Arpiar G. Saunders, Jr.

Shareholder/Director

Biography

Arpy received his Bachelor of Law Degree, cum laude, from Boston University School of Law in 1968. From 1978 through 1996, Arpy was a Professor of Law at the Franklin Pierce Law Center where he taught in the areas of constitutional law, federal practice, remedies and mental health law.

With extensive civil practice experience in both Federal and State Courts, Arpy has an active business law practice with an emphasis on Health Law.

Arpy served as counsel to Optima Health as it moved through the complex disaffiliation process from its member Hospitals. This representation is one of first impressions and has presented a challenging intersection of health care administration, business, physician and patient interest that are to be unwound within a process that fairly protects the interests of all concerned. As lead counsel for Optima Health, Arpy has been involved in oftentimes difficult and demanding administrative and court proceedings related to the disaffiliation.

As a result of Arpy’s Health Law efforts, he has been repeatedly recognized as one of America’s top Health Law attorneys in the publications, The Best Lawyers in America, Best of the U.S and New England Super Lawyers.

Additionally, Arpy has been plaintiff’s counsel in several successful class action civil rights litigation efforts involving State operated institutions to include the State Prison and mental and developmental disabilities facilities as well as successful state constitutional challenge to the lack of state assistance of local school districts.

In addition to an active trial practice, Arpy has extensive appellate advocacy experience in both State and Federal Courts. As counsel to regional and state businesses, Arpy has participated with management in a wide range of matters to include stock and asset purchase and sale agreements, software licensing agreements, trademark and copyright protection activities as well as financing arrangements.

Arpy is New Hampshire litigation counsel for several national and multi-national corporations including the Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Companies, and Schnitzer Steel, Inc. He maintains an active commercial and business practice as well as a municipal law practice representing real estate developers before land use authorities.

Building on his extensive academic and practice experience, Arpy has successfully represented attorneys before Supreme Court committees, Including Professional Conduct and Character and Fitness.

Representative Cases:

2007

  • Successfully represented a custom home builder in litigation against a buyer who attempted to walk away after the home was 95% completed.
  • Successfully settled litigation arising out of claims by the State’s Department of Environmental Services that the client had made unpermitted modifications to a wetland pond area.

2006

  • Represented Seller on a complex business assets and property transaction involving multiple business sites and State and Federal regulative review and approval to a publicly traded international business.
  • Represented a commercial electrical contractor in a substantial contract claim against a major state contractor with the arbitrator awarding the client 100% of the sums sought.

Admissions:

  • Member of the Bar – Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • Member of the Bar – New Hampshire
  • Member of the Bar – District of Columbia
  • United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
  • Unites States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
  • United States Supreme Court

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • New Hampshire Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar Association

Recognition:

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 2003 – Present
  • Best of the U.S., 2006 – Present
  • Recognized as one of New England’s Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers Magazine
  • Arpy has also been awarded the prestigious E. Donald Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism amongst his peers by the New Hampshire Bar Association

Community Involvement:

  • Arpy served twelve years on the Hopkinton School Board.
  • Arpy has served for over thirty years on the Board of Directors for the New Hampshire Office of Public Guardian.

Career:

  • H.S., Williamstown, MA High School, 1961
  • B.A., St. Lawrence University, 1965
  • J.D., Boston University School of Law, cum laude, 1968
  • Judge Advocate’s General Corp., U.S. Army, 1969 – 1972
  • National Prison Project, ACLU, Washington, D.C., 1972 – 1976
  • Chief of Litigation, New Hampshire Legal Assistance, 1976 – 1978
  • Professor of Law, Franklin Pierce Law Center, Concord, NH, 1978- 1997
  • Shareholder/Director, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 1997 – Present