Jim is a Partner at Shaheen & Gordon, P.A. and the Chair of its Criminal
Defense Practice Group.
A native of Concord, New Hampshire, Jim brings substantial courtroom experience
to Shaheen & Gordon’s litigation team, focusing his practice
in the areas of criminal defense, white-collar defense and DWI / DUI defense.
He defends clients in a range of criminal cases throughout state courts,
often taking on difficult and well publicized criminal cases on behalf
of prominent community members. Through his straightforward and aggressive
approach to courtroom work, Jim regularly earns victories for clients
in matters large and small. He assists clients to mitigate the stigmatizing
impact of criminal charges through effective negotiation and, when those
negotiations reach impasse, Jim tries his cases, often winning not guilty
verdicts after trial. He has extensive trial experience in State and District
Courts throughout New Hampshire. He defends major crimes and minor offenses,
regularly representing clients in cases involving homicide, sexual assault,
public integrity matters, drug possession and drug distribution, theft,
pornography, impaired driving and DWI / DUI as well as a range of motor
vehicle charges.
Jim has been repeatedly recognized for his outstanding work as a criminal
defense lawyer. For the past two years, Best Lawyers in America and New
Hampshire Magazine named Jim among the top attorneys in New Hampshire
in the areas of General Criminal Defense, White-Collar Criminal Defense
and DUI / DWI Defense. In fact, Jim was the
only attorney in the State of New Hampshire listed as a best lawyer in 2017
in all three of these criminal defense categories. This unique distinction
is in addition to his several industry honors for his work as a criminal
defense and DWI attorney. He was named to the Super Lawyers Rising Star
List in the area of Criminal Defense from 2008-2014, a list that includes
only 2.5 percent of lawyers in New Hampshire. In 2015, he was promoted
to the Super Lawyers List in the area of Criminal Defense. AVVO gave Jim
its highest rating, a 10.0.
Jim has been honored for his commitment to New Hampshire’s legal
community. In 2010, Governor Lynch appointed him to the Judicial Selection
Commission, which is responsible for interviewing, investigating and recommending
candidates to the Governor to fill state court judicial vacancies. In
2013, Governor Hassan promoted him to serve as the Co-Chair of the Judicial
Selection Commission, making him responsible for managing the Commission,
a position he occupied through 2016. In 2005, the Union Leader named him to its
40 Under 40 list – an annual collection of the State’s “young leaders”
selected by the State’s only newspaper of statewide circulation.
Prior to joining the firm, Jim served for four years as an Assistant Attorney
General in the Criminal Justice Bureau of the New Hampshire Attorney General’s
Office. As a prosecutor, he appeared in every Superior Court in New Hampshire
and routinely argued appellate cases before the New Hampshire Supreme
Court. At the Attorney General’s Office, Jim was assigned to the
Homicide Unit where he was one of five prosecutors responsible for the
investigation and prosecution of all murder cases statewide.
In 2002, Jim was one of two prosecutors assigned to the Attorney General’s
Task Force for the Investigation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester
for failing to protect children from sexually abusive clergy; an investigation
that culminated in a historic agreement where the Diocese admitted that
there were sufficient facts to support its criminal conviction for endangering
the welfare of children.
Jim began his legal career with the law firm of Testa, Hurwitz, and Thibeault
in Boston, Massachusetts where he served in the litigation department
and represented corporate clients in white-collar criminal matters, intellectual
property disputes, and employment cases.
Admissions
- Member of the Bar – New Hampshire
- Member of the Bar – Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
- United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- United States Supreme Court
Professional Associations and Memberships
- New Hampshire Bar Association
- New Hampshire Bar Association, Former Member of Professionalism Committee
- New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- American Bar Association
- Criminal Defense Practice Group, Co-Chair
Recognition
-
2015 - 2020 Best Lawyers in America® in the practice areas of Criminal Defense, White Collar Crime Defense
and DUI/DWI Defense. Named 2018 & 2020 Criminal Defense-White Collar
"Lawyer of the Year" for the Concord area.
-
2017, 2016 & 2015 Super Lawyers – Criminal Defense.
-
2014 Super Lawyers Rising Star - Selected for the seventh consecutive year to the New England
Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in the area of criminal defense.
-
2013 Co-Chair, Judicial Selection Commission, Promoted by Governor Hassan to serve as the Co-Chair of the Judicial
Selection Commission, managing the group of lay people and attorneys responsible
for interviewing, investigating and recommending to the Governor candidates
for New Hampshire's state court judicial vacancies.
-
2013 Super Lawyers Rising Star - Earned selection to the prestigious list of New England
Super Lawyers Rising Stars for criminal defense for the sixth consecutive year.
-
2012 Super Lawyers Rising Star, Earned honors for the fifth straight year by being named to the 2012
New England Super Lawyers list for excellence as a Criminal Defense attorney.
-
2011 Super Lawyers Rising Star, For the 4th year running, named to the 2011 New England Super Lawyers list
for his success in the area of Criminal Defense.
-
2010 Judicial Selection Commission, Appointed by Governor Lynch to the Judicial Selection Commission, which
is the group responsible for interviewing, investigating and recommending
to the Governor candidates for New Hampshire's state court judicial
vacancies.
-
2010 Super Lawyers Rising Star, Earned selection in the 2010 New England Super Lawyers list for his achievements
in the area of Criminal Defense, a notable distinction because it was
his third consecutive year named to the list.
-
2009 Super Lawyers Rising Star, For the second year running, Jim was selected to the 2009 New England
Super Lawyers list for his excellence in the area of criminal defense.
He was the only New Hampshire attorney named to the Rising Stars list
in the area of criminal defense.
-
2008 Super Lawyers Rising Star, Jim was selected to the 2008 New England Super Lawyers list of Rising
Stars for his work in the area of Criminal Defense. Jim was the only New
Hampshire lawyer named to the Rising Stars list in the area of Criminal
Defense. Only 2.5% of New Hampshire lawyers either under the age of 40
or in practice for 10 years or less were eligible for selection to the list.
-
2008 Truth and Justice Award, March 3, 2008, commemorating the fifth anniversary of the release of
secret documents from the Diocese of Manchester.
-
40 Under Forty Union Leader Selection 2005, Jim was named to the Manchester Union Leader's "40 Under Forty"
list in 2005 – a list of forty individuals under the age of forty
that have made valuable contributions to their businesses, professions,
and the communities in which they live. Jim was one of the youngest recipients
of the award in 2005.
Career
- H.S., Concord High School, 1992
- B.A., American University, 1996
- J.D., Northeastern University, 1999
- Associate Attorney, Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault, 1999 – 2000
- Assistant Attorney General, The State of New Hampshire Office of the Attorney
General, 2000-2004
- Adjunct Professor, Massachusetts School of Law, 2002, White Collar Crime
- Associate Attorney, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 2004 – 2005
- Director, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 2005 – Present
- Shareholder, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 2006 – Present
- Adjunct Professor, Franklin Pierce Law Center, 2006 and 2007, Advanced
Appellate Advocacy
Recent Publications
-
Plea Bargaining – "When Deal Making Turns To Deal Breaking"
View
published in the
New Hampshire Bar News, July 8, 2005.
Community Involvement
- Past President, Concord National Youth Softball
- Volunteer of the Year 2012, Concord National Youth Softball
- Concord Family YMCA, Former Board Member
- Past President, Cap-Area Babe Ruth Softball
- Member of the Board, Concord Chamber of Commerce
- President, New Hampshire Lightning ASA Softball Club
- People’s Choice Award 2015, NHTI Dancing with the Stars