Donald M. McHugh is a senior partner of McHugh & Macri, Esqs. in East Hanover which was established in 1978. His prior background is in real estate, land use, planning and municipal law until his primary focus became elder/disability law in 1995. Prior clients include Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (now Novartis Pharmaceuticals); the Township of East Hanover Municipal Boards; Costco Wholesale; Commerce Bank; and Matzel & Mumford, Builders. His current practice addresses medical spend down and asset preservation planning to provide for the supplemental needs of the elder client; he has extensive experience in administrative law litigation from Fair Hearing through Appellate Division appeals. He prosecuted the Johnson v. Guhl case through the Federal Court system from 1998 through 2003; achieved the landmark ruling In re Labis which permits guardians to conduct Medicaid planning and assisted his fellow counsel to expand the Labis authority to non-spousal cases in In re Keri. In 2004, in his A.B. case, State payback requirement on commercial annuities was overturned.

Donald M. McHugh is a Certified Elder Law Attorney, certified by the National Elder Law Foundation; a member of NAELA; 2005 Chair of the Elder/Disability Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar; Chair of subcommittees on N.J. Medicaid regulation compliance, assisted living facility regulations and current annuity litigation nationwide. He is a frequent author and lecturer on elder/disability law to the public, charitable organizations and professional legal and accounting societies, including ICLE and the annual seminar for Administrative Law Judges on Medicaid issues. He is a co-author of pending legislation in the State Senate and Assembly on disability trusts.

Mr. McHugh is admitted to practice in New Jersey, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and is a member of the State and County Bar Association.

He received his undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University and graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1973 and has privately practiced since his admission to the bar in 1973.

Firm Description

Principals, Donald McHugh and Vincent Macri, have practiced together for 31 years and are both CELA's. The firm's attorneys specialize in elder law, including Medicaid planning, Medicaid applications, asset protection, nursing home and probate litigation, tax and estate planning, related real estate, estate and trust administration, special needs trusts, power of attorney and guardianship.

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