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Vonnie Clay Dones III

Criminal defense Attorney at Houston, TX

5.0   31 reviews

also known as Legal Cleanup, Legalcleanup.com

  • State Years
    Texas - TX 5 years
    Dist. of Columbia - DC 6 years
    New York - NY 9 years
    New Jersey - NJ 9 years
  • Licensed for 5 years
    State TX
    Acquired 2017
    Status
    Eligible to Practice in Texas No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 6 years
    State DC
    Acquired 2017
    Status
    Good Standing No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 9 years
    State NY
    Acquired 2014
    Status
    Currently Registered No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 9 years
    State NJ
    Acquired 2014
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Vonnie

Learn Vonnie’s areas of practice.

5
Practice areas
  1. Criminal defense
    25%

  2. Expungement
    20%

  3. DUI and DWI
    15%

  4. Entertainment
    15%
    Entertainment Lawyer that provides services to the entertainment industry, including film, music, television, theater, publishing, visual arts, and multimedia.

  5. Litigation
    15%
    Civil and criminal lawyer

  6. Juvenile law
    5%
    Legal representation to children who are in multiple systems including the criminal justice system, disparate educational systems, the mental health system, and foster care system.

  7. Trademark application
    5%

FORMER HARRIS COUNTY PROSECUTOR-EXPERIENCED, HIGHLY SKILLED. FREE CONSULTATION!

     Vonnie Dones is a former criminal prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney's Office responsible for prosecuting and managing thousands of misdemeanor and felony cases. Dones' caseload was approximately 2,600 cases.

     Dones worked as a Staff Attorney for the Earl Carl Institute at Thurgood Marshall College of Law representing juveniles in juvenile court adjudication matters throughout Harris County and surrounding counties. Dones provided legal representation to children who were in multiple systems including the criminal justice system, disparate educational systems, the mental health system, and foster care system. Dones also expunged and sealed criminal records for juveniles and adults and supervised student attorneys while working for the institute.

     Vonnie Dones is the founder of . Prior to forming , Dones, as a legal assistant, assisted the Director of the City of Cleveland's Office of Fair Housing & Consumer Affairs (FHCA) in representing and protecting Clevelanders from consumer scams, fraudulent business practices, and unfair and unequal treatment in housing. Dones provided consumer protection in the following areas: Unfair and deceptive sales practices, fraud, new home construction, debt collection defense, landlord-tenant disputes, breach of contract, warranty disputes, refunds, home solicitations, home repairs and renovations, and contract cancellation. His experience with the city exposed him to countless complex and unique fraudulent business practices and inequities faced by consumers, which he now draws upon to help his clients resolve their legal issues.

     Before receiving his law degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Dones was signed as a recording artist with Violator / Def Jam Recordings / Polygram Records. He worked with Russell Simmons, Lyor Cohen, and the late Chris Lighty, which he now draws upon to help his clients in entertainment law. He signed an artist and label deal with Chris Lighty CEO / Founder of Violator Entertainment, who has signed and managed artists such as Sean "Diddy" Combs, Warren G, L.L. Cool J, Soulja Boy, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliot, Mariah Carey, Nas, 50 Cent and more. He was also signed as an artist with Marley Marl at the House of Hitz in Manhattan, New York. Marley is often described by many as the “inventor of sampling.”

     Dones has worked in marketing, advertising, and promotion with entertainment artists such as Soulja Boy, Teirra Mari, Roscoe Dash, Trina, and more. He is the founder of a marketing and entertainment promotions and booking agency, which has been endorsed by Rick Ross, T.I., Meagan Good, Kevin Hart, Tom Arnold, Jay Mohr, Henry Cho, Whitney Cummings, Chris Delia,  Bun B, Young Jeezy, John Witherspoon, Lupe Fiasco, Vince Young, T-Pain, Paul Rodriguez, Keri Hilson, Trey Songz, Mario, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Mos Def, and more. Dones has over 20 years of experience in the music industry.

     

      

  

Awards

Client's Choice 2018,2016,2015,2014
Client's Choice
2018 2016 2015 + 1 ...
Top Contributor 2018,2015,2014
Top Contributor
2018 2015 2014

Photos and videos

View more

Contact Vonnie

Legal Cleanup powered by Vonnie C. Dones III, ESQ.
LegalCleanup.com powered by Vonnie C. Dones III, Esq.
43 West 43rd Street, Suite 47
New York, NY, 10036
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Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  31 customer reviews
5 Star
 
100%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
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1 Star
 
