When my sons were 8 years old, they asked me to explain what I actually did for a living.  After some thought, I told them that I help people solve problems.  I get great satisfaction from sitting with clients, listening to their goals and helping them to achieve them.

The essence of what we do is distilled in the phrase “Helping you meet challenges and seize opportunities”.  Whether it’s assisting clients in resolving a business dispute or a dispute with their neighbor, working with them to establish a new business, or helping them to take advantage of a new opportunity, our focus is always on what the client wants. 

I learned early in my career that what I may believe is a great result doesn’t matter, unless the client also has the same goal.  That’s why we begin each case by asking the client a simple question: “What would you like to see happen.” We then work with the client to devise a realistic plan to reach that goal. 

Memberships:
Member Newport County, Rhode Island (Member, House of Delegates, Superior Court Bench/Bar Committee, Creditors’ and Debtors’ Rights Committee) and American (Member, Section on Litigation) Bar associations and The Maritime Law Association of the United States; Municipal Court Judge (1994-2004, 2006 -present), Probate Judge (1986-1994), Assistant Town Solicitor (1988-1994), and Criminal Prosecutor (1990-1994) for the Town of Middletown, Rhode Island.

Presentations and Publications:
“Rhode Island Judiciary Conference on Drunk Driving Laws”, 1994; “Admiralty Law for the General Practitioner”, Rhode Island Bar Association, 1996; “Maritime Torts”, Rhode Island Bar Association, 1996; “Evictions and Landlord/Tenant Law in Rhode Island”, National Business Institute (NBI), 1999; “Rhode Island Boundary Law”, NBI, 2004; “Boundary Disputes”, NBI, 2006; “Real Estate Litigation In Rhode Island”, NBI, 2007; “Boot Camp – Foreclosure and Loan Workout Procedures”, NBI, 2012;  “Rhode Island Foreclosures and Workouts”, NBI, 2013; “Rhode Island Commercial Real Estate Brokers Lien Act, Presentation to Rhode Island Commercial and Appraisal Board of Realtors, 2013; Co-Author, “Admiralty Law for the General Practitioner”, Rhode Island Bar Association, 1996.

Community Involvement:  Trustee and Past President, Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County; Board Member, Middletown Little League