Russell F. Hilliard

Russell F. Hilliard serves as of counsel and is based in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He focuses on commercial and insurance litigation, professional discipline, and alternative dispute resolution. Hilliard represents businesses, municipalities, and individual professionals facing disputes that call for careful analysis and practical judgment. His broader experience includes mediation and arbitration, regulatory advocacy, zoning and land use, municipal real estate, and general counsel matters.

Hilliard earned his J.D. from Cornell Law School in 1976 and a B.S. in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1973. He later completed an LL.M. in taxation at Boston University School of Law in 1985. His combined training in law, engineering, and taxation supports a disciplined approach to complex factual and legal questions, helping him evaluate risk and develop well-reasoned strategies for clients.

Hilliard‘s experience extends beyond client representation to legal education and professional development. Hilliard taught professional responsibility for 10 years at the institution now known as the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. He also served as a visiting lecturer in Tanzania, teaching insurance law and judicial and legal ethics. In addition, he has participated in continuing legal education panels addressing trial practice, insurance issues, legislative developments, and professional ethics.

Russell F. Hilliard is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has received recognition from Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and Martindale-Hubbell. His professional leadership includes service as president of the New Hampshire Bar Association, chair of the New Hampshire Bar Foundation, and president of the New England Bar Association. His public service and professional involvement reflect a longstanding commitment to the legal profession and the wider community.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Upton & Hatfield, LLP
• Member, New Hampshire Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association House of Delegates
• Past Chair, New Hampshire Bar Foundation
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers

Licensed State

• New Hampshire

Education

• Boston University | Graduate School
  Master of Laws (LLM)
• Cornell Law School | Graduate School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | University
  Bachelor of Science (BS)