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.

  • Why Should My Auto Insurance Pay Anything? The Accident Wasn’t My Fault!

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    The situation involves you being rear ended from behind while waiting for a red light. You are upset, injured and end up going to the emergency room. You need treatment, and your outlook will take months if not longer to recover. The accident is not your fault, and you want your bills and damages paid for. Then, one of our experienced attorneys here at Parnell, Michels & McKay tells you your insurance will help pay some of your damages. At first blush, this response can be confusing, but it is also very correct. Your insurance is there for a reason, and will protect you when the driver that hurt you does not have insurance, or has low insurance limits. The two most common types of…

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    Freedom of Information Act: What is it and why is it important?

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    While you or your attorneys are gathering information about your claim, there may be many terms you are unfamiliar with. You may have heard of the Freedom of Information Act in the news, but be wondering how it relates to your case. What is the Freedom of Information Act, when is it used, and why is it relevant to your personal injury case? The Freedom of Information Act is a law representing a compromise between the State’s interest in keeping its activities confidential and the public’s right to know what the State is up to. In New Hampshire, this is known as the Right to Know law under RSA 91-A. All government records are subject to the Right to Know Law, with certain exceptions such…

  • Grounds for Divorce in New Hampshire

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Persons getting divorced in New Hampshire have a choice to make on the grounds for divorce. New Hampshire is considered to be a no-fault divorce state as neither party is required to prove specific grounds to get divorced. The petitioner needs to simply state that irreconcilable differences have caused the irremediable breakdown of the marriage. (NH RSA 458:7-a). This means that the marriage is broken down and cannot be repaired. These no-fault grounds for divorce are by far the most common grounds alleged to get divorced in New Hampshire. It is also possible to get divorced in New Hampshire based on specific fault grounds for divorce. (RSA 458:7). Those fault grounds include: Adultery Extreme Cruelty Treatment by one spouse that seriously injures the health of…

  • MA PFAS Contamination Lawsuit

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    You may have heard of a chemical group referred to as PFAS or “forever chemicals” before. This stubborn chemical family has a history of winding up in water, air, fish, and soil across the nation and globe. Once this chemical is released into the atmosphere and distributed throughout our environment, it does not leave. The indestructible nature of PFAS has coined the chemical a harmful reputation to the human body, with studies proving that ingestion or contact with it causes a vast array of medical disorders (including various cancers). The natural distribution of PFAS is often due to waste-water dumping conducted by corporations that utilize the chemical, as it is often a component of the flame retardant fire fighters use in abundance. As a result,…

  • Initial Consults – Family Law

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Most family law cases do not start with a big “blow out” fight or someone filing a petition with the Court. Rather, majority of cases come to our firm with the same story: “I have thought about divorce for a long time and I don’t know what to do anymore.” For many, the idea of divorce is completely overwhelming, and an emotionally tumultuous and frightening process. A good divorce attorney will be able to not only explain the legal process and options to you, but make you feel heard and help you understand. You should leave the consult with a little more certainty and knowledge. The first step in any consult is to provide the attorney with your background. Though we are not your therapists,…

  • Why Do I Need an Estate Plan?

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Recent surveys have found that most Americans do not have a written estate plan. Many people question why they need an estate plan if they do not have valuable assets to pass to their loved ones. Others feel the process is too expensive or are just not sure how to get started. Creating a Last Will and Testament or a Revocable Trust ensures that your property will be distributed to whom you wish. If you were to pass away without a written estate plan in place, the assets that you own, either in your sole name or without beneficiaries named, would pass pursuant to your state’s intestate statute. This may mean that if you do not own your property jointly with a spouse or significant…

  • Beware of Flying Objects – The Baseball Doctrine

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Here in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, we are blessed to be surrounded by several baseball and hockey teams at the professional, collegiate, recreational, and youth levels. Notably though, many people do not realize the risks they are assuming when attending these sporting events. For example, you may not have known that if you attend a baseball or hockey game, and are hit by a flying puck or baseball and get injured, that you cannot recover money for any injuries you suffer. This concept is known as implied assumption of the risk, or in more memorable terms, the baseball doctrine. While a facility owner usually owes a duty to protect people that enter their facility, courts have held under the baseball doctrine that baseball stadium and…

  • Product Liability: How To Know If You Have a Claim If You Were Injured By a Product You Purchased

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Most injury cases handled by personal injury attorneys are auto accident cases and slip or trip and falls. 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. One of these types of cases are product liability cases. This is a situation where something you bought doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to, and a person is injured as a result. Product liability generally includes three types of cases. A defect in the…

  • Important Potential Change to iMessaging

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Text messages are a common exhibit for family law cases. At times, text messages can be a strong barometer of truth, as future litigants send text messages to one another not thinking that a third party may read them some day. For others, it’s evidence of other party’s volatile emotional state, or inability to communicate about coparenting issues. No matter how they are used, the fact remains that text message images are a steady source of exhibits in family law cases. Accordingly, it’s really important that potential family law litigants be aware of Apple’s potential modifications to their iMessage app. First, it’s important to say that as of writing this blog, Apple has not officially said what their modified features are going to look like…

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    Common Mistakes in Evictions

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    If you are a landlord and have a tenant you are being forced to evict, there are a lot of ways to make mistakes that can lead to the tenant staying longer than you want. Having an attorney that understands the law and can prepare you can avoid many of these mistakes. In failure to pay rent cases, one of the most common mistakes is including more than just rent on the Demand for Rent. Sometimes, landlords add late fees, interest or penalties to the rental amount. Doing this can be fatal to your eviction case, as only rent should be included on a demand for rent. Moreover, accounting the correct rent is just as important. If your demand for rent is more than what…