Gordon J. MacDonald

Gordon J. MacDonald (born November 27, 1961) is an American attorney who has served as the chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court since 2021. He previously served as the 30th Attorney General of New Hampshire from 2017 to 2021.[1][2][3][4]

This article is about the New Hampshire jurist. For other people with the same name, see Gordon MacDonald.
Gordon MacDonald
37th Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court
Assumed office
March 4, 2021
Appointed byChris Sununu
Preceded byGary Hicks (Acting)
30th Attorney General of New Hampshire
In office
April 13, 2017 – March 4, 2021
GovernorChris Sununu
Preceded byJoseph Foster
Succeeded byJohn Formella
Personal details
Born (1961-11-27) November 27, 1961
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationDartmouth College (BA)
Cornell University (JD)

Education and early career

MacDonald attended public schools in Hanover, New Hampshire, graduating from Hanover High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in government, cum laude, from Dartmouth College in 1983.

From 1985 to 1990, MacDonald worked as legislative director for United States Senator Gordon J. Humphrey. In 1990, he became Humphrey’s Chief of Staff.[5]

In 1994, MacDonald earned a juris doctor, magna cum laude, from Cornell Law School. At Cornell, he worked as an article editor for the Cornell Law Review and was a member of the Order of the Coif.

From 1994 to 1995, MacDonald clerked for judge Norman H. Stahl of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.[1]

In 1995, MacDonald became an associate in the litigation department of Hale and Door LLP in Boston. In 1997, he became an associate at Nelson, Kinder, Mosseau & Gordon, PC in Manchester, New Hampshire. In 2001, he became an associate in the litigation department of Nixon Peabody, also in Manchester. In 2005, he became a partner in the same department of Nixon Peabody, holding that role until his appointment as attorney general.

From 2004 to 2017, MacDonald served on the New Hampshire Supreme Court Board of Bar Examiners, chairing the board from 2010 to 2017.

In 2017, MacDonald was nominated to be New Hampshire Attorney General by newly elected governor Chris Sununu. He was unanimously confirmed by the Executive Council of New Hampshire.[6]

New Hampshire Supreme Court

On June 4, 2019, Governor Sununu nominated MacDonald to be Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, replacing Robert J. Lynn who faced mandatory retirement at age 70.[7] On July 10, 2019, the Democratic-controlled executive council rejected MacDonald’s nomination by a 3-2 party-line vote. Democratic Councilors accused him of being a partisan and radical conservative. MacDonald denied the accusations, pointing to the support for his nomination from prominent Democrats including former Chief Justice John T. Broderick.[8]

On January 22, 2021, after Republicans flipped the council in the 2020 elections, Sununu renominated MacDonald, and his nomination was confirmed by a 4–1 party-line vote.[9] He was sworn into office on March 4, 2021, succeeding acting Chief Justice Gary E. Hicks.[10]

Personal life

MacDonald is married to fellow attorney Jennifer Eber, with whom he has one daughter.[11] MacDonald lives with his family in Deering, New Hampshire.[6]

References
  1. "Attorney Gordon J MacDonald - Lawyer in New York NY". www.lawyercentral.com.
  2. "Sununu Nominates Manchester Attorney for Attorney General". US News & World Report. 21 March 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. "Broad respect for Sununu's AG nominee Gordon MacDonald | New Hampshire". Archived from the original on 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  4. DiStaso, John (5 April 2017). "Gordon MacDonald unanimously confirmed as New Hampshire Attorney General". WMUR.
  5. "New Hampshire Judicial Branch - Supreme Court". www.courts.state.nh.us. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  6. MacDonald, Gordon (2017). "Application and Questionnaire for New Hampshire Judicial Candidates" (PDF). New Hampshire Public Radio.
  7. "Governor Chris Sununu to Nominate Attorney General Gordon MacDonald as Next Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court". www.governor.nh.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  8. Koziol, John (10 July 2019). "Executive Council Rejects MacDonald Nomination for Chief Justice". New Hampshire Union Leader.
  9. Downey, K. C. (2021-01-22). "Executive council votes to confirm MacDonald to be chief justice of NH Supreme Court". WMUR. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  10. Downey, K. C. (March 4, 2021). "Gordon MacDonald sworn in as NH Supreme Court chief justice". WMUR. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  11. Dandrea, Alyssa (July 10, 2019). "Many in N.H. legal community question vote against MacDonald". Valley News. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
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