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New Hampshire · Comprehensive statutory liability chapter
New Hampshire Liquor Liability & Hospitality Expert Witness
Ryan Dahlstrom accepts hospitality and entertainment expert-witness engagements in New Hampshire. 35+ years of hands-on experience in bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels, live entertainment venues and special events — retained by attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants.
In short
Ryan Dahlstrom is a hospitality and entertainment industry expert witness who accepts engagements in New Hampshire. He has more than 35 years of hands-on experience in bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels, live entertainment venues and special events, and is retained by attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants. In New Hampshire matters he evaluates hospitality and venue operations, alcohol service and overservice, bar and nightclub operations, restaurant operations and management, security operations and negligent security, premises liability, event management, event security, event and stage safety, and surveillance video analysis. His opinions address operational standards — alcohol-service practices, staffing, training, supervision, policy and procedure, security, crowd management and incident response — measured against hospitality industry standards. He does not offer opinions on the law, engineering, toxicology or medical causation.
Alcohol Service
Dram Shop and Liquor Liability in New Hampshire
Comprehensive statutory liability chapter
New Hampshire's liquor liability scheme is set out in RSA chapter 507-F. It applies to any person licensed or required to be licensed under the state liquor law, and to their employees.
The chapter is a comprehensive statutory framework rather than a single liability section — it addresses the standards of conduct that give rise to liability, defences available to a licensee, and the procedural requirements a claimant must meet. Counsel practicing outside New Hampshire should read the chapter as a whole rather than isolating a single provision.
RSA 507-F addresses negligent service of alcohol to a minor or to an intoxicated person, and reckless service, together with defenses available to licensees and procedural requirements for claimants. Training, written policy, supervision and documentation are evaluated against those statutory standards and hospitality industry practice.
This summary is general information for counsel, not legal advice. Statutes, regulations and case law change; counsel should confirm the law in effect on the date of loss. Ryan Dahlstrom's opinions address operational practices measured against hospitality industry standards; he does not offer opinions on the law.
Hospitality Context
New Hampshire Venues and Operations
New Hampshire's licensed trade includes Manchester and Portsmouth restaurant and bar districts, Hampton Beach seasonal operations, White Mountains ski-resort food and beverage, and a large motorcycle-rally and event trade around Laconia.
Evidence
What Ryan Reviews in New Hampshire Matters
- Service and POS records correlated into an operational timeline.
- Surveillance video across the service period, reviewed for observable indicators and reconciled against records and testimony.
- Training and certification records for the staff actually on shift, measured against the state's server-training scheme.
- Written policy and procedure — and whether practice matched the document.
- Staffing, supervision and deployment at the relevant time, including security posts and ratios against actual occupancy.
- Incident reports and prior-incident history bearing on foreseeability.
Scope
Areas Ryan May Be Retained On in New Hampshire
Where relevant to the matter. Ryan is retained by attorneys representing plaintiffs and defendants; opinions follow the facts and the applicable standard of care, not the retaining party.
Hospitality
- Hospitality operations
- Hospitality management
- Venue operations
- Hotel operations
- Management practices
- Policies and procedures
- Employee training
- Operational standards
Alcohol service
- Dram shop
- Liquor liability
- Alcohol service
- Alcohol overservice
- Responsible beverage service
- Alcohol service to minors
Bar, nightclub & restaurant
- Bar operations
- Bar management
- Nightclub operations
- Nightclub management
- Restaurant operations
- Restaurant management
- Beverage operations
Security
- Security operations
- Bar security
- Nightclub security
- Event security
- Negligent security
- Crowd management
- Crowd control
Premises & events
- Premises liability
- Event management
- Event operations
- Event safety
- Event & stage safety
- Special event management
Analysis
- Surveillance video analysis
- Surveillance video compilation
- Incident timeline analysis
- Standard of care review
Availability
New Hampshire Engagements
Ryan Dahlstrom accepts expert-witness engagements in New Hampshire and throughout the United States, and has been retained in matters by plaintiff and defense counsel nationwide. The hospitality industry standards that govern alcohol service, staffing, training and security apply wherever a venue operates; what differs from state to state is the governing law and what must be proven.
His case experience includes matters in Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, Illinois, Utah, Washington, California, New York, Kentucky and other jurisdictions, involving dram shop and liquor liability, security, premises liability, hospitality operations, event safety, restaurant management and bar operations.
Questions
New Hampshire — Common Questions from Counsel
Where is New Hampshire's liquor liability law found?
Is it a negligence claim or a statutory one?
What is distinctive about New Hampshire event and rally hospitality?
New Hampshire Matter Under Review?
Submit a case inquiry for a confidential conflicts check and evaluation. Ryan responds to case inquiries within one business day.