NH lawyer to assist the American Knife & Tool Institute with education and legislative efforts
Possessing a unique combination of knife industry knowledge and intimate familiarity with the U.S. legal system, attorney Anthony Sculimbrene has joined forces with the American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI) as contributing counsel.
Sculimbrene operates the “Everyday Commentary” website that features in-depth reviews of knives and is a contributing knife reviewer at Gear Junkie. A former lead counsel with the New Hampshire Public Defender, he is a partner in the Nashua, N.H., law firm of Gill and Sculimbrene, where he practices criminal law.
Sculimbrene will assist AKTI by advising on legal issues affecting knife owners and the knife industry while providing periodic updates on knife-related legal matters on local, state, and national levels. He’ll also be involved with AKTI’s ongoing legislative efforts to advocate for laws that benefit law-abiding knife owners and bolster the efforts of retailers and manufacturers in the U.S. knife industry.
“I’ve long admired the work of AKTI and the position they’ve staked out as the highly respected voice representing the entirety of the knife industry,” said Sculimbrene. “I’m fortunate to find such a perfectly suited role that allows me to mix my passion for knives with my professional background.”
Sculimbrene joins AKTI in a position first defined by attorney Daniel Lawson who began volunteering legal services to AKTI in 1999. Lawson recently stepped down from AKTI after working with the organization for nearly 25 years.
“Tony is genuinely interested in advancing the interests of the knife community, which is the single most important qualification for the position,” said Lawson. “His private legal practice has involved representing defendants in criminal prosecutions and has provided him with perspective and experience which will benefit the effort to keep knives in American lives.”
Jan Billeb, Executive Director of AKTI, said the nonprofit organization is fortunate to be able to bring in Sculimbrene.
“He has a deep understanding of the laws surrounding knife ownership and the legal issues that affect their sale and manufacturing,” said Billeb. “There is a dramatic advantage relying on legal professionals who are also hard-core knife enthusiasts in their personal lives because they understand the value of a useful tool and the importance of staying law-abiding while using it.”