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.
  • |

    The Exclusivity Rule in Worker’s Compensation

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    After you’ve been injured at work, you likely have many questions. You may have heard of the Exclusivity Rule in worker’s compensation but have questions about the rule. You may have questions about the way your worker’s compensation claim is moving forward. What is the Exclusivity Rule, and how does it affect your worker’s compensation claim? By law, accidental injuries which occur at work must exclusively be brought under the worker’s compensation statute. This requirement to bring these claims as worker’s compensation cases is called the Exclusivity Rule. The Exclusivity Rule means that claims based on a work-related injury that could be brought against an employer or coworker are barred, except in very limited circumstances, and thus the “exclusive” remedy is in workers’ compensation. This…

  • What Documents Do I Need For My Case? – Family Law

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    One of the most common questions we get at our office is “what documents do I need to get you?” For family law, the answer depends on what type of case is before the Court, and what phase of litigation you are in. Any family-related petition in New Hampshire is governed by Family Division Rule 1.25-A. This Court rule has a comprehensive list of documents that any party must exchange in the course of litigation. Colloquially, this rule is called the “mandatory disclosure” rule. Depending on the type of litigation, the list is either shorter or longer. For example, divorce requires full disclosure of all the documents on this list, whereas an unwed parenting case limits the parties’ disclosures. Failure to exchange mandatory disclosures can…

  • |

    Auto Insurance Medical Payments Coverage: Why Should My Insurance Pay for My Injuries that Weren’t My Fault

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    New Hampshire has a form of auto insurance that is present in all policies in the State called “medical payment coverage”. This is a no-fault coverage that is non-subrogable. This means that it doesn’t matter whose fault the car accident was, as the insurer is required to pay medical payment coverage regardless of fault. So, why use it when the accident was not your fault? Most importantly, because “non-subrogable” means you don’t have to pay back any benefit paid under medical payment coverage. This is important, because all health insurance policies (whether through the government, your work, or a private policy) require they be reimbursed if you recover money from your injury case. Thus, using the medial payment coverage to maximize your own recovery is…

  • What Estate Planning Documents Do I Need?

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Although it can sometimes be difficult to think about our own mortality, it is important to have an estate plan to be sure your last wishes are respected. An experienced estate planning attorney can assist you with this process. Some essential estate planning documents you will need include: Last Will and Testament. Your Last Will and Testament details to whom and how you would like your property distributed after your death, including any real estate or business interests. A Last Will and Testament also allows you to determine who will care for your minor children and who should manage their inheritance until they reach an age to be determined by you. Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care. The Durable Power of Attorney for Health…

  • Property Law: Adverse Possession

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    At Parnell, Michels & McKay, we handle property litigation cases. One such type of litigation are claims made through adverse possession. It is one of the oldest forms of law in property, and involves the taking of title to property without having to execute a written deed. It most commonly arises in boundary line disputes, and can involve something as innocuous as the misplacement of a fence by a friendly neighbor. However, the effects this doctrine can have on people’s property can be immense, so it is important to try to understand the concept of adverse possession and to seek legal advice as soon as possible. Basically, the initial test is whether the person claiming adverse possession has acted as the true and lawful owner…

  • Legal Separation vs. Divorce

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    When considering divorce, people often ask whether they should seek a divorce or a legal separation. There are several things to consider when making this decision. The first is that the process that you will go through to get a legal separation is exactly the same process as a divorce. In a legal separation process, if the parties are unable to agree, the Court will decide all issues including parenting, support and asset/debt division, just as the Court would do in a divorce. The division of assets/debts in a legal separation is final, just as it would be in a divorce. Support issues and parenting issues are modifiable in a legal separation, just as they would be in a divorce. The only difference between a…

  • Making Getting Paid Easier on Workers’ Compensation

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    In workers’ compensation cases, our clients are receiving weekly checks called “indemnity checks”. These payments are made consistent with the workers compensation statutes of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and are typically sixty percent (60%) of an injured person’s average weekly wage. For decades, the workers’ compensation insurers would send paper checks to the injured workers. Unfortunately, like many things that are mailed, the checks could be delayed by weather, holidays, or postal service log jams. In some situations, the insurers would just forget to send the checks. In New Hampshire, we addressed this continual inefficiency by proposing a change to the law to require a workers’ compensation insurer to pay their injured workers by direct deposit. This eliminated the cost of producing and mailing the…

  • |

    Splitting College Expenses Between Divorcing Parents

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    One of the most difficult challenges families face is paying for college. Although it is wise to save for college in a 529 Plan or other type of financial investment, not many families find that they are able to contribute much to these accounts while paying for the rest of life’s daily expenses. This becomes even more challenging when couples are getting divorced as it costs more to support two households than one. Courts cannot force divorcing parents to contribute to college Under New Hampshire law, the Court cannot force parents to pay for their adult children’s college expenses unless the parents have agreed to fund their children’s college expenses or set aside assets intended to pay for their children’s college expenses. Even though the…

  • Gen Z Entering The Housing Market

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    Boomers are downsizing. Gen Xers are paying the kids’ college tuition. Millennials are a force to be reckoned with. But a new generation is entering the housing market with gusto: Gen Z. Gen Zers were born between 1997 and 2015. The oldest are turning 24 this year. That may seem young to buy a home, but Gen Zers are jumping in with both feet. Many millennials are happy renting, but most Gen Zers say they want to own. It’s been estimated that the number of Gen-Z mortgage applications have increased 57% from January to March 2021, which is up from 124% compared to March 2020. Top Five Cities Where Gen Zers Are Buying The top five cities for Gen Z (25 and under) purchasers between…

  • Creditor Harassment: Protect Your Rights

    ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices Hours

    While debt collectors have the right to contact debtors when they fall behind on their payments, they are also mandated by law to refrain from any practices that are considered harassing in nature. According to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), creditors may not harass, oppress, or abuse any person while seeking payment for a debt. If you feel that debt collectors are harassing you, here’s what you need to know. Creditors and Harassing Behaviors Debt collectors may display the following behaviors that are considered creditor harassment when collecting a debt: The FDCPA protects debtors against debt collectors who use deceptive and misleading practices to collect a debt. Debt collectors must refrain from making misrepresentations about the following: If debt collectors are harassing you,…