603 Legal Aid has launched a new initiative with New Hampshire law firm Shaheen & Gordon to support people seeking to change their names.
The project is intended to serve members of the LGBTQ+ community and others “who may seek to change their name for safety reasons,” according to a news release from the law firm.
603 Legal Aid is an organization that provides free civil legal advice and information for low-income people in New Hampshire. To be eligible for the 603 Name Change Project, applicants must be at least 18 years old and meet 603 Legal Aid’s income and asset eligibility requirements. Eligible applicants will be paired with an attorney from Shaheen & Gordon who will assist them with the name change process for free, according to the release.
The idea for the project came from Heather V. Menezes, a Shaheen & Gordon attorney and member of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, according to the firm’s marketing manager, Paige Moulton. When the firm suggested the idea to 603 Legal Aid, it was well received and the project was able to move forward quickly, launching about two months after the idea first came up.
Moulton said the firm’s staff is excited about the project, which is different than many of the initiatives that have come out of the DEI Committee. “A lot of the efforts the committee does are internal, focused on training or offering opportunities for our staff,” Moulton said. “This is a great opportunity for us externally.”
According to the Movement Advancement Project, an independent, nonprofit think tank, many transgender people change their legal name to better reflect their gender identity. GLAAD, a nonprofit LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, notes that many transgender people may not be able afford a legal name change.
In New Hampshire, people can complete the name change process through the state’s TurboCourt program and don’t necessarily need assistance from an attorney. However, it helps to be familiar with the general rules of the Circuit Court Probate Division, which most non-attorneys aren’t. An attorney can help someone who wants to change their name make sure they have all of the right paperwork and complete the required steps during and after the process, such as notifying the Department of Motor Vehicles. The filing fee for a name change petition in New Hampshire is $130. That fee is waived for people receiving assistance through 603 Legal Aid, according to 603 Legal Aid Deputy Director Emma Sisti.
Sisti said the organization is excited about the partnership, which she said will help “alleviate the stress of this process” for people who need to change their names.
“Everyone deserves to have their legal name match their identity. We’re honored to partner with 603 Legal Aid to provide these services to those who do not have the means to hire an attorney,” said Lyndsay Robinson, a partner at Shaheen & Gordon and co-chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, in a statement.
LGBTQ+ people are one group who may seek assistance with a name change, but not the only people for whom it can be helpful.
Moulton said the firm’s announcement about the project gained a lot of attention on social media and was shared by several domestic violence and emergency shelters.
Moulton said people in crisis situations like those who have left a violent relationship are one of the groups who may be assisted with a name change. “People who have gone through significant challenges may need to change their name for safety reasons,” Moulton said.
Twenty Shaheen & Gordon attorneys have signed up to donate time to the project, according to Moulton.
People can apply for assistance with a name change at 603legalaid.org or by calling 603-224-3333.
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