Legal Briefs: News From Around NH

Measure seeks to add housing protections for domestic violence victims

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has joined with two representatives in the U.S. House to reintroduce the Fair Housing for Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence Survivors Act, which would provide legal protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and sex trafficking who are seeking housing.

Sponsored along with Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Nicole Malliotakis of New York, the measure seeks to build on protections in the Violence Against Women Act by adding “survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and sex trafficking” to the list of protected classes under the Fair Housing Act, establishing a standard across the country that victims of domestic violence, sexual violence or sex trafficking cannot be evicted or otherwise penalized for being victims of those crimes.

The measure would also allowing the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Justice to more effectively protect victims of domestic violence and sexual violence and encourage states to adopt similar protections at the state level.

“Access to safe housing is a serious issue for survivors and their families, which is increasingly more difficult in New Hampshire as we face a housing crisis. This bipartisan legislation would be an important tool to break down barriers and protect already vulnerable populations,” said Shaheen.

Gena Lavallee

McLane Middleton adds two attorneys

Attorneys Gena Lavallee and Philip L. Tizzano have joined the law firm of McLane Middleton.

Lavallee, of counsel in the firm’s Corporate Department, works with clients in a number of different industries on M&A transactions, corporate governance and formation matters, contract review, negotiation and drafting and general business and securities law counseling matters.

Phil Tizzano

Tizzano, a trust and estates attorney, focuses his practice on all aspects of estate planning and estate and trust administration.

The firm also announced that Laura Dodge, a corporate attorney in the Real Estate Practice Group, has been admitted to the Maine State Bar. Dodge is vice chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group and vice chair of the NH Bar

Laura Dodge

Association’s Real Property Law Section

Hearing set on Dartmouth-Valley Regional affiliation

The New Hampshire Charitable Trusts Unit is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed affiliation between Dartmouth Health and Valley Regional Hospital next month.

The Lebanon-based Dartmouth Health, the Claremont hospital and Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, Vt., last August announced last that they had signed a letter of intent to affiliate. In September, they held a public listening session on the subject.

Next month’s hearing will take place at 4 p.m., May 18, at the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, 152 South St. in Claremont.