September 5th 2010
P.O. Box 1778
Manchester, NH 03105
email:
603.624.7100
 
Attorney Craig S. Donais Biography





Attorney Craig Donais represents businesses, institutions, municipalities and individuals. His experience over thirteen years as a law clerk to Justices Sherman D. Horton and William R. Johnson at the New Hampshire Supreme Court, as an Assistant Attorney General in the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, and private practice have exposed him to a broad range of legal issues in transactional and litigation settings. He obtained the largest civil jury verdict in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire in 2007, in a fraud, breach of contract, and consumer protection action. Attorney Donais represents clients in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

His practice is focused primarily in three areas:  Business & Corporate Law, Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning, and Real Estate.

Attorney Donais strongly believes that an attorney is most effective when actively involved in community activities and organizations, and participates as an officer, director or volunteer in a wide variety of civic, fraternal, municipal, religious, cultural, and youth serving organizations.

Areas of Practice:
Business & Corporate Law
Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
Real Estate, including:
Zoning/Land Use/Environmental
Construction
Eminent Domain
Landlord-Tenant
Condominiums
Railroad and Public Transportation Law
Civil Litigation
Bar Admissions:
New Hampshire, 1997
Connecticut, 1997
Massachusetts, 1996
Maine, 1996 (inactive status)
U.S. District Court District of New Hampshire, 1997
U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts, 1997
U.S. Bankruptcy Court New Hampshire, 2007
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Massachusetts, 2008
U.S. Tax Court, 1997
U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit, 2000
U.S. Supreme Court, 2003
Education:
J.D. cum laude, Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts, 1996.  Member of Phi Delta Phi.

B.A., magna cum laude, with Commonwealth Honors, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 1992.  Member of Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics), Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science), and Golden Key National Honor Societies.

Reported Cases:
Malnati v. State, 148 N.H. 94 (2002)

In re Estate of Raduazo
, 148 N.H. 687 (2002), cert. den. 539 U.S. __, 123 S.Ct. 2610 (2003)
State v. Watson, 151 N.H. 537 (2004)
IMS Health Inc. v. Ayotte, 490 F.Supp.2d 163 (D. N.H. 2007), __ F.3d __ (1st Cir. 2008, No. 07-1945) (local counsel for amicus curiae).
Published Works:

Department Of Justice's Transportation and Construction Bureau: Trains, Planes and Automobiles
, 45 N.H. Bar J. 78, 1, 2004

Representative Clients:
Hampshire First Bank
Capital One
Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc.
Sunbelt Rentals
Town of Plaistow, NH
Viking Propane, LLC
Glenn's Appliance & More
Make-a-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire, Inc.
Green Power Management, LLC
4A Transportation Services, LLC
Dead River Company
Certified Medical Experts of America
First Congregational Church of Barrington, NH
 

Many Condominium Associations throughout New Hampshire
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Law Firm Management Basics for Solos and Small Firms, New Hampshire Bar Association, 2008
Honors and Awards:
Presidential Call to Service Award, 2009 (for lifetime volunteer service in excess of 4,000 hours)
Silver Beaver Award, Daniel Webster Council, Boy Scouts of America, 2006
James E. West Fellowship Award, Boy Scouts of America, 2007

National Distinguished Service Award, Order of the Arrow, BSA, 1992

Herbert G. Horton Service to Youth Award, Alpha Phi Omega, 2004
Associations and Memberships:

Daniel Webster Council, Boy Scouts of America, 2001 - Present (Executive Board, Executive Committee, Vice-President, and National Council Representative)

Safety & Health Council of Northern New England, 2007 - Present (Director)

Salvation Army of Manchester, NH, Advisory Board, 2008 - Present (Board Member)

Queen City Rotary Club, Manchester, NH, 2005 - Present (President-Elect for 2010-11 term)

Franco-American Centre, Manchester, NH, 2003 - Present (Trustee, President 2008-09)

City of Manchester, NH, Personnel Appeals Board, 2007 - Present
Past Employment Positions:
New Hampshire Supreme Court, Judicial Law Clerk, 1997-1999
New Hampshire Attorney General's Office, Assistant Attorney General, 1999 - 2005

Getman, Stacey, Schulthess & Steere, P.A., Associate, 2005 - 2007
Bar Association/Judicial Branch Related Activities:
Rule 170 Mediator & Rule 170-A Arbitrator, NH Judicial Branch Office of Mediation and Arbitration, 2008 - Present
NH Bar Association, Committee on Cooperation with the Courts, 2005 - Present
NH Bar Association, Bar News Advisory Board, 2005 - Present
NH Bar Association, Law Related Education Volunteer, 1997 - Present
Fraternity:  Alpha Phi Omega
My profile can also be found online at LinkedIn.
Donais Law Offices, PLLC
15A High Street
Post Office Box 1778
Manchester, New Hampshire 03105-1778
t: (603) 624-7100
f: (603) 624-7104
skype: CDonais
info@DonaisLaw.com


 
CONTACT
Donais Law Offices, PLLC
P.O. Box 1778
Manchester, NH 03105
Phone: 603.624.7100
Fax: 603.624.7104
Info@DonaisLaw.com