NH’s Top Women-Led Businesses: (#21) Devine Millimet & Branch

When Anu R. Mullikin joined the law firm of Devine Millimet in Manchester in 1991 as a full associate, the Manchester native felt fortunate to have a job as the economy crashed and law firms across the country were laying off their first-year attorneys. She was also at a firm where she could see a path for herself as four of the firm’s shareholders were women and the firm was dedicated to mentoring its young attorneys.

During her more than 30 years at the firm, Mullikin has not only watched the firm grow (adding offices in Concord and Portsmouth and now totaling 104 employees), but contributed to that growth. Mullikin was elected as a partner the first year she was eligible and became chair of the Estate and Tax group, which she led for 20 years, growing it to 10 attorneys.

“My goal was to grow the group. It was clear the volume of work was going to grow,” she says, referring to NH’s aging demographics and the influx of high-income individuals.

During that time, the firm elected the first female president, Susan Duprey, and now has nine women who are shareholders (almost half of all shareholders).  Mullikin points out all of them lead a practice group. In fact, the administrative management team is almost all women.

For years, Mullikin had no interest in being president as she enjoyed working with her clients to plan for their future and the wellbeing of their families. Around the time of the pandemic, she pondered retiring but instead realized she was ready for another challenge—leading the firm. She was elected three years ago. Devine Millimet was experiencing turnover among its younger attorneys and staff and Mullikin had ideas to stem that. “I wanted to see the firm grow,” she says. She has focused on increasing resources to support the firm’s attorneys and work on the firm’s culture.

“It’s all a work in progress. I think we have moved in the right direction and have a great group of shareholders,” Mullikin says. “They are committed to the firm as well as the wellbeing of our young attorneys and the staff.”