Alan J. Donato

With a proven track record of winning for his clients and passionately advocating for the rights of those who have been accused of committing a crime, Alan J. Donato is a criminal defense attorney at the Donato Legal Group. Representing clients in California, he is experienced in all areas of complex criminal litigation, cannabis law and white collar crime. The Donato Legal Group is also the leading firm in regards to administrative appeals of costly cannabis abatement penalties levied against homeowners.Mr. Donato earned a Juris Doctor, graduating in the top 10% of his class at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. While in law school, he was also certified in oral advocacy, and for his skills in courtroom advocacy, he was given high honors and inducted into The Order of Barristers. After graduation, he worked for a time as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, where he had the chance to help train young lawyers in trial advocacy.The American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys, as well as, Attorney and Practice Magazine both named Mr. Donato one of the 10 Best Attorneys in California, and he was inducted into the Lawyers of Distinction Honor Society.  In 2020, the Donato Legal Group was recognized as one of the top 10 criminal defense law firms in California by the "Best of the Best."  Sacramento Magazine also named Mr. Donato one of Sacramento's Top Lawyers in 2019, 2021, and 2023 and he is a member of The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorneys.  Mr. Donato was honored as "Attorney of the Year" in 2023 by the Sacramento County Bar Association, and in 2024 Sactown Magazine selected him as one of the Top Attorneys in Sacramento.National Public Radio recently published a piece about one of Mr. Donato's cases whereby a Sacramento Superior Court Judge dismissed a $270,000 fine against his client and ruled that the City of Sacramento had violated his client's constitutional rights to fair notice and due process.  The City was forced to dismiss the case and the lien against his client's home.  For more information about the Donato Legal Group or this particular case, please visit their website at Donato.Legal