Michele E. Kenney

Michele E. Kenney is a partner at Pierce Atwood and Partner-in-Charge of the firm’s Portsmouth, New Hampshire office. She is a member of the Litigation Practice Group and maintains a diverse commercial litigation practice in federal and state courts. She represents multinational corporations, medium and smaller businesses, individuals, and national and regional financial institutions in disputes involving fiduciary duties, fraud, contracts, business torts, unfair trade practices, competition, trade secrets, employment claims, probate matters, and land use appeals.

Michele earned a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and a B.A. from the University of Chicago. After law school, she clerked for Judge Theodore H. Katz of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and Judge Max Rosenn of the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Her education and appellate and trial-court clerkships provided a strong foundation in legal analysis, federal procedure, and written advocacy for a career handling complex commercial disputes.

Michele previously practiced at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton in New York City, focusing on complex commercial and appellate litigation in federal courts. Her current representative work includes contract, fraud, consumer protection, competition, employment, banking, probate, and land use matters. She has obtained trial victories, summary judgment, dismissals, and probate orders for clients. Her practice also involves lenders and loan servicers in proceedings before the New Hampshire Banking Department, adding regulatory experience to her broader litigation work.

Michele E. Kenney has been recognized by Chambers USA for Commercial Litigation and by The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation. She serves on the Local Rules Subcommittee for the US District Court for the District of New Hampshire and on the New Hampshire Bar Association Ethics Committee. Her practice combines courtroom experience, federal clerkships, and commercial judgment, helping businesses, financial institutions, and individuals manage complex disputes with careful strategy and practical attention to risk.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Pierce Atwood LLP
• Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
• Member, New Hampshire Bar Association
• Member, Ethics Committee, New Hampshire Bar Association
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Fellow, New Hampshire Bar Foundation
• Member, Local Rules Subcommittee, U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
• Former Member, Federal Court Advisory Committee, U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire
• Former Chairperson, New Hampshire Public Employee Labor Relations Board

Licensed State

• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• New York

Education

• Brooklyn Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD) (Summa Cum Laude)
• University of Chicago
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Awards & Badges