Dawn Newton Partner (510) 451-3300 dnewton@donahue.com Download vCard LinkedIn

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Dawn Newton is a business attorney whose practice focuses on franchise law, intellectual property, and data privacy. She is certified as a legal specialist in franchise and distribution law by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California.

As a franchise law expert, Dawn represents a broad spectrum of franchised businesses, particularly restaurants and retail concepts, and she serves as outside general counsel for several. Many of her clients’ concepts are targeted to children, including tutoring, daycare, and supplemental education. Her experience includes:

Managing the regulatory and compliance work of mature and expanding franchise systems
Structuring new franchise systems for start-up franchisors, including drafting Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs), franchise agreements, area development agreements, and managing registrations and exemptions.
Assisting businesses with resolving complex franchise law violation situations

For businesses or attorneys subject to a California DBO requirement to obtain remedial franchise compliance training, she offers a comprehensive full-day training which meets DBO standards.

In addition to her franchise practice, Dawn helps clients safeguard and preserve their intellectual property, such as:

Trademark and copyright prosecution and licensing
Creating and registering new marks and expanding marks internationally
Developing strategies to protect and enhance intellectual property
Policing and responding to allegations of infringement
Advising on issues raised by new forms of media

Dawn also advises clients regarding data privacy issues, including compliance with various privacy and security laws including CCPA, GDPR, COPPA, CalOPPA, CAN-SPAM, and more. Her experience includes responding to data breaches, creating compliance plans, and vendor management.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member, American Bar Association Forum on Franchising, 2004-Present
Annual Meeting Co-Chair, American Bar Association Forum on Franchising, 2017
Member, Governing Committee, American Bar Association Forum on Franchising, 2015-Present
Member, International Franchise Association, 2015-Present
Chair and Commissioner, Franchise and Distribution Law Advisory Commission, Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California, 2008-2015
Chair, Intellectual Property Section, Alameda County Bar Association, 2011-2013

Recognition

Listed, Who's Who Legal: Franchise, 2017-2019
Named, The Best Lawyers in America© – Franchising, Best Lawyers, 2013-2019
Named, Rising Star, Northern California Super Lawyers, 2010
Awarded, AV® Preeminent™ (5.0 out of 5) peer-review rated, Martindale-Hubbell™
Recipient, Future Leader Award, Forum on Franchising, American Bar Association, 2010

Past Articles/News

Donahue Fitzgerald Ranked In Top Tier of 2017 “Best Law Firms”
Franchising a Marijuana Business: It’s Not Quite Mission Impossible, Franchise Law Journal, American Bar Association, co-authored with Shannon L. McCarthy, vol. 35, no.3, Winter 2016
Advertising and Social Media

Books

The Annotated Franchise Agreement, Forum on Franchising - American Bar Association, contributing editor, 2018

"Negotiating Key Provisions," Chapter 2, Mergers and Acquisitions of Franchise Companies, second ed., Forum on Franchising - American Bar Association, contributing author, 2014

Recent Speaking Engagements

November 15, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV
CLA 44th Annual Intellectual Property Law Section Institute
California Lawyers Association

October 17, 2019 | Denver, CO
ABA’s 42nd Forum on Franchising
American Bar Association Forum on Franchising

October 07, 2019 | Walnut Creek, CA
GDPR and CCPA: Consumer-Focused Privacy Laws And Their Impact
Contra Costa County Bar Association

January 24, 2019 | Oakland, CA
Preparing for the California Consumer Privacy Act

October 10, 2018 | Nashville, TN
ABA’s 41st Forum on Franchising
American Bar Association Forum on Franchising

October 18, 2017 | Palm Dessert, CA
ABA’s 40th Annual Forum on Franchising
American Bar Association Forum on Franchising

November 02, 2016 | Miami, Florida
Fundamentals of Franchising
American Bar Association's Forum on Franchising

September 12, 2016 | Oakland, CA
The Forgotten Asset: Copyright Law for Estate Planners
East Bay Estate Planning Council

November 17, 2015 | San Francisco, CA
The Forgotten Asset: Copyright Law for Estate Planners
Bar Association of San Francisco

November 10, 2015 | Oakland, CA
What You Need to Know About Franchising Your Business

Past Speaking Engagements

What You Need to Know About Franchising Your Business, November 10, 2015, Oakland, California
Fundamentals 201: Drafting the Six Most Challenging Items in the FDD, Forum on Franchising – American Bar Association, October 15-16, 2015, New Orleans, Louisiana
Nationalizing Your Brand, 2015 Cannabis Business Summit, National Cannabis Industry Association, June 28, 2015, Denver, Colorado
Handling Defaults and Terminations, 48th Annual Legal Symposium, International Franchise Association, May 5, 2015, Chicago, Illinois
Franchising v. Licensing, National Cannabis Bar Association, February 12, 2015, San Francisco, California
Advanced Disclosure Issues, Forum on Franchising – American Bar Association, 2013, Orlando, Florida
Best Practices for Establishing a Franchise Compliance Program, Forum on Franchising – American Bar Association, 2010, San Diego, California