Photo Credit: Paul Briand
After 45 years as a lawyer, Mike Donahue has transitioned to Senior Counsel at DTC, handing over day to day responsibilities to his colleagues at the Firm. In a long planned evolution, Mike will formally retire next summer. Between now and then he will be available to assist clients in transition and as a resource for DTC lawyers and paralegals in matters where his experience will be useful for our clients. In a letter to his clients announcing the transition Mike wrote:
“This long planned transition has been well facilitated by the Firm. We have been able to develop an excellent group of experienced partners and younger attorneys, backed by an experienced and dedicated support staff, who are fully able to maintain and improve upon the high quality work which has characterized this Firm over the years. For clients, this transition should be seamless. For our attorneys who stand ready to help you, it will mean an opportunity to enhance existing client relationships. For me, it will mean more leisure time with Diane and my daughters, and an opportunity to pursue some volunteer interests and other activities.”
“It is difficult for me to fully express how much I have enjoyed working with you over these many years. I would be remiss if I did not close by conveying my appreciation to you, my clients and friends, whom I have been honored to serve. I’ve learned much more than I’ve taught. I’ve been truly fortunate to have had so many positive and interesting relationships with my clients and other dedicated professionals with whom I’ve worked. I look forward to maintaining those relationships in a different context, confident that your legal needs will continue to be met by DTC, a Firm I’ll always be proud I had a hand in creating.”
The Firm hosted a Celebration attended by many of Mike’s clients, municipal officials and land use and other professionals with whom he worked over the years, recognizing Mike’s service to his clients and contributions to DTC, which he co-founded with Charlie Tucker in 1985. In recognition of Mike and his long standing commitment to work force housing, land use planning and other community projects, the firm is proud to support the production of a film project entitled “Communities and Consequences II—Solutions for a State at Risk”. This will be a multi-platform exploration of ideas designed to ensure that New Hampshire communities continue to prosper for future generations.
The Celebration and Mike’s 45 year career was chronicled in part in an article published in the Seacoast Sunday Business Section on October 28, 2018 available at: http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20181028/case-closed-45-year-lawyer-michael-donahue-calls-it-career
Please join all of us in wishing Mike and his wife Diane, the best in his transition and many years of a well-earned retirement ahead.
DTC Lawyers will be participating as a team in the Exeter Hospital’s United in Wellness Cancer Walk & Trick or Treat Trot 5K on Sunday, October 28th to support the Center for Cancer Care at Exeter Hospital and their patients. Come join us for a morning of Halloween fun and fitness! This 5K is geared towards all fitness levels and they are encouraging participants to embrace the spirit of Halloween by dressing in costume. There will be prizes to top fundraisers, both individual and team, as well as 5K division winners and best costume. After the race there will be snacks, face painting, and more!
On Saturday, April 7, Paralegal Stephanie Carty, volunteered as a judge for the American Legion, Department of New Hampshire, Junior Oratorical Contest at the NH Institute for Politics on the Campus of 
Riverwoods Durham obtained conditional approval from the Durham Planning Board on January 10, 2018 to construct a continuing care retirement community on Stone Quarry Drive in Durham. The community campus is designed for people 62 and over and will consist of 150 independent living apartments and include a 72 bed health center providing assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care. The campus will occupy approximately 11 acres and will contain many of the program elements and amenities found at the hugely successful campus at Riverwoods Exeter. Sharon Cuddy Somers serves as land use counsel for the project and, following a review process which began in May 2017, obtained approvals from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Conservation Commission and Planning Board. Other local members of the development team include Jeff Clifford of Altus Engineering and Robbi Woodburn of Woodburn & Company. Justine Vogel, CEO of Riverwoods Durham says the community is beginning to take deposits from prospective residents now and anticipates construction beginning in June 2018 with an estimated opening of early 2020.