Remembering Hugh G. E. MacMahon
We at Drummond Woodsum & MacMahon are deeply saddened by the passing of our retired senior partner, colleague and mentor, Hugh MacMahon, on September 23.
Our clients will remember Hugh as a tenacious and consummate advocate for their interests and their unwavering partner in navigating a wide range of challenges and crises. A versatile trial and labor lawyer, he was the founder of our school law practice, and Hugh fought tirelessly for Maine’s elected school boards and their rights and duties to govern public schools in a manner that best serves the educational needs of children. Cases argued by Hugh at the Maine Supreme Court, the federal courts and the Maine Labor Relations Board established sturdy precedents supporting school boards’ prerogative to exercise their authority in the best interest of students and their communities. In addition to his success in court, Hugh was trusted by school leaders throughout the State to provide wise and thoughtful counsel on the range of challenges they faced.
Outside the firm, Hugh earned the respect and admiration of the legal community, including both judges and opposing counsel, for his extraordinary legal skills and integrity. Within the firm, he was a loyal friend and unparalleled teacher, both to his peers and new lawyers he warmly welcomed to the firm. His legacy lives on and will persist among those of us who were trained and influenced by him, in the Maine educational community, in the broader legal community, and among all those whose lives were touched by him.
There will be a service for Hugh at the Trinity Episcopal Church, 580 Forest Avenue in Portland, on Friday, September 27 at 11 a.m.