Lawrence K. Rockwell

A highly regarded civil trial attorney, Lawrence Rockwell is a partner at Donahue Fitzgerald LLP. Based in Walnut Creek and Oakland, California, he represents clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Rockwell is admitted to practice in California state courts, all federal trial courts in California and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.A significant part of Mr. Rockwell's practice involves trust and estate litigation including trials. He represents individual and professional fiduciaries and trust and estate beneficiaries. Some illustrations of services include representing: a trustee in one of largest trust lawsuits in Contra Costa County, CA history in litigation against a charity foundation to enforce the settlor’s intent to his protect family; individual and corporate trustees in varied lawsuits and trials defending against claims of breach of fiduciary duties, undue influence and elder abuse; beneficiaries to protect trust or estate interests; corporate trustee in actions relating to trust administration, management and interpretation and performance of duties; trustees and beneficiaries in trust contest lawsuits; property owners opposing claims brought by trustee seeking to compel a transfer of property to a trust; a beneficiary in litigation opposing a trustee’s claims of conversion of trust property; beneficiaries to oppose petitions to invalidate trust terms and achieve intestacy;  beneficiaries of world-famous musician in trial determining music rights upon musician’s passing. Many of the referenced matters were taken to trial and judgment; the clients obtained the relief sought.Mr. Rockwell’s client representation in business and intellectual property litigation includes representing: a national computer equipment/software seller in trial of a business class action defending sales/training practices; defendants in consumer class actions alleging price-fixing in setting milk prices; software companies enforcing copyrights, distribution agreements and license/resale limitations of software; a publicly traded employer in trial of employment class actions alleging sex and race discrimination; a corporate executive seeking damages for breach of fiduciary duties respecting unsuitable investment advice and portfolio management; an education book content developer/publisher in a national joint venture marketing/distribution dispute; a publicly traded company in trial of a distribution termination; a managing general partner respecting management and alleged breach of fiduciary duties respecting multiple housing properties/businesses; and a publicly traded company in trial to determine international telecommunication rights.Outside of the courtroom, Mr. Rockwell provides advice and counsel to startup technology companies regarding entity formation, financing and business strategies.Mr. Rockwell’s successful track record in these endeavors has earned him recognition from his colleagues, including an AV Preeminent* peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell, current and long term membership in the National Association of Distinguished Counsel’s “Nation’s Top One Percent”, and recognition as a Super Lawyer in the 2004 first Northern California publication of Super Lawyers. Mr. Rockwell's professional affiliations include the Intellectual Law Section of the California Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association's Section of Litigation. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he received a Bachelor of Arts with distinction in Economics and a Bachelor of Science with honors in Business Administration from the Haas School of Business. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.