Paul Frederic Donsbach

PRO

Paul Frederic Donsbach

4.8
Rating: 9.8

Licensed for 33 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Palo Alto, CA
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Child Custody, Family ... +6 more

2100 Geng Rd., Suite 210, Palo Alto, CA

Virtual Consultation Available

Free Consultation

About Paul

Biography

Practice Areas

9

Practice Areas

Divorce and Separation 30%

30%
Child Custody 25%

25%
Family 10%

10%
Mediation 10%

10%
Alimony 5%

5%
Child Support 5%

5%
Domestic Violence 5%

5%
Marriage and Prenuptials 5%

5%
Uncontested Divorce 5%

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Licenses

Licensed in Hawaii for 27 years

State: Hawaii

Acquired: 1998

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in California for 31 years

State: California

Acquired: 1994

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Pennsylvania for 17 years

State: Pennsylvania

Acquired: 2008

Inactive

No misconduct found

Licensed in Alabama for 32 years

State: Alabama

Acquired: 1993

Special Member

No misconduct found

Licensed in Texas for 33 years

State: Texas

Acquired: 1992

MCLE Non-Practicing

No misconduct found

Location

Next Legal

2100 Geng Rd., Suite 210, Palo Alto, CA, 94303

nextlegal.law

Next Legal

1470 Maria Ln, Suite 380, Walnut Creek, CA, 94596

nextlegal.law

Paul Frederic Donsbach's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.8 /5.0

70 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (70) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 5 of 70 reviews

Posted by Jennifer | July 04, 2022 | Hired Attorney | Divorce & Separation

Exceptional Attorney - He Won My Case

I hired Paul Donsbach of Next Legal in the Spring of 2021 to represent me for a post-divorce financial and custody dispute with my ex-husband. From our first Zoom call, I knew I was in excellent hands. His knowledge of the law and sharp grasp of my specific case showed that not only was he a highly e...xperienced attorney but also an unusually good listener. These skills continued to shine over the next year that we worked together on building strategies that ultimately led us on a path to victory. Paul was extremely honest about the pitfalls that might be ahead and instead of making me feel discouraged, he outlined what our responses would be if the opposing attorney took certain tactics. I sensed his commitment to integrity when it was clear he did not advocate "playing dirty" but did present traits of strong leadership. I knew he would go to the mat for my case. Paul also has an excellent team of experienced attorneys and paralegals who assisted on my case. This helped to keep overall fees down and gave me a sense that I had several people reviewing my case. They were responsive and available when I needed it most. In the end, I believe Paul won the case for two main reasons: He has extensive experience in many areas of law which proved pivotal in shutting down the weak arguments of my ex husband's attorney, and Paul was very quick on his feet during the trial. Ultimately, he proved masterful at pivoting the opposing witness testimonies to benefit our case. During the trial, I was in awe of his sharpness as well as his respectful manner towards everyone in the courtroom. You will be in excellent hands with Paul Donsbach as your attorney!

Posted by Bryan | December 06, 2021 | Hired Attorney | Child Custody

Beyond Stellar - child custody

Paul was an exceptional lawyer in my child custody case. In my situation, I already had a different lawyer who was awful and I had to let go. I found Paul, met him over the phone and really dived in on how he would handle my case. I loved his answers, his passion and he mentioned specific strateg...ies which made lots of sense (strategies which my previous lawyer had never mentioned or followed). I was able to retain Paul and he joined an effort that was already in progress. With his supportive team, every step was addressed carefully and methodically. Paul was professional, punctual and more than competent... he was exceptional in every regard. We achieved the goals we needed, which has allowed my only daughter to live a safe and happy life. I am eternally grateful and recommend Paul and his amazing staff to anyone fortunate enough to be able to retain them.

Posted by connie | August 22, 2021 | Hired Attorney

I am happy

Paul handled my situation promptly and efficiently. He was both personable and professional. I am happy to recommend him.

Posted by Melvin | August 21, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Professional

I was in dire need of advice and Paul jumped right in making all of the contacts necessary to help my situation. He was responsive, he educated me on the processes I needed to go through to complete under the circumstances we were facing. I really appreciated his clear, concise communication, and ...his ability to reach out to other professionals to make things happen.

Posted by Patricia White | August 13, 2021

Strong recommendation

I found Attorney Paul Donsbach to be as he appeared.... smart, organized, friendly, sharp, trustworthy. I was Impressed by his demeanor and expertise. I ‘ve referred other clients who agreed with my selection. Strong recommendation!

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Paul Frederic Donsbach's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Paul
Matthew Thomas Matejcek headshot
Matthew Matejcek

Family lawyer | May 11

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

William S. Cizmadia headshot
William Cizmadia

Litigation lawyer | Feb 04

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Mr. Donsbach was a tough adversary in a highly contentious dissolution case. Although tough, he was always professional and courteous. I look forward to working with him again in the future."

View All Endorsements
Matthew Thomas Matejcek headshot
Matthew Matejcek

Family lawyer

William S. Cizmadia headshot
William Cizmadia

Divorce and separation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.8 (Superb)

Honors

2020

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2019

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2018

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2017

Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

1989

Legal Writing, American Jurisprudence

Associations

2017 - Present

Bar Association of San Francisco, Family Law Section

Member

2017 - Present

Los Angeles County Bar Association, Family Law Section

Member

1994 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

1994 - Present

California Lawyers Association

Member

1992 - Present

American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section

Board Member, Officer

1992 - Present

American Bar Association, Arbitration and Mediation Committees

Member

1992 - Present

American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Alternative Dispute Resolution

Member

1992 - Present

American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Alimony and Spousal Support and Marital Property Committees

Member

1992 - Present

American Bar Association, Litigation Section

Member

1992 - Present

State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section

Member

Sample of Legal Cases

Marriage of Jolly

Judgment

Marriage of Amster

Settlement

Marriage of Kessler

Trial

Windsor v. Amchem Products, Inc.

Victory in the United States Supreme Court

Celotex Corporation v. Edwards

United States Supreme Court decision

In re Exxon Valdez

Trial court judgment and appeal

See More Legal Cases

Education

1992

Southern Methodist Univ SOL

JD - Juris Doctor

1989

University of Texas System, Dallas

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Languages

English

Spanish

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution