Contact Information

Main phone

301-652-6880

Fax

301-652-8972

Email

podonoghue@fdalaw.com

Assistant

Joann Leath-Jackson

Practice Description

• Estate Planning
• Probate
• Trusts
• Estate and Trust Litigation
• Taxpayer Disputes and Litigation
• Private Foundations
• Tax Law
• Corporate Law
• Closely Held Businesses

Experience

Mr. Phil O'Donoghue has represented a wide range of clients on estate planning and business matters since 1977. First at Covington & Burling, and beginning in 1982 with Furey, Doolan & Abell, LLP, Mr. O'Donoghue has concentrated on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and tax matters. Most of his clients are individuals and small businesses. Like the other lawyers at Furey, Doolan & Abell, LLP, Mr. O'Donoghue is a problem-solver who tries to think ahead to find practical solutions to issues and assist his clients in meeting their business and financial objectives. In estate planning, Mr. O'Donoghue has created and implemented estate plans with business, charitable, and tax planning.

His experience allows him to explain clearly to his clients the pros and cons of the courses of action to be considered and to implement a plan with well-crafted documents. He is very comfortable with quantitative analysis in determining risks and rewards of the alternatives.
Mr. O'Donoghue also has represented fiduciaries, both in advising them in their operations and protecting them in disputes. As an example, Mr. O'Donoghue, with the assistance of others in the firm, obtained extraordinary compensation for a corporate fiduciary whose efforts had produced a substantial benefit to an estate. This award was unprecedented in Montgomery County courts. Similarly, where he has been brought a defective plan, Mr. O'Donoghue has had success in obtaining reformation or correction through judicial action.

Based on his experience, Mr. O'Donoghue is a recognized expert in federal estate and gift taxation and related aspects of fiduciary income taxation. He is also well versed in District of Columbia and Maryland law concerning estates and trusts, including local tax laws. He is familiar with income tax law pertaining to S corporations, partnerships, and sales and exchanges of business and investment assets as these pertain to many of his clients' interests. Mr. O'Donoghue also advises private foundations on tax and compliance matters.

From 1976 to 1977 he served as Law Clerk to Hon. William B. Jones, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the District of Columbia.

Bar and Court Admissions

• District of Columbia, 1976
• Maryland, 1980
• U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 1978
• U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 1981
• U. S. Tax Court, 1990

Professional Associations and Memberships

• The Barristers
• The Lawyers Club of Washington, D.C. (Secretary, 1995-present)
• Montgomery County Bar Association (Section on Wills, Trusts and Estates)
• Maryland State Bar Association (Trusts and Estates Section; Publication Committee, 1983-1991; Section Council, 1986-1990, 1992-1997; Secretary, 1994-1995; Chair, 1996-1997)
• The District of Columbia Bar (Section on Estates and Trusts; Steering Committee, 1992-1995)
• District of Columbia Estate Planning Council (Reporter on Maryland Law, 1994-present)
• Suburban Maryland Estate Planning Council
• American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

Publications and Presentations

• Co-Author: "Use of Disclaimers in Post-Mortem Planning," New York University Tax Institute, at 7-1 to 7-33, 1982
• Lecturer, Estate and Trust Topics, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers, 1984-

Community Involvement

• Board of Trustees, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School (1999-2000)
• Chevy Chase Club, Board of Governors (2000-present), Treasurer (2002), Chair of the Executive Committee (2003), President (2004)
• The Louise Home (foundation), Standby Trustee (1992-2002); President (2002-present)

Education

• B.A., University of Notre Dame, 1972, major in mathematics (magna cum laude) (Phi Beta Kappa)
• J.D., Georgetown University, 1976
  • Member, 1975-1976 and Editor, 1976-1977, Georgetown Law Journal