Cathy is “of counsel” at Shaheen and Gordon, P.A., and a member of its criminal practice group.
Cathy started her career as a public defender in 1977 and has extensive experience in state and federal criminal defense. She understands and appreciates how difficult and traumatic it can be to face an investigation or be charged with a criminal offense. Many of her clients are students or professionals, and any criminal conviction can have devastating consequences. Her approach to cases is to provide aggressive but realistic counsel, with an emphasis on preventing or mitigating charges and ultimate punishment. Much of her most successful representation has resulted in no or significantly reduced charges and consequences.
She represents individuals and businesses in all types of cases, from minor motor vehicle and drug offenses to major white-collar investigations, felony sexual assaults, and all levels of homicide. She has had significant jury trial experience in her over forty years devoted to criminal defense.
Cathy has been widely recognized for her ability as a criminal defense attorney. In 1996, she was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, an honor which is limited to 1% of the top lawyers in each state. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America in the field of criminal defense for the past 25 years. She has also been recognized for years as a lead criminal defense attorney by Super Lawyers, which in 2018 named her as one of the top 100 lawyers in New England. Cathy has received numerous honors including the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Donald Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism, the New Hampshire Women’s Bar Association’s Marilla M. Ricker award, and the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Champion of Justice Award.
Cathy serves on numerous Boards and Committees. She chairs the Board of the New Hampshire Public Defender. She is a trustee on the University System of New Hampshire Board. She serves as an advisor to the American Law Institute’s Project on Principles of the Law, Student Sexual Misconduct: Procedural Frameworks for Colleges and Universities. She has been a member of New Hampshire’s InterBranch Criminal and Juvenile Justice Council for many years. She is a founder and served as the President of the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for over a decade.
Before joining Shaheen and Gordon, P.A., Cathy was a partner in the criminal defense firm of Green and Utter, P.A. in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Admissions
- New Hampshire State Bar
- U.S. District Court, District of New Hampshire
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- United States Supreme Court
Career
- Of Counsel, Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 2019-present
- Partner, Green & Utter, P.A., 1997-2018
- Law Offices of Cathy J. Green, 1985-1996
- Partner, Schapira & Green, P.A., 1980-1985
- Staff Attorney, Hillsborough County Public Defender Office, 1977-1980
Professional Associations
- New Hampshire Bar Association
- New Hampshire Women's Bar Association
- Manchester Bar Association
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Treasurer and Member
- President 1989-2001
- Board of Directors 2001-2011
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Inducted 1996
- Chair of NH State Committee 2002-2004
- Member Emil Gumpert Award Committee 2004-2010
- Member State Committee 2010-2015
- Board of Directors for New Hampshire Public Defender Program
- Member & Secretary 1992-2009
- President since 2009
- Advisor, American Law Institute Project on Principles of the Law, Student Sexual Misconduct: Procedural Frameworks for Colleges and Universities, 2016-present
- Federal Court Advisory Committee, United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, 2003-2012
- University of New Hampshire School of Law, Board of Trustees 2003-present
- Chair from 2011–2014
- University System of New Hampshire, Board of Trustees 2017-2020
- InterBranch Criminal and Juvenile Justice Council - NHACDL Appointee, Member, Executive Committee; Co-Chair Alternatives to Incarceration Task Force, 2008-2014
- Commission on State Courts - Commissioner Appointed by New Hampshire Supreme Court; served as Sentencing Committee Co-Chair 2005-2006
- Task Force on the State of the Legal Profession in New Hampshire - Appointed by New Hampshire Supreme Court 2005-2007
- First Circuit Federal Defender Selection Committee 2005
- Criminal Justice Act Panel Member, United States District Court, District of New Hampshire
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
Awards & Honors
- Named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Criminal Defense: White Collar and General Practice, Concord 2025
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America since 1989 for work in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Criminal Defense
- Named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers for Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Manchester 2013
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating
- Selected to Super Lawyers 2007-2024
- Super Lawyers Magazine: Named as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in New England 2018 (one of three lawyers recognized in New Hampshire)
- Super Lawyers Business Edition: Top New Hampshire Law Firm for Litigation 2011
- Named by Business New Hampshire Magazine as the Top Criminal Defense Lawyer in New Hampshire all three years they compiled the list 2002, 2010 and 2012
- U.S. News and World Report Best Lawyers as Best Law Firm rankings - Tier 1 Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar and White Collar Litigation 2011-2012
- Named as one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Lawdragon Magazine 2005
- New Hampshire Bar Association Donald Dufresne Award for Outstanding Professionalism 2004
- Named Leading Criminal Defense Attorney in New Hampshire, New Hampshire Magazine (every year since 2002)
- New Hampshire Women's Bar Association Marilla M. Ricker Achievement Award 2001
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers "Champion of Liberty" 1991
- Honored by the New Hampshire Women's Bar Association as one of the First One Hundred Women Admitted to the New Hampshire Bar Association
Education
- B.A., Trinity College, 1974
- J.D., University of New Hampshire Law School, 1977
Publications & Presentations
- Lecturer on Search & Seizure, Sexual Assault, Pornography, Computer Crimes, Forfeiture, Drug Defense, DWI, Trial Practice, Discovery, Ethics, White Collar Criminal Defense, Evidence, Trial Preparation, Trial Tactics, Sentencing, Use of Informants and DNA.
