Robert J. Donatoni
Founding and Managing Partner
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Phone: 610-719-0500
Fax: 610-719-0475
Email: Email Me
Robert J. Donatoni received his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1976. He graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa for academic excellence. Mr. Donatoni received his law degree from Temple University School of Law in 1979 graduating with honors.
From 1979 through 1980, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in Chester County and from 1980 to 1983 as an Assistant Public Defender in Chester County. Since 1984, Mr. Donatoni has been engaged in the private practice of law with a primary emphasis in representing individuals and entities investigated and accused of crimes in state and federal courts. In addition to his state and federal practice in Pennsylvania, Mr. Donatoni has defended criminal prosecutions in the federal courts of New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, South Carolina, Arizona, Wyoming, Virginia and Georgia in addition to appearing in state courts on behalf of the accused in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Tennessee and Florida.
Mr. Donatoni is a past President of, PACDL, the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers having also served as Secretary, Vice President and President-Elect of that organization as well as being a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He served for six years as a Hearing Examiner for the Supreme Court Disciplinary Counsel and has served as the Chairperson of the Chester County Criminal Rules Committee, and has twice served on a Blue Ribbon Panel for judicial selection for state court trial judges in Chester County. Mr. Donatoni has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America since 2015 for White Collar and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense. He is a frequent lecturer on various subject for Continuing Legal Education in connection with the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Mr. Donatoni is also a founding member of the Chester County Advocacy Academy. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Delaware School of Law.
In October of 2003, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Mr. Donatoni was inducted as a Fellow of, ACTL, the American College of Trial Lawyers. The ACTL is an organization limited to 1% of the bar in the United States and Canada and induction as a Fellow is done only after nomination by a Fellow of the ACTL and extensive investigation regarding professional and ethical standards. He has served as a Member of the ACTL Committee on Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and was appointed to the Pennsylvania State Committee whose purpose is to assess the qualifications of proposed nominees to the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Donatoni, for over two decades, has been rated AV, the highest rating for legal skills and ethical concerns by Martindale Hubbell, an independent national rating service.
Areas of Practice
Litigation Percentage
Bar Admissions
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania
U.S District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1979
Education
Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
J.D. – 1979 With HonorsUniversity of Massachusetts – 1976
Honors: Magna Cum Laude
Honors: Phi Betta Kappa
Major: History
Minor: Economics
Classes/Seminars
Lecturer – Criminal Laws, Continuing Legal Educations (CLE), 1988 – Present
In January, 2017, Mr. Donatoni became an Adjunct Professor of Law at Widener University, Delaware Law School
Co-Founder and course planner of Chester county Academy of Advocacy
Frequent lecturer on criminal law and procedure for Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) and various bar associations.
Honors and Awards
- Voted Top Criminal Defense Attorney in Main Line Today Magazine, 2007-2008
- AV Preeminent Peer Review by Martindale-Hubbell
- Chester County 911 Commission
- Best Lawyers in Pennsylvania, 2008-Present
- Recognized as Best Lawyers in America for both criminal defense of both White Collar and Non-White Collar areas
Professional Associations and Memberships
American College of Trial Lawyers
Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL), Founder, Past Secretary, Past President, 1999-2000
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Chester County Bar Association, Member and Chairperson, Chester County Criminal Rules Committee, 1979-Present
Hearing Examiner, Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Past Employment Positions
- District Attorney’s Office, Assistant, 1979 – 1980
- Public Defender’s Office, Assistant, 1980 – 1983
Languages
English
References
BB&T Bank