0%
Client's Choice 2018
Client's Choice
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by anonymous | December 7, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent lawyer
I am so grateful that I found Vonnie. I went through a lawyer previously and talked to a few lawyers. Vonnie is very different from other lawyers. He was very sincere in listening to my story for a long time on the phone and he didn't mind back and forth anytime if I have to get hold of him. Each time, he gave me such good information about the legal procedures and what would be the best route for me. He was very knowledgeable about the law and what steps need to be taken before I go to court. His legal writing is so effective & authentic. I got immediate results. I am very happy with his work.
Read less
Posted by anonymous | November 8, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Got the job done
I would definitely recommend Vonnie as he did exactly what he said he was gonna do and that was a Felony expungement for me
Posted by Bentley | June 13, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Lawyer
Do recommend A+++++ got me the money I deserved and the insurance company finally had to hear what I had to say thanks again Mr.Dones. A + + +++++++++++
Posted by anonymous | February 12, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Amazingly good lawyer! highly recommend!!!
I hired Vonnie to represent me for my rental matter. My rental apartment caused my health issue and I could not move in to live! However, the rental building is the nasty "Kushner Family"'s building (Yap, President Trump's son in law, Ivanka Trump's husband's company)! They not only pushed me out of the apartment but also try to trick me to keep all my money (about $4500) though I never lived in this apartment at all!!! Their lawyer was famous to be very greedy and nasty which is consistent with this company's culture. When facing a whole legal teams of a rental building, we tenants are so vulnerable and easily taken advantage of. The rental building knew we usually would not go find a lawyer for a few thousand dollars. I tried to reach two attorneys but they were not only expensive but also did not show any sympathy for my situation! This made me feel even more vulnerable and almost lost hope! When I almost decided to give up, I suddenly wonder maybe I should try small court. But going through small court by myself is painful especially when it is against Kushner's company! Then I came across Vonnie's website from google! He is meant to help us vulnerable individuals. So I called Vonnie immediately. He was so compassionate and showed lot of sympathy and care which really made a huge difference to me. I immediately signed contract to hire him! Vonnie is very patient too! He spent a lot of time to talk to me to understand all the details in my rental matter in order to write a good letter to mail to this rental company. This rental office totally ignored my emails in the past, but now they immediately responded to Vonnie. Vonnie helped me to to negotiate with that rental company back and forth for many times. Vonnie was so nice and totally handled the whole thing and told me that I did not need to get involved at all! In the end, Vonnie helped me to get most of my money back, more than what I expected! No more need to go through more pains for small court! It had been such a huge relief in my life after I reached Vonnie. My life became normal and relaxed since then! Vonnie is a real bless to me! I would definitely recommend him to my other friends if any of them get into such kind of troubles! If you are in the similar situation like me, don't need to hesitate at all to reach Vonnie!
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Posted by anonymous | July 16, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Service & Exactly What I Paid For!
I hired Mr. Dones to expunge a criminal record I had dating back almost twenty years ago. Not only did he handle my case swiftly, professional and effectively, the outcome worked out in my favor! From start to finish everything took less than three months. I highly recommend him. Thank you!
Posted by anonymous | July 12, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Convenient way to file a small claims suit
I needed help filing a small claims suit. While the filling out of paperwork and doing the filing of the suit was probably something I could have figured out on my own, determining which party to sue and in what jurisdiction to file required consultation with a lawyer. Mr. Dones made the process painless by guiding me every step of the way. Mr. Dones answered every question I asked, emailed or called me promptly, and filed my case quickly. My case was settled for the amount I was seeking without having to go to court. I hope I don't have to, but I would use Mr. Dones and LegalCleanup.com again without hesitation.
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Posted by Dan | May 5, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great communication.
I had Vonnie C. Dones III, look into my case for an expungement. Although he was unable to help me because he found I am ineligible for expungement, I was very pleased with his services. What I liked most about Mr. Dones is his communication. He is very accessible by phone or email, returning calls after 5pm, and even on weekends. I would not hesitate to hire him again, or to recommend him to friends.
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Posted by anonymous | March 5, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent Lawyer
I had been google searching and calling around to find a lawyer that could I could trust. Upon calling Mr. Dones I found that he was very empathetic of my situation and he also took the time in explaining to me the different routes I could take in my possible case, even routes that didnt require a lawyer. He also explained to me step by step what he would do if i decided to hire him. For those reasons I felt it was best to work with Mr. Dones and im glad I did because he did everything he promised to do. He was very swift with everything as well. He responded to my emails quickly, answered my calls, and never took his time with anything in regards to my case. The best part is that I won the case and I would highly recommend Mr. Dones to anyone who needs legal help.
