With those areas of emphasis, James E. Donahue, in 1975, founded the firm of Donahue & Callaham, which has since evolved to become Donahue Bates Blakemore & Mackey. Mr. Donahue remains active as a litigator and mentor, and his claims philosophy is reflected in the attitude and approach taken by all of the firm's attorneys in handling litigation.

The firm's philosophy recognizes that the handling of any given case often has effects far beyond the resolution of that individual case, for both the client and the firm. Our experience has shown that the best results are obtained where the firm has developed the reputation that it's settlement offers are the result of defense counsel's "homework", not "guesswork", and that unaccepted offers result in trial, rather than increased offers.

As practiced by the individual members of this firm, that means the initial steps undertaken are to conduct only the investigation and discovery needed to make a realistic and reliable evaluation of the liability and damages. Using that information, recommendations are made for possible settlement through negotiation or further litigation. However, where the value of a case has been offered, additional authority or offers are not pursued absent an appreciable change in the liability or damages picture. Proximity to trial alone, does not justify an increased offer. Where trial is required, the firm stands prepared to fully commit the time, resources and energy required to obtain the best possible result.

Donahue Bates Blakemore & Mackey believes that their clients have the right to know, upfront, what the anticipated fees and costs on any given case are likely to be through the completion of discovery, arbitration and trial. Toward that end, any attorney handling a file, is expected to provide an estimate of the fees and costs through each of those stages with their initial analysis and to thereafter keep the client informed of significant developments bearing on both liability and damages.

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