Backus, Meyer & Branch, LLP Attorneys at Law Manchester NH

Robert A. Backus, now Of Counsel, was born in Goffstown, New Hampshire and graduated from Wesleyan University and Harvard Law School. He is a designated Mediator for The New Hampshire Superior Court. He has tried numerous cases in New Hampshire District and Superior Courts and in U.S. District Court, including personal injury, product liability, insurance coverage issues. He also has litigated hazardous waste issues, environmental compliance and energy siting matters, and has appeared before both State and Federal Administrative Agencies and the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

Barry Scotch, a partner with the firm, practices in various areas of civil law with emphasis in litigation, insurance coverage and defense, and personal injury law. Barry received his A.B. degree from Columbia College of Columbia University and his J.D. from Columbia University Law School. He is a Superior Court Mediator, a member of the American and New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Associations and the Defense Research Institute. Barry is a past-chair of NHBA's Cooperation with Other Professions Committee, and is a member of the Continuing Legal Education Committee, the Supreme Court Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board, and the Dispute Resolution Committee.

Personal Injury, Business Law, Insurance Law,

bscotch@backusmeyer.com

Jon Meyer, a partner graduated from Harvard Law School, clerked for a judge, taught at Univ. of Miami Law School, and worked on civil rights cases for the NH Affiliate of the ACLU before joining the firm in 1981. He has won cases before the United States and New Hampshire Supreme Courts. He has been Chair of the New Hampshire Bar Association's Labor and Employment Law Section and devotes a large part of his practice to representing employees in employment cases. He also works in the areas of school law, civil rights, personal injury law, and business litigation. He is recognized in the book "Best Lawyers in America" in the fields of employment and first amendment law. Call Atty. Meyer about USERRA law, benefits and resolution.

Employment Law, Mediation/Arbitration, USERRA

jmeyer@backusmeyer.com

B.J. Branch joined the firm on August 1, 1986 and became a partner in the firm in January of 1990. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire and attended local schools. He received his B.A. from UNH in 1982 and his law degree from Vermont Law School in 1986. He concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury and workers' compensation law. He was a member of the Hooksett Town Council 1987-1991 and Hooksett Town Moderator from 1993 to 1997.

Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation

Earl S. Carrel joined the firm as a partner on July 1, 2000. He has over 25 years of residential real estate experience representing buyers, sellers and lenders. He also has extensive experience in probate law including wills, estates and trusts as well as guardianship and involuntary commitments for hospitalization. Earl has served as a Trustee of Town Trust Funds for the Town of Goffstown since 2004 and has been a member of the Town's Capital
Improvement Program Committee since 1999. He received his B.A. (1970) and J.D. (1973) from the State University of New York at Buffalo and holds an M.A. from Rivier College.

Wills, Trusts & Guardianships, Residential Real Estate/Zoning & Landlord/Tenant, Small Business Law

ecarrel@backusmeyer.com

John A. Wolkowski - Born and raised in New Hampshire, John has been practicing since 1986 after graduating from Franklin Pierce Law Center. As a native, John is quite familiar with the local community. In addition to a statewide New Hampshire practice in District and Superior Courts, John is licensed in the United States District Court of New Hampshire, and has been a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association since September of 1994. John is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New Hampshire Trial Lawyers Association as well as being a certified Superior Court Mediator. He concentrates in Worker’s Compensation, Family Law, Personal Injury, as well as civil and criminal litigation. With his years of experience, John will establish and head the firm’s Family Law Department. John will continue his commitment to offer quality legal services to provide clients prompt, courteous and aggressive, yet professional, representation, maintaining high standards to ensure each client receives the attention and representation their individual matter require and deserve.

Family Law, Criminal Matters, Personal Injury, Workers Comp, Social Security Disability

jwolkowski@backusmeyer.com

Megan Douglass joined the firm in August, 2011. Megan studied at Boston University's Conservatory Acting Program before earning her Bachelor's Degree in English and Master's in Education from Temple University in Philadelphia. Megan taught Secondary English and Adult Literacy in Boston, Philadelphia, and Charlotte, NC before deciding to attend law school at the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Megan continued to teach in law school serving as a teacher's assistant for Evidence class and a tutor for Legal Writing and Civil Procedure. During law school, she worked for the State Employees Association of New Hampshire and the Hillsborough County Attorney. Megan represented her law school in Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions and graduated from law school cum laude.
Megan devotes much of her practice to Employment and Civil Rights matters. She endeavors to provide' a firm and thoughtful approach in representing her clients.

mdouglass@backusmeyer.com

Patrick Arnold serves as Of Counsel to Backus, Meyer & Branch, where he focuses his practice on family law, real estate law and civil litigation. Since 2009, Patrick has served as the Ward 12 Alderman for the City of Manchester, New Hampshire, where he sits on the Committee on Finance as well as the
Committee on Bills on Second Reading, which oversees ordinance revisions and city zoning issues. In law school, he worked as a lobbyist, advocating for clients' interests before administrative boards such as the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the Site Evaluation Committee (SEC), as well as before the State Legislature. Patrick serves on the Boards of Directors of the Manchester Development Corporation, NeighborWorks (r)
Greater Manchester, and the Holy Cross Family Learning Center. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Breathe New Hampshire, the state's oldest voluntary health services organization. He earned his undergraduate degree at the Univ. of Maryland Balitmore County, and received his law degree from the UNH School of Law.

parnold@backusmeyer.com