Obituary of Francis W. Donahue, ESQ.

Francis “Frank” Donahue, ESQ. born on May 18, 1943, to Madalyn (Ryan) and Aloysius Donahue in Jersey City, New Jersey, passed away peacefully at home on October 26, 2024, surrounded by family.

Raised as a working-class Irish Catholic, Frank’s resilience and grit were apparent from an early age. Known for his toughness and determination, he hitchhiked daily to St. Peter’s Prep and went on to graduate from Seton Hall University ‘65 and Seton Hall Law School ‘68. Frank broke through social barriers to become one of New Jersey’s most successful family law attorneys, with a career that spanned 56 years.

Frank Donahue was a tenacious lawyer with a compassionate heart.  He was a trailblazer in New Jersey family law, renowned for shaping new law and establishing significant precedents that have shaped the legal field and influenced countless lives. During Frank’s distinguished career, he represented clients in some of New Jersey’s most complex and high-profile family law cases.  His clients included celebrities, athletes, CEOs, business owners, and professionals. He was lead attorney in the landmark “Baby M” case in 1987, which broke new legal ground as the first American court ruling on surrogacy. He helped set a new legal standard in Joe Piscopo’s 1988 divorce case, introducing the concept of "celebrity goodwill" in divorce proceedings.  Among many other landmark cases, his most notable include Lepis v. Lepis, Crews v. Crews, and Moriarty v. Bradt.  

As a founding member of the NJ Family Law Inns of Court, Frank lectured extensively for organizations like the NJ Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the New Jersey Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Trial Lawyers Association. He contributed articles to the New Jersey Law Journal and New Jersey Family Lawyer.  In 2019, Frank was honored with the NJ State Bar Association’s Saul Tischler Family Law Section Award for his contributions to family law. 

Known for his big personality, a wide circle of friends, mentorship of young professionals, and love of doo-wop music, Frank’s legacy will be felt across the legal and local community.

He is survived by his loving wife, Jane Simpson, whom he married in 2015 in Morristown, NJ; his two children, Brian Francis Donahue (Julie Horner) of Washington, DC, and Bridget Madalyn Donahue; stepchildren Emily A. Vigilante and David Vigilante; and his cherished granddaughter, Cameron Rose Donahue.

Services will be held Friday, November 1, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at Burroughs, Kohr & Dangler Funeral Home in Madison, NJ, with a second viewing on Saturday, November 2, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, followed by a funeral at 12:00 pm at the Funeral Home and burial. (During Visiting Hours, a steady flow throughout the Funeral Home will ensure all guests will be able to share their condolences with the family.) 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, supporting care for children with special needs and orthopedic challenges.