Doug Heath, long-time attorney in Holley, welcomes new partner for law practice

Photos by Tom Rivers: Bridget O’Toole and Doug Heath are pictured in the law office of Heath & O’Toole PLLC at 66 Public Square in Holley.

HOLLEY – Doug Heath, an attorney with 37 years of experience based in Holley, has welcomed a new partner for his law practice at 66 Public Square.

Bridget O’Toole joined Heath on April 1, forming Heath & O’Toole PLLC. The law firm specializes in estate planning and estate administration as well as municipal, real estate, land use, environmental and energy law.

Heath is a fourth-generation attorney going back 124 years. The lineage includes his father Robert Heath worked as an attorney for 50 years; grandfather, Mark Heath; and great-grandfather, Edward Heath.

Doug Heath has no plans of retiring anytime soon, and he said his practice has been growing. He met O’Toole in her role as the Barre town attorney. Heath works as the town attorney for Gaines and Carlton.

“My practice has been booming,” he said during an interview on Monday in Holley. “I needed to bring in help and I wanted to bring in young help. She represents a new generation attorney and the future.”

Doug Heath and Bridget O’Toole have joined forces in a law practice. Doug is a fourth-generation lawyer. O’Toole spent part of her childhood in Holley before her parents moved to Hilton.

O’Toole happens to be a Holley native. She spent her early years in Holley before her parents moved to Hilton. Her parents, Mike O’Toole and Denise (McAllister) O’Toole, both are from the Holley/Clarendon area. Doug graduated with Bridget’s dad in Holley’s Class of 1977.

O’Toole frequently visited Holley to see family and friends after moving to Hilton.

She earned her law degree from the Albany Law School and has worked as an attorney for 12 years.

O’Toole knows municipal law and has been busy assisting many towns with land use and environmental review of large-scale renewable energy projects, including solar and wind. She will continue with that focus at heath & O’Toole.

Heath will continue with his long-time expertise with municipal work, land use and zoning, residential and commercial real estate, wills, trusts and probate.

O’Toole said Heath is well regarded in the local community, and offers much wisdom from his nearly four decades of experience.

“Doug is a stand-up guy,” O’Toole said. “There are a lot of things to like about Doug. I respect how kind he is and how he treats people.”

O’Toole said she prefers working in a rural community, assisting residents and municipalities.

Heath, who earned his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law, is excited for a new phase of the long-time firm.

In addition to O’Toole, the firm is adding another attorney, Bridget Cook, who is starting on May 1. She joins a group that also includes Diane Shampine as paralegal and office manager, Alyce Miller as paralegal, and Jennifer Spencer as paralegal.

“We have a good range of experience,” Heath said. “We are a solid team.”

Heath’s wife Brenda also is recently retired as an attorney. She worked 32 years as the senior court attorney in Orleans County, working for judges Paul Miles, James Punch and Sanford Church.

Heath is excited for the next chapter for the firm based at 66 Public Square.

“The Heath name has a legacy of more than 125 years of legal service to Orleans County,” he said. “We believe that our personalized approach to legal representation will allow us to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients and community.”

O’Toole also believes the firm has built a strong team to serve its clients.

“We understand that legal issues can be overwhelming and stressful,” she said. “We pride ourselves on being attorneys with a community focus. Our goal is to provide our clients with the support and advocacy they need to navigate through their legal matters and achieve a positive resolution.”

For more information on Heath & O’Toole, click here.