Devin A. Donohue

Mr. Donohue has substantial experience litigating cases in federal and state court and before various arbitration tribunals (FINRA, AAA, JAMS).  His practice focuses on securities, consumer financial services, employment, employment raiding & recruiting litigation and corporate transactions.  He has successfully defended numerous customer and employment claims against brokerage firms and other financial institutions, prosecuted and defended partnership disputes, and claims for unfair business practices, trade secret misappropriation and B & P Section 17200.  Mr. Donohue’s practice also includes advising broker-dealers and financial advisors in regulatory matters before FINRA and the SEC.

Mr. Donohue’s transactional and advisory practice centers on mergers & acquisitions and corporate finance transactions for middle market companies, drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, negotiating executive compensation agreements and counseling employers on various pre-litigation employment issues. 

Mr. Donohue is currently serving as lead counsel for a major Wall Street firm in a high eight figure auction rate securities case, and California counsel in a second eight figure auction rate securities case.  He is also serving as lead counsel prosecuting a seven figure securities case on behalf of another major Wall Street firm against the wife of a Forbes 400 billionaire.  His prior notable matters include:

• Lead trial counsel and “second chair” in defending several brokerage firms and financial advisors in 20+ FINRA customer and employment arbitrations resulting in favorable arbitration awards, including several defense awards against multimillion dollar claims.
• Prosecution of several successful injunction trials on behalf of financial institutions against former employees for violation of employment agreements and misappropriation of trade secrets, including prosecuting a recent case on behalf of a major Wall Street firm in the Central District of California and obtaining an injunction against a former employee who was actively soliciting customers in a multimillion dollar book of business.
• Prosecution of a fraud and adult dependent abuse case in a three week jury trial in Los Angeles Superior Court resulting in a jury verdict for compensatory and punitive damages.
• Secured a favorable settlement for a major Wall Street clearing firm in a Los Angeles Superior Court matter through threat of pending motion for summary judgment based upon immunity and lack of evidence under Union Bank case.
• Obtained summary judgment in Central District of California for copyright and trademark holder against alleged co-holder of intellectual property rights and obtained permanent injunction requiring return of all copyrighted materials and prohibiting any further use of intellectual property by defendant and successful handling of appeal before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Obtained voluntary dismissal of financial advisor during mediation of seven figure matter filed by customer.
• Successful motion for summary judgment for financial institution client in Alameda County Superior Court based upon Commercial Code provision lacking any prior caselaw interpretation.
• Obtained summary judgment on forum non conveniens grounds for Asian shipping company defendant in Northern District of California facing multimillion dollar property loss claim.
• Successful negotiation of multimillion dollar corporate finance transaction for securities clearing firm.
• Successful negotiation of multimillion dollar acquisitions of office cleaning company, internet company and shipping company.
• Successful advisory counseling and negotiation on behalf of departing employees of business to avoid costly litigation of trade secret misappropriation and breach of fiduciary duty claims.
• Successful negotiation of several 7-8 figure executive compensation agreements on behalf of corporate executives.

Mr. Donohue is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara (B.A.) and the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.  While in law school, Mr. Donohue was Student Bar Association President and an editor of McGeorge’s Transnational Lawyer.  Mr. Donohue is currently a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, Compliance & Legal Division.  Mr. Donohue has been awarded the annual Southern California Super Lawyers Rising Star Award from 2005-2008, and he is a graduate of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership LA Program.  Mr. Donohue has also served as an attorney monitor in prior presidential primaries and general elections.  Prior to law school, he served as a legislative aide to California State Senator Richard G. Polanco (ret.).

Email: Devin A. Donohue


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