Donyale Yvette Hooper Reavis

As founding partner of Reavis & Associates (formerly Elam Reavis, LLP), Donyale has been practicing law in business, entertainment and philanthropy for fifteen (15) years. Specializing in intellectual property, small business, sports law, nonprofit organizations, art, entertainment, and digital technology transactions,  she earned her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1999, along with her Masters degree, cum laude, in Government Administration (JD/MGA ’99). 

Fluent in French, Donyale obtained a certificate in International Development for researching literacy initiatives in villages of central Cote d’Ivoire with Tuskegee University in 1993, as well as a certificate in European Legal studies from Tulane University/Paris in 1997. During her time in Paris, she clerked with the in-house counsel offices of Alcatel, a global telecommunications firm headquartered in Paris, France. 

Since then, Donyale has practiced in Boston, MA at Pierce Atwood; in-house with Anvil Knitwear; and then Washington, DC with international law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson; after which she cofounded the entertainment intellectual property boutique in Philadelphia: Reavis & Associates, PC. 

Founder of a youth-based media literacy charity, “hiphopspeaks,” Donyale has developed summer and after-school programs in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia’s film production teachers, PBS’ Independent Lens, and other media-focused programs educating more than 1,000 young people about music, film and video production throughout the city of Philadelphia. 

Donyale is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia, serves as executive director to College Opportunities and Resources for Education (CORE) Scholarship organization, is co-founder of the non-profit film production company Spring Garden Pictures, and participates on numerous boards of a number of educational and charitable institutes in Philadelphia and throughout the country.