Jack Sanders retires from practice after 56 years

Longtime New Hampshire attorney Jack Sanders has retired from Pierce Atwood after 56 years of practice.

Sanders joined Pierce Atwood in 2003 after his firm, Hampton-based Sanders & McDermott, merged with the larger firm. His retirement brings to a close a long-standing career of legal, civic and public service in New Hampshire.

In 1962, Saunders joined the late Chief Justice Richard P. Dunfey in the Hampton-based firm Dunfey & Sanders. In 1965, Dunfey was appointed as a judge on the Superior Court, and Sanders was joined by Ed McDermott. For nearly 40 years, their firm was known as Sanders & McDermott.

In addition to his practice advising banks, professional individuals and associations and family and closely held businesses in a wide range of transactions and governance issues, Sanders’ years of experience in government relations and administrative law helped him assist clients in dealing with state agencies in order to solve their problems affecting their businesses, making him a valuable resource.

He served as an adviser to several New Hampshire governors and heads of state agencies, did advance work for Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign and later served as New Hampshire co-chair of Ted Kennedy’s run for president.

Sanders also has been involved in a wide range of activities in the legal community.

After the impeachment trial of NH Supreme Court Chief Justice David Brock in 2000, Sanders was asked to form a committee to study the judicial conduct process and appointment procedures. The Supreme Court ended up adopting and implementing all of the committee’s recommendations. He then served for 15 years as a member of the Judicial Conduct Committee, many of them as vice chair. He also served on the Legislative Ethics Committee and was former director of the American Judicature Society.

In addition, he served as vice chair of Gov. Chris Sununu’s Judicial Selection Commission and previously served on Governor Hassan’s Judicial Selection Commission.

In 2017, Sanders was named an honorary fellow of the NH Bar Foundation, where he was recognized for his volunteer work focusing on “upholding high standards for the legal profession and the judiciary, as well as a long-standing commitment to equal access to justice.” He also was chair of the Leadership Council of the Campaign for Legal Services and is a life fellow of the NH Bar Foundation.

In addition, Sanders’ was a trustee, legal adviser, and vice chairman of the board of trustees of the University System of New Hampshire, treasurer of the U.S. Skiing Foundation, chair of the Freestyle National Teams Committee, and served in leadership roles for many charitable and business organizations.

In 2017, Sanders received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of New Hampshire Center for Family Business, and was former Chair of its Advisory Committee. He was also a Family Business lecturer at UNH, and a lecturer at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.