Dawn Newton Partner (510) 451-3300 dnewton@donahue.com Download vCard LinkedIn
Dawn Newton
Dawn Newton is a business attorney whose practice focuses on intellectual property and franchise matters. 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. Her experience includes:
- Managing the regulatory and compliance work of mature franchise systems
- Structuring new franchise systems for start-up franchisors
- Assisting businesses with resolving complex franchise law violation situations
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 has extensive experience litigating business disputes in both federal and state court, including matters involving franchise relationships, trademarks, trade secrets, and confidential business information.
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
- Member, Intellectual Property Section and Business Law Section, State Bar of California, 2008-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
- Member, Board of Directors, Tracing Center on Histories and Legacies of Slavery, 2012-2015
- Member, Board of Directors, People's Grocery, 2011-2015
Recognition
- Named, The Best Lawyers in America© – Franchising, Best Lawyers, 2013-2016
- Named, Rising Star, Northern California Super Lawyers, 2010
- Recipient, Future Leader Award, Forum on Franchising, American Bar Association, 2010
Recent Articles/News
- Donahue Fitzgerald Ranked In Top Tier of 2017 “Best Law Firms”
- Donahue Fitzgerald Honored to Present Award to Maximum Games
- Donahue Fitzgerald Attorneys Recognized in the Best Lawyers in America© 2016 Edition, Best Lawyers in America©, 2016 Edition
- Who’s Using Your Parked Domain?
- Trademark Owners Can Block the Adult Entertainment Industry’s Use of Their Marks as Domain Names
- ICANN Approves Sweeping Change to Domain Name Policies
- Avoid Class Action Suits by Using Arbitration Agreements
- Advertising and Social Media
- Franchising a Marijuana Business: It’s Not Quite Mission Impossible, American Bar Association’s Franchise Law Journal, vol. 35, no. 3, Winter 2016
- Insulating Your Business against Twitter Defections
Books
"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 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
- October 15-16, 2015, Fundamentals 201: Drafting the Six Most Challenging Items in the FDD, Forum on Franchising – American Bar Association, New Orleans
- June 28, 2015, Nationalizing Your Brand, 2015 Cannabis Business Summit, National Cannabis Industry Association, Denver
- May 5, 2015, Handling Defaults and Terminations, 48th Annual Legal Symposium, International Franchise Association, Chicago
- February 12, 2015, Franchising v. Licensing, National Cannabis Bar Association, San Francisco
- 2013, Advanced Disclosure Issues, Forum on Franchising – American Bar Association, Orlando
- 2010, Best Practices for Establishing a Franchise Compliance Program, Forum on Franchising – American Bar Association, San Diego