A, B, C’s of Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts

Joseph M. Donohue, Managing Member | Donohue, O’Connell & Riley

Joseph M. Donohue is the Managing Member of Donohue, O’Connell & Riley PLLC, a multi-jurisdictional trusts and estates firm serving affluent families, business owners, and executives across the Northeast. Over the course of his career, Joe has advised thousands of clients on structuring their personal affairs and businesses to minimize taxes, reduce exposure to unforeseen liabilities, and ensure the smooth transition of assets between generations. He is recognized for his distinctive ability to process the most complex legal and financial situations efficiently, translate them into plain, actionable terms, and craft tailored plans that protect families and preserve lasting legacies. Affluent families and business owners trust Joe to maximize the tax efficiency of their real estate, investment, and insurance assets and to collaborate seamlessly with their team of trusted advisors.

• Education & Credentials

Joe earned his Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Boston University, with a double major in English Literature and Art History and a minor in French. He subsequently completed a three-year course of study at Oxford University, where he received a Master of Philosophy in English Literature. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor with honors from Boston College Law School. He is admitted to practice law in both New York and New Hampshire and is fluent in French and German.

• Recognition & Leadership

Joe’s academic distinctions include election to Phi Beta Kappa and graduation with distinction from Boston University. At Boston College Law School, he served as Executive Editor of the Boston College Law Review, one of the law school’s highest honors. As Managing Member of Donohue, O’Connell & Riley PLLC, Joe leads a firm that has expanded both organically and through strategic acquisition to encompass eleven offices across five states, including New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Under his leadership, the firm has established a meaningful presence in New Hampshire to give clients access to that state’s favorable trust laws.

• Professional Involvement

Joe is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the New Hampshire Bar Association. Throughout his career, he has represented and advised prominent institutional clients on sophisticated planning matters, including Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (which developed the 9/11 memorial site at the new World Trade Center), the Art Students League, and the American Museum of Natural History. These engagements have spanned real estate finance, charitable giving programs, and multi-generational wealth planning.

• Experience

Joe began his legal career at Leboeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, LLP, an international law firm with more than twenty offices worldwide, where he practiced in both the New York and Paris offices. His early work placed him at the intersection of sophisticated domestic and international planning, and he handled matters ranging from complex real estate finance transactions to charitable giving programs for leading cultural institutions. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Joe established his own practice in Warwick, New York in 2008. His combination of warm counsel, ingenious planning strategies, and measurable tax savings built a loyal client base, and the practice grew rapidly, evolving into what is today Donohue, O’Connell & Riley PLLC. Joe’s firsthand experience as a real estate investor in both residential and commercial properties further informs his counsel to clients navigating significant real estate holdings.

Georgia Bender, Associate | Donohue, O’Connell & Riley

Georgia Bender is an Associate Attorney at Donohue, Beasley & Ferber PLLC, where she counsels individuals and families on estate planning, elder law, and estate administration matters. Based in the firm’s Warwick office, Georgia brings to her practice a genuine enjoyment of client relationships, a steady comfort with complex legal and financial questions, and strong research skills that allow her to develop thoughtful, well-grounded strategies for every matter she handles. She is a valued part of the team serving the Orange County community and the firm’s broader client base across the Northeast.

• Education & Credentials

Georgia earned her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Pace University, conferred in 2017. She is admitted to practice law in both New York and New Jersey.

• Professional Involvement

Georgia is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the New Jersey State Bar Association. Through her work at the firm, she contributes to Donohue, Beasley & Ferber’s long-standing commitment to serving clients and families throughout the Orange County community.

• Experience

Prior to joining Donohue, Beasley & Ferber PLLC in August 2024, Georgia practiced as an associate at two respected law firms in New Jersey and New York, where she gained several years of substantive experience advising clients on sophisticated legal matters. That background, combined with her natural aptitude for navigating complex fact patterns and legal questions, informs the tailored counsel she provides today. Whether guiding a family through the preparation of a comprehensive estate plan, helping older clients and their loved ones navigate the challenges of aging, or administering estates with care and precision, Georgia approaches each engagement with diligence, warmth, and a steady focus on her clients’ goals.

SESSION 1 – Considerations: Revocable vs. Irrevocable | 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Attorney Georgia Bender compares revocable and irrevocable trust structures across flexibility, tax treatment, and asset protection, then examines revocable trust advantages for probate avoidance and estate tax planning—helping you identify ideal candidates for each approach.

BREAK | 3:00pm – 3:10pm

SESSION 2 – Irrevocable Trusts and Trust Administration | 3:10pm – 4:10pm

Attorney Joseph Donohue reviews four irrevocable trust types—Medicaid asset protection, SLATs, ILITs, and special needs—with drafting tips, then tackles trust administration: EIN requirements, four key phases, avoiding contests, and shielding fiduciary clients from liability.