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Posted by Mariam | January 15, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Lawyer! 5 Stars
Vonnie was very reliable and help us get our refund back. He helped draft a letter, file our small court claim, negotiated and gave advice over phone and email. I would highly recommend him to anyone who doesn't want to be charged an arm and a leg for hiring a lawyer to help your case.
Posted by anonymous | May 22, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Vonnie C. Dones
I had a claim against a chain store where product was purchased for $5000+ and they weren't honoring the Warrantee and ignored all communications. However, when Vonnie C. Dones prepared and filed a summons with the court, within a few days the company reached out and satisfactorily resolved the case. He did an excellent job.
Posted by anonymous | May 10, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great lawyer.
I had a dispute with a car rental company over damage charges that was going on for more than 6 months. I contacted Mr Dones and asked for legal advice. He suggested that we file a demand letter stating the facts why we are disputing the fees to the rental company and that we are filing a law suit if they do not waive these charges. I hired Mr Dones for this legal service. Mr Dones wrote the demand letter, which I found excellent. The company replied after a few days stating that they will waive all charges against me. I found the experience with my attorney highly positive and I am very happy with the outcome. I defiantly recommend Mr Dones for similar cases.
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Posted by Harvey | December 29, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Fast, Reliable and personable
I hired Vonnie for some trademark work, where my trademark was being violated by a large corporation. Being a little guy in this big world of powerful companies, Vonnie not only handled my situation, but was very fast taking action within a couple days, answered every email within an hour, and his prices were as reasonable as you can find. I highly recommend his services.
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Posted by anonymous | December 22, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Exceeding expectations!
Knowledgeable and on point. Mr. Dones went above and beyond to help me! I did not know the details of the law process and Mr. Dones explained every detail and delivered a smooth resolution to my matter without any surprises. I was ALWAYS able to reach him with my concerns and questions, even on weekends during late hours, he is dedicated to a fault! I will recommend him to my friends and family, do not hesitate to bring your matter to him.
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Posted by Michael | July 23, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Vonnie Clay Dones
I have had the opportunity to use Mr Dones services and I would recommend them. In this day and age it is refreshing to meet a man of his word. With my particular situation a out of house process server was needed, and without question Mr Dones paid for this out of his own pocket. Bravo Vonnie
Posted by Tiffany | July 3, 2016
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
Vonnie
Vonnie Dones is extremely professional knowledgeable about the expungement process in addition to civil lawsuit. He is very kind patient and goes above and beyond to explain things. The information he provides is extremely helpful! He's very flexible can offer payment plans and you can contact him at any time by phone or email. And he is very quick to respond to your inquiries! He Makes his self available.
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Posted by anonymous | June 2, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Stellar Legal Service
Selecting Vonnie Dones as my lawyer was a great move to get assistance with landlord/tenant issues. Mr. Dones is very clear in explaining what should happen with your case; beginning, course, and projected outcome. He keeps you informed as to progress and how/when the client needs to participate; he is very patient when explaining terminology and procedure. My case is still a work in progress, with a positive outcome anticipated!
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Posted by anonymous | May 21, 2016
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
Moving Company Claim
Vonnie Dones provided me with top notch and timely support throughout the litigation process. I highly recommend him.
Posted by Syntia | November 26, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Thank you!
Thank you Vonnie for helping us get what we needed. You were of great help even though we were in a different State you still communicated with us and replied promptly to any concerns/questions we had. It was a great victory for us and we arw forever thankful!!!
Posted by Nathan Tableman | October 12, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Very helpful and got results
What else can you ask for in a lawyer? My concerns were understood, I got good advice on what the outcomes might be, what steps we needed to talk, and how to proceed. In the end we were able to prevail in our dispute thanks to the help of Mr. Dones.
Posted by Alex | October 12, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Fast, efficient, competent
Vonnie helped us with a landlord-tenant issue and got us the outcome we wanted with minimal effort on our part. He responds quickly to questions and does overall high-quality work. I have asked to engage him on another matter, and plan to continue to use his services in the future.
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Cost

