Articles/News

Mar 15 2023

Partner Maureen M. Duffy Joins Donahue Fitzgerald

Maureen Duffy is a partner with over 20 years of significant, sophisticated and, most importantly, “hands-on” experience providing both U.S. domestic and international employment advice and counsel to all levels of management. She brings a practical, problem-solving orientation to her work in counseling, negotiations, arbitrations, litigation, and mediation. Maureen regularly represents clients in hi-tech, health […]

Mar 8 2023

Congratulations to Partner Mario Choi on His Appointment as a Member of the ACBA’s Board of Directors

A key team player in the Litigation, Intellectual Property, and Music and Entertainment Practice Groups, Mario focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters. He counsels and represents individuals and companies across a wide range of industries through all phases of the litigation process. Managing Partner Andrew MacKay states, “Mario continues a long history of […]

Feb 16 2023

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Strikes Down California’s Ban on Mandatory Arbitration Agreements

According to the panel majority, “Because FAA’s purpose is to further Congress’s policy of encouraging arbitration, and AB 51 stands as an obstacle to that purpose, AB 51 is therefore preempted.” The three-judge panel had partially upheld AB 51 in a 2021 ruling but a year later it decided to withdraw its prior ruling and […]

Feb 13 2023

Donahue Fitzgerald Recognized in the World Trademark Review’s 2023 WTR 1000 Ranking

The WTR cites leading trademark practitioners globally. Among top practitioners, WTR described IP attorney, Jonathan Osder as the “go-to for technology – particularly software – matters.” California State Board Certified Legal Specialist in Franchise and Distribution, Dawn Newton, is recognized “as a leading specialist regarding franchising.” WTR notes that Music and Entertainment chair and IP […]

Jan 30 2023

Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) – Cal/OSHA Update

On December 15, 2022, Non-Emergency COVID-19 Prevention Regulations were adopted and will become effective in the month of January 2023 once approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). The ETS will remain in effect until the OAL replaces it with a “permanent” regulation. Once approved, the permanent regulation will be in effect for two […]

Jan 20 2023

Paying Post-Termination Streaming Royalties to Creators and Their Heirs Is “Common Sense”: Recent Comments on the Proposed Rule on Termination Rights Under the Music Modernization Act

The policy of the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), which was created by the recent Music Modernization Act to handle streaming rights and income, has been to pay these royalties to the terminated publishers who originally entered into the streaming agreement. In response to this policy, the Copyright Office proposed a new rule (87 FR 64405, […]

Jan 13 2023

Donahue Fitzgerald Elects Two New Partners

“We are pleased to welcome Debbie and Mario to the firm’s partnership,” said Managing Partner, Andrew MacKay. “Both Debbie and Mario are exceptional attorneys who are real-world problem solvers and who provide our clients with a close working relationship as talented advisors. We are looking forward to their continued successes and leadership to our clients […]

Jan 9 2023

In Memoriam Wilfrid F. Roberge, Jr.

It is with great sadness that we announce that our colleague and friend, Wilfrid F. Roberge, Jr., passed away on December 18, 2022 at the age of 83. Wil served for two years as an enlisted attorney with the U.S. Army after graduating from Stanford Law School. Following his service in Vietnam, Wil joined legacy […]

Dec 20 2022

Associate Nathan Desai Joins Donahue Fitzgerald

Nathan joins Donahue Fitzgerald’s Business and Corporate and Real Estate practice. He assists clients on litigation and transactional matters, including real estate acquisitions, business disputes, and commercial agreements. While in law school, Nathan was a director of the Berkeley Law Workers’ Rights Clinic and a senior executive editor of the Berkeley Journal of Employment and […]

Dec 20 2022

Partner Denae H. Budde Joins Donahue Fitzgerald

Denae joins Donahue Fitzgerald’s Real Estate, Business and Corporate, and Litigation practices. Her practice emphasizes real estate and business transactions and provides effective resolution of litigation matter and trial if the matter cannot be resolved. Having tried over fifty cases to verdict uniquely equips her in drafting agreements so that they are self-executing to avoid disputes […]