Parnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices

Our firm blends advocacy oriented practice with effective practical solutions for all our clients in Londonderry, N. Woodstock, and throughout New Hampshire. The attorneys at Parnell, Michels & McKay provide effective representation and counseling to assist our clients facing legal questions. We simplify the process so our clients can understand and are able to participate as partners in the resolution.



Our practice includes personal injury law such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, dog bites, workers compensation, social security disability, and other injuries.



We also practice family law, including divorce, post-divorce, unwed custody and property division, and collaborative divorce, and have extensive experience in bankruptcy, probate, boundary disputes, estate planning, corporate formation and other real estate litigation.

  • Should Your Corporation Be A Benefit Corporation (And What Is A Benefit Corporation)?

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    I am sure many of us have heard the reports in print and online media that Millennials are becoming the largest consumer group and that they often choose to spend their money at companies which practice good corporate citizenship. This includes supporting corporations that put their money where their mouth is by donating services, products, or a percentage of their profits to underserved communities or other charitable causes. Think about the company that donates shoes to the underprivileged or a family in a third world country if you buy a pair of shoes from them. Or, the company that donates a percentage of its profits to a particular charity. How are these companies set up in their state of incorporation?Thirty-three states, at last count, have…

  • |

    Guardianship of Minors and the Opioid Crisis

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    The Opioid Crisis has gripped our nation for several years. However, news agencies and governmental bodies have only begun taking steps in recent years to help stem the tide. This past summer, New Hampshire made waves for becoming the first state in the country to provide grandparents preferential treatment to obtain a guardianship over their minor grandchildren when the parents suffer from substance abuse. The law came into effect on January 1, 2018.The framework for Guardianship Law in New Hampshire can be found in RSA 463. New Hampshire Law provides for two forms guardianships: Person or Estate. Guardianship of another’s person means the Guardian is responsible for decisions ensuring the safety and well-being of the child as aligned in accordance with the child’s best interest….

  • |

    Probate Law in NH – An Overview

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    This article discusses the basics of probate procedures in New Hampshire. We will try to provide a broad overview of the process of probating an estate. You also can get a good overview of the process from the court’s perspective by going to the court’s website, www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/circuit-court/probate-division. You will find a lot of “how-to” materials including checklists, forms, and a handbook on administering estates. In fact, the court’s online information may be all one needs for handling small and uncomplicated estates. However, as stated in the handbook, the information available “is not a substitute for legal advice”. Accordingly, should you find yourself in the position as the executor or administer of even a small uncomplicated estate, you should give serious consideration to meeting with a…

  • |

    The Case of The DNR Order Tattoo

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Most of us have heard the story about the unconscious patient brought to an emergency room in Florida with “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed across his chest. The seventy-year-old man had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in addition to other ailments. Getting a tattoo to express one’s wishes to not receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may hold some attraction. After all, the patient’s wishes would seem to be clear and there is no need for your loved ones to rush to the hospital with your DNR request or health care proxy. But, in fact, it has the opposite effect. Emergency medical responders would be faced with a dilemma. If just the letters “D.N.R.” are tattooed, the responders may not immediately see the tattoo or they may not be…

  • |

    Closing of Supervised Visitation Centers Complicates Contested Parenting Cases

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    The Greater Nashua Supervised Visitation Center is expecting to close its doors at the end of the year due to a lack of federal funding. This closure further reduces the options available to parents needing supervision of their parenting time. Since the 2014 closing of the Manchester YWCA supervision center, only a handful of supervised visitation centers remain in New Hampshire. In 2016, Focus on Families opened in Manchester, filling part of the void. However, due to the limited hours each of the centers offer for supervision services, there is often more cases needing supervision than time available to supervise. With the closing of the Greater Nashua Supervised Visitation Center, the shortage of available supervision will only increase. Supervised visitation centers serve an important role…

  • Jessica’s Law: Why it’s Important to Clear your Roof of Snow and Ice

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Jessica’s Law has been the law of New Hampshire for about fifteen (15) years now. It is a law that requires the clearing of ice and snow off the top of a vehicle prior to driving it. The basis of the law was a tragic accident that claimed the life of Jessica Smith in 1999. A piece of ice about nine (9) feet long flew off of a tractor-trailer, smashing into a box truck that veered into Jessica’s vehicle killing her. The accident in Peterborough is not long forgotten by her parents, as Jessica would be thirty-nine (39) years old coming up. However, we find that driving around that many people still do not clear their entire cars. We understand what it is like to…

  • |

    Co-Parenting Dos and Don’ts

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Several months ago, this blog discussed the value of good co-parenting. All too often, the media plagues its consumers with disheartening narratives like the vindictive ex-wife or the deadbeat dad. Unquestionably, Family Law is a field bursting with deep-seated emotions. The most important thing for any parent is their child. Parents want to make sure their kids are safe and secure, both financially and physically. Parents want to ensure their children grow up healthy, happy, and successful. They want a better life for their children. In fact, what is often lost in the media’s tropes are the impact such narratives have on children. These tropes can arise from toxic co-parenting. A consistent and constant problem in a number of cases before New Hampshire’s Family Courts…

  • Non-Traditional Injury Cases: Trip and Falls and Product Liability

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Most injury cases that are handled by personal injury attorneys are auto accident cases. Auto accidents are by far the most common, as driving a car comes with significant inherent risks. The same can be said for riding a motorcycle or a bicycle, and the injuries from these accidents can be devastating. However, there are many other types of cases like slip and falls, trip and falls, dog bites, and other incidents that lead to injuries. While we have addressed slip and falls and our strategy in approaching them, the trip and fall case is often confused with a slip and fall. A trip and fall generally come as a result of some unknown invisible defect that causes a person to trip and fall, or…

  • Personal Injury: Maximizing Settlement Value

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    her scenario, your doctors will tell you when you are no longer expected to improve. This is called reaching “maximum medical improvement”. At this point, it is time to try to evaluate the claim you have and find out what settlement you should take. The bulk of your claim is made up of the costs of your medical treatment. Typically, if you get back to 100%, this will only include your past medical treatment. If you find yourself permanently injured, then future medical expenses are included in the compensation, as is a potential permanent impairment. Other expenses that an injured party is entitled to compensation for our past and future lost income, the mileage you incurred medical appointments, and pain and suffering. All of these…

  • |

    Co-Parenting: Sacrificing Your Own Desires for the Betterment of your Child

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Family Law is arguably the legal profession’s most volatile field. Certainly, there are a number of other fields that could vie for this claim. Intellectual Property law is in constant flux, there is often palpable tension at Real Estate closings, and in Criminal Law, individual freedom often hangs in the balance. However, it is in the realm of Family Law that those with deep emotional hurt must plot out the remaining years of those who are most important to them: their children. All too often, individuals are blinded by their disgust and anger with their ex-partners to properly address co-parenting. Are there times when a parent effectively has chosen to alienate themselves from their child? Unfortunately, that answer is sometimes yes, but a significant majority…