Rates
  • Hourly Rates $ 250-500 per hour
  • Contingency 25%-33%
  • Pro bono 10 %
  • Retainer Sometimes
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.4 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Attorney-Owner
  • Legal Cleanup powered by Vonnie C. Dones III, ESQ.
  • 2014 - Present
  • Prosecutor
  • Harris County District Attorney's Office
  • 2019 - 2021
  • Staff Attorney for the Juvenile Justice Project
  • Earl Carl Institute, Inc. at Thurgood-Marshall School of Law
  • 2018 - 2019
  • Founder
  • Vonnie Dones Beastblock
  • 2006 - 2013
  • Owner-Manager
  • Dones Management
  • 2003 - 2005
  • Legal Assistant
  • City of Cleveland: Office of Fair Housing & Consumer Affairs (FHCA)
  • 2000 - 2002
  • Major Recording Artist / Producer / Manager / CEO
  • Haywire / Violator / Def Jam / Polygram Records
  • 1993 - 1999
View all work experience

Education

  • Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • N/A
  • University of Houston
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • N/A
  • University of Houston
  • Psychology
  • N/A

Legal Cases

  • Landlord-Tenant Eviction & Civil Suit
  • Judgement of $5,643.85, plus attorneys and cost awarded.
  • Conditional Sealing
  • Motion Granted
  • Trademark Registration
  • Trademark registered in USPTO
View all legal cases

Associations

  • State Bar of Texas
  • Attorney Member
  • 2017 - Present
  • New York City Bar Association
  • Attorney Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • New Jersey Bar Association
  • Attorney Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • American Bar Association
  • Attorney Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • New York State Bar Association
  • Attorney Member
  • 2014 - Present
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Client's Choice Award
  • Avvo
  • 2018
  • Client's Choice
  • Avvo
  • 2016
  • Top Contributor
  • AVVO
  • 2014
  • Clients' Choice Award
  • AVVO
  • 2014
View all awards

Publications

  • Legal Cleanup: How To Expunge Your Criminal Or Juvenile Record In New Jersey, First Edition
  • Book
  • 2014

Speaking Engagements

  • Trial Evidence
  • Impeachment / Character Evidence
  • 2020
  • Post Conviction Relief
  • Expunction
  • 2019
  • Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
  • Racial Justice & Equity
  • 2019
  • Secondary DAEP
  • Criminal Defense: Police, Arrests, and Interrogation
  • 2018
  • Overview of the Juvenile Justice System Process
  • Juvenile Law
  • 2018
  • Record Clearing in Texas
  • Expunction, Non-Disclosure, and Juvenile Record Sealing
  • 2018
  • Juvenile Representation
  • Juvenile Wrap-Around Legal Services
  • 2018
  • Representing Juveniles in Court
  • Juvenile Legal Representation
  • 2018
  • TRIAD JP Court Program
  • Juvenile Legal Representation
  • 2018
View all speaking engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (92)
Given (143)
Endorse Vonnie
Criminal defense Attorney | Aug 26
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Dones is an extremely capable attorney. His knowledge of, and approach to, the law assure his clients of excellent representation. I am delighted to endorse him."
Criminal defense Attorney | Jan 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Criminal defense Attorney | Nov 06
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Criminal defense Attorney | Nov 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Dones is an extremely talented, knowledgeable and well respected attorney in the legal community. I recommend his services to anyone in need of a talented and aggressive litigator."
Criminal defense Attorney | Nov 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Dones is a top notch attorney who fights vigorously for his client. Highly recommended!"
Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 31
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I highly endorse Mr. Dones. Truly exceptional and caring attorney who produces great results in representing clients. Call him first with your legal problems!"
Criminal defense Attorney | Jul 09
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse attorney Dones. He is knowledgeable and passionate about criminal law."
Criminal defense Attorney | Jul 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Dones has made a substantial number of contributions on AVVO. I have read several of his contributions and have found them to be thoughtful, informative and practical. I endorse this lawyer's work."
Business Attorney | Jun 21
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Attorney Dones answers in this forum are consistently well analyzed."
Unknown Attorney | May 19
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"This lawyer is conscientious and dedicated in his representation. I endorse him for his work helping people who have been injured. He strives to get the best results possible for his clients."
Unknown Attorney | May 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Keen attention to detail with exceptional client service. I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | May 04
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse Mr. Dones. It is obvious that he is knowledgable with the law he practices and cares about his clients. Mr. Dones is an asset on AVVO and to the outside legal community."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 22
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. He is professional, knowledgeable and a zealous advocate for his clients."
Personal injury Attorney | Apr 14
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 07
Relationship: Other
"I endorse this lawyer."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Attorney Dones' advice is spot on; as shown by the answers he has posted to criminal defense questions law, eh takes the time to answer questions in a common sense manner and plainly addresses legal issues."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 04
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Dones consistently gives analytical answers in this forum. His responses are cogent, concise and practical. He wisely observes, when applicable, if pertinent facts are missing from a question and he notes how such might or might not impact a fuller legal analysis. All in all his responses are helpful, legally accurate, and well-articulated. I endorse this lawyer."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 03
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Vonnie does a great job for his clients."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 03
Relationship: Other
"I endorse this lawyer. Vonnie has impressive client reviews that evidence his commitment to offering clients outstanding advocacy. ."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 02
Relationship: Other
"I endorse this lawyer."
View more endorsements
Criminal defense
Medical malpractice
Child custody
Criminal defense
Criminal defense
Car accident
Contracts and agreements
Immigration
Immigration
Immigration
Divorce and separation
Criminal defense
Divorce and separation
Bankruptcy and debt
Criminal defense