experience gave him a fuller view of the work being done across the state’s legal community.
He highlighted the Association’s renewed focus on civics education, including programs that brought lawyers and judges into schools, supported classroom instruction, and reached more than 4,600 students during the year. Lick also pointed to a member survey showing that 92 percent of responding attorneys reported volunteering in their communities, saying the results reflected the profession’s continued commitment to service.
Lick then passed the gavel to incoming NHBA President Robert Lucic, who thanked NHBA staff, his family, colleagues, and mentors before turning to the year ahead.
Lucic’s remarks blended gratitude, literary references, and self-deprecating humor. He compared his working relationship with Blodgett to Jane Austen’s Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Collins, describing Blodgett as the Bennett character while joking that he occupies the more annoying role. He also quoted Johnny Cash while reflecting on the many mentors, colleagues, family members, and younger lawyers who have helped shape his career.
Turning to his priorities for the coming year, Lucic called on members of the Bar to defend the judiciary and the rule of law, reject personal attacks and threats against judges and lawyers, and prepare the profession for the effects of artificial intelligence.
After the banquet, attendees gathered in the Presidential Ballroom for Casino Night, where participants exchanged “funny money” vouchers for chips and played roulette, poker, craps, blackjack, baccarat, and other games.
As the weekend came to a close, the mountain setting, professional recognition, and time spent together reflected the purpose of the gathering: a chance to reconnect, recharge, and look ahead to the coming year under Lucic’s leadership.
When asked what he is looking forward to as he begins his year as president, Lucic says it is “focusing on what we collectively need to do to train and mentor the next generation of lawyers.”
“Given the rapid changes in technology, especially AI, and the challenges we face as a profession, I want to begin the process of finding ways for us to develop the counselors of the future, not just advocates and technicians,” he says. “We cannot leave it to luck and hope for the best. This is an all-hands-on-deck moment. Otherwise, we risk losing what is best about our profession.”
Lucic says a November 6 symposium will focus on training and mentoring the next generation of lawyers as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the profession.
The NHBA extends its sincerest thanks to the sponsors, advertisers, and attendees who made this event possible, and looks forward to seeing members at the Midyear Meeting in Manchester on February 19.
