Judge Dianne E. Ricardo: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. Dianne E. Ricardo is a referee for the New Hampshire Circuit Court. She was appointed to the bench in 2022.

At the time of her appointment, Ricardo became the first probate referee for the New Hampshire Circuit Court.

She supplements her judicial role as counsel at Preti, Flaherty, Bellveau & Pachios, Chartered, LLP, in Concord, where she is a member of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. Her practice there focuses on comprehensive estate planning. She has gained experience in probate litigation and sat as the first chair for contested guardianships. Ricardo joined the firm in 2024. Before that, she was an attorney at Cleveland, Waters & Bass, P.A., in Concord for two years.

Ricardo earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. She then completed a J.D. at New England Law in 2009.

Ricardo began her legal career in private practice as an associate at Adler Pollock & Sheehan P.C., having previously worked there as a legal secretary (2005 to 2006), a litigation paralegal (2006 to 2009), and a summer associate (2008). Then, in 2014, she briefly practiced as an associate at Hermes Netburn O’Conner & Spearing P.C. (2014) before joining McLane Middleton in Manchester that same year. Ricardo remained at the firm until joining Cleveland Waters et al. in 2019.

She was admitted to practice in Massachusetts (2010), Maine (2012), the District of Columbia (2012), New Hampshire (2013), the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the United States District Court for the District of Maine.

Her memberships include the New Hampshire Bar Association and the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association.

Ricardo was awarded the SHERO Award from the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association in 2019.