In that role, he advised the Governor and coordinated with the New Hampshire Department of Justice and Executive Branch officials on all significant legal issues and litigation affecting the State.

In addition, he worked with the Sununu administration to address numerous and significant challenges, including the negotiation of a revised seven year MET/DSH settlement agreement that brought stability to New Hampshire's healthcare system, the establishment of a new Doorway Program that greatly enhanced the State's response to the Opioid Crisis, criminal justice reform initiatives that secured the support of law enforcement and community stakeholders, and the multi-faceted efforts that the State of New Hampshire undertook to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Formella has continued the efforts of past New Hampshire Attorneys General to pursue companies responsible for fueling the opioid epidemic.

On September 28, 2021, Formella announced that New Hampshire would join a $21 billion settlement with opioid distributors McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health and Amerisource Bergen.

[12] On January 17, 2023, John Formella along with Portsmouth Police Chief Mark Newport announced an enforcement action against the Nationalist Social Club (NSC-131), Christopher Hood and Leo Anthony Cullinan for violating New Hampshire's Civil Rights Act and conspiring to violate New Hampshire's Civil Rights Act.

The civil complaint alleges that Hood led a group of 19 John Does tried to intimidate the Teatotaller Cáfe into stopping their drag story hour.