Concord, NH  - At their annual joint meeting on May 12, New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA) and the Legal Advice & Referral Center elected a new slate of officers and one new member to its board of directors.  The officers are Mark C. Rouvalis, chair; Michael LaFontaine; president, Elizabeth M. Leonard; vice-president of NHLA; John T. Pendleton, vice-president of LARC; James D. Kerouac, treasurer; and James O. Barney, secretary.  Jeanne P. Herrick was also elected to serve on the NHLA board of directors.

Chair Mark C. Rouvalis is a director of the law firm McLane, Graf, Raulerson and Middleton in Manchester and has been a board member since 2001. 

President Michael LaFontaine is director of the Community Housing program of the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund in Concord.  Mike has been a board member since 1998.

NHLA Vice-President Elizabeth M. Leonard is a member of the law firm Wiggin and Nourie in Manchester and has been a board member since 2008.

LARC Vice-President John T. Pendleton is a partner of the law firm Dwyer Donovan & Pendleton, PA in Portsmouth and has been a board member since 2006.

Treasurer James D. Kerouac is an associate of the law firm Nixon Peabody in Manchester and has been a board member since 2006


Secretary James O. Barney is a member of the law firm Sulloway & Hollis in Concord and has been a board member since 2000.

New elected member Jeanne P. Herrick is a shareholder-director of the law firm Gallagher, Callahan and Gartrell in Concord.  Jeanne previously served on the NHLA/LARC Advisory Board for the Concord Region.



New Hampshire Legal Assistance:  NHLA serves low-income and elderly persons across the State through its community law offices in Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Concord, Claremont, Littleton and Berlin.  NHLA provides a range of civil legal services from simple advice to full legal representation involving Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and SSI, domestic violence, public and private housing, food stamps, local welfare, unemployment compensation, utility shut-offs, and nursing home problems.

Legal Advice & Referral Center:  LARC provides toll-free telephone access to information, legal advice, and pro se assistance in both English and Spanish, covering the areas of family law, housing and public benefits.  It is the principal referral source for the Pro Bono program and also refers eligible callers to NHLA and other programs.  In addition to the call center, LARC also maintains a comprehensive website and an educational effort that includes the production and dissemination of pamphlets on various topics, and serves the non-English speaking community with an outreach program in financial literacy and tax issues.