About Katharine
Katharine Phinney began her legal path in Vermont and continued it through the Midwest. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont in 2004 and took her law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law, receiving her J.D. in 2009. Those years set a foundation in research and courtroom procedure that showed up early in her work life.
Her first positions were in clerkships and small firm practice. In 2007 she worked as a law clerk for Terrell & Thrall, LLP and the following year served as a law clerk for the Honorable Lorenzo Arredondo at the Lake County Circuit Court. Those two formative stints exposed her to motion practice, drafting and the daily rhythms of trial work. She moved into practitioner roles after law school, joining Crawford Law, PLLC in 2009 and Tober Law Offices, P.A. in 2010.
Phinney entered public service in Rockingham County in 2013 as an Assistant County Lawyer. In that post she represented the county in a variety of legal matters and advised on issues that ranged from administrative questions to litigation strategy. Her time in the county office gave her regular contact with prosecutors, judges and agency personnel, and it broadened her perspective on how local government functions in the courtroom and behind the scenes.
She has kept ties to the legal community through bar association membership and professional groups. She has been a member of the Rockingham County Bar Association since 2011 and belonged to the Charles D. Doe American Inn of Court in 2010–2011. From 2017 to 2019 she served on the New Hampshire Adult Parole Board, a role that brought a different vantage point on post-conviction supervision and the administrative side of criminal justice.
Since 2017 Phinney has been listed as a lawyer at Russman Law Offices. Her practice there follows a mixed pattern: courtroom appearances, client counseling and representation before state agencies. She draws on years in both public and private roles and on her early clerkship experience when preparing cases for trial or negotiation.
Colleagues describe her work as steady and practical; her background blends courtroom familiarity with government work. She now practices at Russman Law Offices, representing clients in matters that intersect with state and county systems and handling related administrative proceedings.
