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Marissa McDonald

5.0
Rating: 8.9

Licensed for 10 years

Sexual harassment Lawyer Practice Areas: Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, Civil Rights ... +2 more
This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2023
See Details

About Marissa

Biography

Practice Areas

Fees and Rates

Cost

Hourly Rates

$ 150-200 per hour

Contingency

25%-40%

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 10 years

State: California

Acquired: 2015

Not Eligible to Practice Law (Not Entitled)

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2023

Location

No contact information is available for this lawyer

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Marissa McDonald's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

2 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (2) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 2
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas

Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

Posted by anonymous | July 21, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Domestic Violence

Competent, Passionate and Respectful

I am very grateful that Marissa McDonald agreed to take my case especially at short notice. This was my first courtroom experience. So needless to say, I was beyond nervous. I was pursuing a restraining order against someone I greatly feared. Marissa took my concerns and my situation seriously w...hich immediately put me at ease. She quickly yet thoroughly assessed the situation and came up with a working game plan. At the courthouse, I was nervous about all that could go wrong. However, because of Marissa’s competence and reassurance, I knew I was in the right place. She empowered me to face my “bully”. This is a milestone in my life! I am so grateful for Marissa’s passion, determination and kindness. She represented me in the best way possible.

Posted by Marie B | March 30, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes

Personalized service; Civil Harrassment case solved!

I found Attorney Marissa McDonald and her partner in the firm Attorney Suzanna Harman through Avvo and Yelp. We have a civil harassment case against someone and I have desperately searched for legal advice. All the other attorneys I contacted were either always out of reach or too busy to deal with "...small cases" like ours. From day 1 these 2 ladies treated us with respect and showed compassion on what they do. They were very diligent with follow throughs and made us feel so secured. They also dress very professional and appropriate in court, they presented themselves well too. They both are young but eager to resolve and help out with our case. In my opinion I would rather have a young and skilled attorney who will devote their time to you than those who were in the business for a long time but will treat you like a number. This firm never left our side and in the end made it worth it for us, we were able to mediate and resolve the issue and they made sure that it is of our best interest. They also charged a reasonable fee for their services of which we are thankful too!

See All Client Reviews

Marissa McDonald's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Marissa
Gail Barsky headshot
Gail Barsky

Sexual harassment lawyer | Apr 03

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. She is well respected by her peers."

Nesa Targhibi headshot
Nesa Targhibi

Civil rights lawyer | Oct 05

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Marissa is an extremely passionate, knowledgeable and hard-working attorney. I would strongly recommend this lawyer."

Gary Polston headshot
Gary Polston

Discrimination lawyer | Sep 03

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Marissa works hard for her clients. I have been happy to refer several people to her and know she will do a great job for them"

Dan Tudor Danet headshot
Dan Danet

Unknown lawyer | Aug 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Marissa is a hard-working attorney who simply gets her clients fantastic results."

Karel Raba headshot
Karel Raba

Discrimination lawyer | Aug 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have had the privilege of working closely with Ms. McDonald on multiple occasions. She is very knowledgable and driven. As a fellow attorney, I appreciate her professionalism and responsiveness. I have no doubt that all of her clients are in good hands."

View All Endorsements
Michael Rotsten headshot
Michael Rotsten

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Dan Danet

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Karel Raba

Litigation lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.9 (Excellent)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2023.

Discipline with Actual Suspension issued in CA, 2023

updated on 11/11/2025

This sanction means the attorney lost his or her license to practice law for a period of time. The attorney typically returns to practicing law when the suspension expires.

Honors

2015

Certificate of Appreciation, Orange County Bar Association

2012

CALI Award - Legal Research and Writing II, Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction

2012

CALI Award - Immigration and Refugee Law, Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction

2011

CALI Award - Legal Research & Writing I, Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction

2009

Magna Cum Laude, University of California - Los Angeles

N/A

Merit Scholarship, Chapman University School of Law

Work Experience

2014 - 2014

Judicial Extern, United States District Court, Central District Of California, Eastern Division

2013 - 2013

Student-Attorney, Bette and Wylie Aitken Family Violence Clinic

2013 - 2014

Project Manager for Friedman On Leases, Chapman University School Of Law

2013 - 2013

Research Assistant for Friedman on Leases, Chapman University School Of Law

2012 - 2013

Law Clerk, Lanak & Hanna, P.C.

2012 - 2012

Law Clerk, Newman Law Group

Associations

2015 - Present

Orange County Bar Association

Member

2015 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

Education

2014

Chapman University School of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

2009

University of California - Los Angeles

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2016

Chapman Animal Law Lunch with Practicioners Practicing Animal Law

Publications

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2023
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
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