Donald primarily focuses on matters related to business and construction law, solar energy, green building, cannabis industry, and environmental policy. Donald co-founded the firm’s Green Business Practice Group and led the firm’s internal sustainability efforts, including becoming the nation’s first law firm to gain green business certification.
Construction
He has broad experience representing public and private clients on a multitude of contract, litigation, regulatory and general business issues.
Developing the Green Economy
Donald is a national leader and frequent speaker for the green economy and has devoted himself to creating the framework necessary for incenting business to become the engine of environmental sustainability and social responsibility. He co-chaired the effort to write and pass California’s Benefit Corporation law (AB 361), creating a new legal framework for businesses seeking to do well while doing good.
Green Building Leadership
He co-founded the two organizations that have made California the global green building leader — the U.S. Green Building Council’s Northern California Chapter and Build It Green. He is general counsel to both organizations, as well as the California Solar Energy Industry Association. Donald hosted the West Coast Green conference and trade show for green innovation. On the international level, he teamed with the City of San Francisco in 2005 to organize and host the United Nations’ largest international conference of local government leaders to address urban environmental sustainability issues. Early in his career, Donald worked with Environmental Defense Fund to develop a framework for reducing international air pollution along U.S. -Mexican border. He also represented several organizations on issues related to old-growth forest protection and logging on public lands.
Other Leadership Activities
After many years in policy arena, Donald recognized the political system’s ability to address complex environmental and social issues is undermined by the corruptive influence of money in politics. Since 2012, he has served on the board of directors of the California Clean Money Campaign, where he continues to work to pass the California DISCLOSE Act which will inform voters who is really funding campaigns.
