Disabilities Rights Center

Richard Cohen, Executive Director
Tradd Davidson, Staff Attorney
James Fox, Staff Attorney
Julia Freeman-Woolpert, Outreach Advocacy Director
Aaron Ginsberg, Staff Attorney
Rosemary Larkowich, Intake Coordinator
Courtney Lockwood, Intake Attorney
Amy Messer, Legal Director
Adrienne Mallinson, Staff Attorney
Danielle Portal, Intake Attorney
Cindy Robertson, Staff Attorney
Karen Rosenberg, Staff Attorney
Michael K. Skibbie, Policy Specialist
Rebecca Whitley, Staff Attorney
Lynne Zygmont, Supervising Intake Attorney

Richard Cohen, Executive Director back to top

Richard Cohen has been DRC’s Executive Director since 2002. In addition to his director duties, he performs a policy role by working with consumers, families, legislators, other government officials, and disability and advocacy groups in seeking systemic solutions to problems faced by individuals with disabilities. Dick also consults and conducts reviews in other states in the provision of legal and protective services to adults with disabilities. 

Dick received a B.A. in government from Boston University and a law degree from Boston College Law School. In 2009, Dick was awarded the Daniel Holland Life Time Achievement Award by the B.C. Law School Alumni Association  for his accomplishments as a disabilities rights advocate.

Dick began his legal career in legal services, spending 11 years in the Keene and Concord offices of New Hampshire Legal Assistance. Among the cases he litigated at NHLA were Laaman vs. Helgemoe and Garrity vs. Gallen. Laaman resulted in a sweeping order by the late Judge Hugh Bownes requiring major improvements in conditions, educational, vocational medical, mental health and other services and programs at the New Hampshire State Prison as well as the abolishment of solitary confinement. Garrity, or the Laconia State School suit, was recently given the distinction by New Hampshire Magazine as one of the two most important class action law suits in New Hampshire’s history. Dick was lead trial counsel in a nearly 3 month trial which led to a landmark order by the late Judge Shane Devine requiring, among other things, that the state establish the Area Agency community service system and ensure that local school districts assume educational responsibility for children placed at Laconia. The case ultimately led to the closure of the state school, making New Hampshire the first state in the union to run a virtually institution free system of services for persons with developmental disabilities.

Dick left New Hampshire in 1984, and received two successive appointments as a court monitor to oversee compliance in two disability class action cases, one in Minnesota involving six institutions and the other a special education case involving the Boston Public Schools. He subsequently served in state government in Massachusetts for six years, principally in the position of Director of Investigations for the Department of Mental Retardation.

Dick has served on numerous boards and commissions in New Hampshire affecting individuals with disabilities, including in 2005 as Governor Lynch’s appointed chair of the Governor's Commission on Area Agencies which studied and made a number of recommendations to improve the services to individuals served by the Area Agency system.  From 1998-2003 Dick was a member of the Oversight Panel monitoring NH DCYF's compliance with the Eric L. Settlement Agreement requiring changes to the agency's child protection responsibilities.

In 2003, he published a chapter on Best Practices in Abuse and Neglect Reporting and Investigations, Quality Enhancement in Developmental Disabilities. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing (2003). Read about Dick in the NH Challenge fall 2002 edition (page 9), and NH Challenge winter 2003 edition (page 8).

Tradd Davidson, Staff Attorney back

Tradd is with the Disabilities Rights Center for the 2011-2012 year as a UNH School of Law Public Service Fellow. He graduated from the  UNH School of Law in 2011 and is admitted to the Bar in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. He has worked as an intern for the NH Supreme Court and for the City of St Louis.

Tradd has a special interest in intellectual property law and an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the University of South Carolina. This is an unusual background for a disability rights attorney. Tradd explains, “My father is a solo practitioner in St. Louis. Despite grueling hours trying to meet his clients' needs while being a father and husband, he still found time to take on pro bono cases.  He, and my mother (also an attorney), taught me that it is wrong to presume to know someone based on their economic conditions or social standing.  I chose to work at the Disabilities Rights Center because the people who need help the most are generally people with disabilities. They face not only grave economic risks, but the risk of losing the right to live and care for themselves. In a healthy and fair society it is the duty of those more fortunate to step in and help when needed.” 

James Fox, Staff Attorney back

James Fox joined the DRC in 2004.  He handles matters involving federal anti-discrimination statues (Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973), healthcare rights, voting rights, and access to assistive technology.  He began his career as an law clerk in the New Hampshire Superior Court.  He subsequently practiced in Devine, Millimet & Branch’s trial department where he handled a wide variety of matters but specialized in insurance coverage law.

