History

The firm known today as Donahoo & McMenamy, P.A. has deep roots in the legal profession, especially in tax law.

A FOCUS ON TAX WORK FROM THE VERY BEGINNING

Once dubbed “Florida’s first tax attorney,” Ernest W. Mitchell worked directly with revenue agents to establish Florida property values after the 1913 ratification of the 16th Amendment, which allowed the Federal government to tax the income of individuals.

In 1938, Mitchell and John W. Donahoo founded the law firm of Mitchell and Donahoo. With the intent of solely focusing on tax law, Mitchell and Donahoo became—in fact—the first dedicated tax law firm in the state of Florida. Major legislation in 1939 and 1954 saw tax law become even more complex, increasing the need for sophisticated tax planning.

A SECOND, THEN THIRD GENERATION OF GROWTH

In 1966 Donahoo’s son, Thomas Mitchell Donahoo, joined the firm after receiving his Master of Laws in taxation from New York University School of Law. He practiced with his father for more than 25 years, developing one of the first father-son law offices in Jacksonville. His father retired from practice at the age of 81. In 1986, William B. McMenamy, an attorney and CPA, joined the firm. With years of public accounting experience behind him, McMenamy helped mold the firm’s reputation for having solid accounting and financial expertise to complement the law practice. In 1994, Thomas Mitchell Donahoo, Jr., representing a third generation, began his practice with the firm. Through this history, Donahoo & McMenamy has acquired the unique perspective of working with many generations of families to navigate the intricacies of the Internal Revenue Code.