$ 250-500 per hour
Vonnie Clay Dones III
About Vonnie
Biography
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.
Practice Areas
5
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
Contingency
25%-33%
Pro bono
10 %
Retainer
Sometimes
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Texas for 8 years
State: Texas
Acquired: 2017
No misconduct found
Licensed in New York for 12 years
State: New York
Acquired: 2014
No misconduct found
Licensed in New Jersey for 12 years
State: New Jersey
Acquired: 2014
No misconduct found
Licensed in District of Columbia for 9 years
State: District of Columbia
Acquired: 2017
No misconduct found
Location
Legal Cleanup powered by Vonnie C. Dones III, ESQ.
10777 Westheimer, Suite 1100, Houston, TX, 77042
LegalCleanup.com powered by Vonnie C. Dones III, Esq.
43 West 43rd Street, Suite 47, New York, NY, 10036
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Vonnie Clay Dones III's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
32 Client Reviews
Filter Avvo Reviews (32)
Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Practice Areas
Lawsuits & Disputes (11)
Expungement (8)
Criminal Defense (6)
Consumer Protection (3)
Landlord & Tenant (3)
Personal Injury (2)
Contracts & Agreements (1)
Entertainment (1)
Insurance (1)
Intellectual Property (1)
Litigation (1)
Trademark Application (1)
Trademark Infringement (1)
Uncontested Divorce (1)
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 reviews | General Knowledge
Posted by anonymous | July 12, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
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 pa...
Posted by anonymous | March 05, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
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 la...
Posted by anonymous | May 11, 2017 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
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...
Posted by anonymous | December 22, 2016 | 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 wee...
Posted by anonymous | January 05, 2015 | Criminal Defense
Highly Recommend This Lawyer!
Vonnie represented me in my VOP case. He kept me informed on the status of my case and was very knowledgeable about the law and proccess. He was able to get the new charge dropped and the VOP dismissed.
Vonnie Clay Dones III's Lawyer Endorsements
"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."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"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."
"Mr. Dones is a top notch attorney who fights vigorously for his client. Highly recommended!"
"I highly endorse Mr. Dones. Truly exceptional and caring attorney who produces great results in representing clients. Call him first with your legal problems!"
"I endorse attorney Dones. He is knowledgeable and passionate about criminal law."
"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."
"Attorney Dones answers in this forum are consistently well analyzed."
"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."
"Keen attention to detail with exceptional client service. I endorse this lawyer."
"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."
"I endorse this lawyer. He is professional, knowledgeable and a zealous advocate for his clients."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"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."
"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."
"Vonnie does a great job for his clients."
"I endorse this lawyer. Vonnie has impressive client reviews that evidence his commitment to offering clients outstanding advocacy. ."
"I endorse this lawyer."
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Experience
Honors
2018
Client's Choice Award, Avvo
2016
Client's Choice, Avvo
2014
Top Contributor, AVVO
2014
Clients' Choice Award, AVVO
Work Experience
2014 - Present
Attorney-Owner, Legal Cleanup powered by Vonnie C. Dones III, ESQ.
2019 - 2021
Prosecutor, Harris County District Attorney's Office
2018 - 2019
Staff Attorney for the Juvenile Justice Project, Earl Carl Institute, Inc. at Thurgood-Marshall School of Law
2006 - 2013
Founder, Vonnie Dones Beastblock
2003 - 2005
Owner-Manager, Dones Management
2000 - 2002
Legal Assistant, City of Cleveland: Office of Fair Housing & Consumer Affairs (FHCA)
1993 - 1999
Major Recording Artist / Producer / Manager / CEO, Haywire / Violator / Def Jam / Polygram Records
Associations
2017 - Present
State Bar of TexasAttorney Member
2014 - Present
New York City Bar AssociationAttorney Member
2014 - Present
New Jersey Bar AssociationAttorney Member
2014 - Present
American Bar AssociationAttorney Member
2014 - Present
New York State Bar AssociationAttorney Member
Sample of 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
Breach of Warranty - Civil Suit
Client won settlement of $14,000.
Landlord / Tenant Case
Client won settlement of $8,000.
Auto Accident / Personal Injury
Settlement of $134,500.
Petition for Expungement
Conviction expunged
Education
N/A
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
JD - Juris Doctor
N/A
University of Houston
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2020
Trial Evidence
Impeachment / Character Evidence
2019
Post Conviction Relief
Expunction
2019
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
Racial Justice & Equity
2018
TRIAD JP Court Program
Juvenile Legal Representation
2018
Secondary DAEP
Criminal Defense: Police, Arrests, and Interrogation
2018
Representing Juveniles in Court
Juvenile Legal Representation
2018
Record Clearing in Texas
Expunction, Non-Disclosure, and Juvenile Record Sealing
2018
Overview of the Juvenile Justice System Process
Juvenile Law
2018
Juvenile Representation
Juvenile Wrap-Around Legal Services
Publications
2014
Legal Cleanup: How To Expunge Your Criminal Or Juvenile Record In New Jersey, First Edition
Book
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
Legal Answers
Q&A
How long will I go to jail? Will I go to jail? How much money would I need to pay?
18 Mar 2026
Q&A
Would it be possible for me to take the blame for a drug possession from my fiancé?
15 Mar 2026
Q&A
Can someone check my Petition for Order of Nondisclosure under section 411.0725. before I file?
14 Mar 2026
Legal Guides
Legal Guide
Sealing A Conviction or Criminal Record in New York
08 Jun 2017
Legal Guide
New Expungement Laws in New Jersey Effective on April 18, 2016
03 Apr 2016
Legal Guide
Shoplifting (Theft) in New Jersey
25 Dec 2014