James graduated from the University of Miami in 1993 with a B.S. He earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1996.  While at Boston University, James was a member of the Boston University Public Interest Law Journal and assisted individuals through his work with the Boston University Civil Practice Clinic.  He currently serves on the New Hampshire Statewide Independent Living Council and is co-chair of the NH Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Advisory Council.

Julia Freeman-Woolpert, Outreach Advocacy Director back to top

Julia Freeman-Woolpert is the Outreach Advocacy Director at the DRC. She manages the website, newsletters, outreach to the public, and a variety of other projects related to education and advocacy. She is the producer of Disabilities Rights Center Presents..., DRC's public access television show.

From 1985 to 2000, Julia was a Case Advocate at the DRC. After a three year absence, she returned in 2003. From 2000 to 2003, Julia was the Coordinator for Project RESPONSE, a three-year project funded through a Federal grant to improve the state’s capacity to evaluate and manage neurobehavioral consequences of traumatic brain injury. Before joining the DRC in 1985, Julia worked in several coordinator and supervisor roles in vocational and residential programs for individuals with developmental disabilities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and North Carolina.

Julia received a M.Ed. in Organization and Management in 1983 from Antioch/New England Graduate School, and a B.A. in Sociology from Boston University in 1975. She serves on the Legislative Commission to study the effects of service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury suffered in the line of duty by members of the armed forces and veterans, and on the Board of Concord Community Television.

Aaron Ginsberg, Staff Attorney back to top

Aaron Ginsberg joined the DRC staff in 2007 after graduating from the University of Chicago law School.  Aaron earned an undergraduate degree from Knox College in history in 2001.  Aaron is admitted to practice in New Hampshire and Illinois.  Aaron’s legal experience includes legislative advocacy for mental health law reform and advocacy for reformation of administration of electroconvulsive therapy while with the Mental Health Project of the University of Chicago’s Mandel Legal Aid Clinic.  He also has experience as a mobility instructor, teaching individuals with cognitive impairments to use public transportation. .

Rosemary Larkowich, Intake Coordinator back to top

Rosemary Larkowich is the DRC Intake Coordinator and has been with the DRC since 1984, longer than any other employee. When you call with a problem related to a disability and get an appointment to speak with someone, chances are good it will be Rosemary.

Prior to working at the DRC, Rosemary worked as a legal secretary at two private law firms in New Hampshire. Rosemary holds an Associate’s degree from Mt. Ida College. In her tenure at the DRC, she has been involved in many trainings through the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) on intake and referral services, cultural awareness, and database design and management.

Courtney Lockwood, Intake Attorney back to top

Courtney Lockwood joined the DRC as a staff attorney in 2005. Courtney was formerly a Legal Aid Attorney at Pine Tree Legal Assistance in rural Maine. In that position, she practiced in the areas of Medicaid and other public benefits, housing, domestic violence, consumer law, and guardian ad litem work. She is a 2002 graduate of Vermont Law School and holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University. She served as Head Notes Editor of the Vermont Law Review and was an officer of the Equal Justice Foundation during law school. In addition to human rights and justice, she has experience in environmental law. Courtney served as a law clerk for Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund in Hawaii and as a legal intern for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Adrienne Mallinson, Staff Attorney back to top

Adrienne Mallinson joined the DRC as a staff attorney in 2005. Her areas of focus include services for individuals with developmental disabilities; special education and juvenile justice; community mental health services; and ADA and Rehabilitation Act claims. Adrienne received her B.A. in History from Oxford University, England, and her J.D., cum laude, from Boston College Law School. Adrienne serves on the New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council and on the board of ABLE-NH.

Amy Messer, Legal Director back to top

Amy Messer, Legal Director, has been an attorney with the DRC since 1999. As Legal Director, Amy coordinates and oversees the litigation and other legal activities of the DRC and provides support and supervision to staff attorneys.   In addition, Amy handles systemic litigation and impact cases as well as individual representation. Her practice includes litigation in state and federal court, as well as appellate work in the New Hampshire Supreme Court and the US First Circuit Court of Appeals. Her practice encompasses most areas of disability law including Medicaid, employment discrimination, denial of services to persons with mental illness and developmental disabilities, and special education, She has also been involved in extensive policy advocacy on medical services for children with severe disabilities, community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness, and medical services for adult prisoners.
Amy received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 1991. She was admitted to the NH Bar in that same year. Upon graduation she joined the New Hampshire Public Defender (NHPD) where she represented juveniles and adults accused in felony, misdemeanor, and delinquency cases.  In 1997, she became the Assistant Director of NHPD’s statewide program. Amy serves on the Board of Directors of the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire (BIANH) and is Chair of the BIANH Public Policy Committee. She serves on the Legislative Commission on Deafness and Hearing Loss and on the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Advisory Committee.

