Biography
Don began his legal career as a staff attorney for Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota, a nonprofit organization. In this position, Don primarily represented low-income clients in family law cases, as well as appeals for disability benefits and unemployment compensation. Don continued to build his experience in family law by serving as a staff attorney for Bringing Justice Home, a Fort Collins-based nonprofit organization that provided no-cost legal representation to victims of domestic violence in family law matters.
In addition to his family law experience, Don has also served as a court-appointed attorney in dependency and neglect cases as either a guardian ad litem, counsel for youth, or respondent parent’s counsel. Finally, Don also has experience representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases. As both a family law and personal injury attorney, Don has gained substantial experience negotiating favorable settlements for his clients.
Don’s client-centered approach to advocating for his clients is informed by his compassion for his clients and the sound strategic judgment he has developed through his years of practice. Don is dedicated to providing his clients a clear voice of reason and tireless advocacy as he helps them navigate the challenging ebb and flow of a family law case.
Away from work, Don and his wife enjoy attending live music, theatre, and dance, and walking their two dogs. Don also loves to spend his free time reading, watching film, and following his favorite sports teams.
Interesting Facts
A native of Los Angeles, Don was a member of the third-ever graduating class at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where he studied theatre. His advanced training as an actor has informed the way he practices law, especially when it comes to analyzing the opposing party’s motives in a case.
Don took eleven years off from practicing law to teach English at a community college. In 2014, he was recognized by his colleagues as Adjunct Faculty of the Year.
Don’s approach to practicing family law is shaped by his background in trauma-informed advocacy, and it is driven by his compassion and empathy for his clients. From the beginning of the case, Don establishes an open dialogue with his clients, and he listens carefully as they describe their goals and priorities not just for their case but for how they hope to move on once it is complete. Don then works with his clients to develop an effective strategy for achieving these goals. Whether it is in a court hearing, a mediation, or an interview with a child and family investigator, Don is committed to making sure his client’s voice is heard. While it is always Don’s goal to help his clients reach a fair settlement, he is always prepared to go to trial if necessary.
Don graduated with Honors in English from the University of Puget Sound. He then went on to earn his Master’s in English at the University of Miami, where he also taught for several years. After moving to the Midwest, Don attended law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he served in the school’s poverty law clinical program, the Neighborhood Law Project, and also completed an internship with the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
