Dawn NewtonDawn Newton is a partner in the Bay Area law firm of Donahue Fitzgerald LLP and co-chairs the firm’s intellectual property group. She primarily represents franchisors in start-up and emerging franchise brands and operates as their utside general counsel. In addition, she represents technology companies and manufacturers in protecting their trademarks worldwide. Dawn is a member of the Governing Committee of the ABA Forum on Franchising and co-chaired the 40th Annual Meeting of the Forum in Palm Desert, California. She currently serves as the forum’s program officer, and in 2010 she was honored to be a recipient of the forum’s future leader award. Dawn is recognized as a certified specialist in franchise and distribution law by the state bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization and is a past chair and commissioner of the Franchise and Distribution Law Advisory Commission of that board. She has been named a best lawyer in franchising in the San Francisco region since 2013 by Best Lawyers. Read More Read Less