Danielle Portal, Staff Attorney back to top

Danielle was hired into the position of intake attorney in 2008 and is admitted in New Hampshire. She is a recent graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center, where she was a member of the American Constitutional Society, Phi Alpha Delta, and the Public Interest Coalition. She also has a Master's in social work from Boston College. Her legal internships included work at the NH Department of Children, Youth and Families and the NH Department of Safety. She is on the Board of Directors of Teen Court.

Cindy Robertson, Senior Staff Attorney back to top

Cindy joined the DRC after many years in private litigation practice, most recently at Devine, Millimet & Branch as a Partner in the litigation department. Cindy is a 1984 graduate of Franklin Pierce Law Center and is admitted in New Hampshire, Maryland, the Federal District Court for the State of New Hampshire, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a member of the Mental and Physical Disabilities Committee of the NH Bar Association. In 1992, she received the President’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Legal Profession. She is a member of the Medical Care Advisory Committee and the Elder Rights Coalition. She works with the Office of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Behavioral Health in statewide empowerment presentations to individuals with mental health issues. Her many community activities have included serving on the Hooksett Conservation Commission.

Karen Rosenberg, Staff Attorney back to top

Karen Rosenberg joined the staff of the DRC in 2005 as a staff attorney. She is a 1988 graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. Earlier she received a BS in Psychology from Tufts University. Karen is admitted to the bars of New Hampshire and Massachusetts and to the US District Courts for New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Karen comes to us after many years as a staff attorney and project director at New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA, where she specialized in Health, Housing and Consumer laws. She was counsel for plaintiffs in Hawkins v. Commissioner, a federal class action to improve access to dental care for children enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program. She also directed NHLA’s Fair Housing Project and the Housing Preservation Project during her tenure at NHLA.

Karen has been active in her community of Manchester.  Over the nearly twenty years she has resided in Manchester, Karen has volunteered in the Manchester Schools and with various community organizations including the Palace Theatre and the Makin’ It Happen Coalition’s Dropout Prevention Work Group. She currently serves on the Manchester Food Co-op’s Legal Committee.She is the former Chair of the Board of the New Hampshire Minority Health Coalition, the Alliance for the Progress of Hispanic Americans, a former Board member of the Latin American Center, and a past member of the NH Regional Community Development Corporation Board of Directors.

Michael K. Skibbie, Policy Director back to top

Rebecca Whitley, Staff Attorney back to top

Rebecca Whitley joined the DRC as a staff attorney in 2007. She is a graduate of Vermont Law School, and holds an undergraduate degree from George Washington University. Rebecca is admitted to the Bar in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. During law school, her legal internships included the South Royalton Legal Clinic, the Children’s Program of the Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, and the New Hampshire Superior Court. Rebecca represents adults and children on a range of issues; participates in DRC’s policy advocacy; and has conducted and reported on a number of abuse and neglect investigations. She conducted DRC’s recent investigation into the conditions at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Manchester. She served as a NH CAN Priority Leader on the priority to "Lessen the Use of Restraints on Children", and was part of the collaboration that successfully advocated for SB 396, legislation that restricts the use of physical restraint on children in New Hampshire. 

Lynne Zygmont, Supervising Intake Attorney back to top

Lynne Zygmont, Supervising Intake Attorney, graduated from Rhode Island College in 1982 with a B.A., Magna Cum Laude, in Communications and Psychology. She received her JD degree from Suffolk University Law School in 1989 cum laude. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1989 and the New Hampshire Bar in 1991.

Lynne has been an attorney with the Disabilities Rights Center since 1991. As the Supervising Intake Attorney, she leads and supervises the intake team, including staff attorneys and law students. Her many years of experience have given her knowledge in many substantive areas of disability practice, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Juvenile Law, Social Security, Housing and Medicaid. Lynne is also DRC’s Section 504/ADA compliance coordinator.

Lynne is an adjunct faculty member at Middlesex Community College, where she teaches Constitutional Law, Criminal Evidence and Court Procedures and Criminal Law.

In Memoriam - Beverly Brahmstedt

Last Updated: January 25, 2012