Odessa L. Donnell

Ms. Donnell is a Partner at Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group and is a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Speciation.

Ms. Donnell has dedicated her entire career to the practice of family law. For nearly twenty years, she has guided clients through the complexities of family law with skill, compassion, and unwavering dedication. She takes the time to ensure her clients fully understand the issues they face and the options available to them, empowering them to make informed decisions during some of life’s most challenging transitions. Her practice encompasses all aspects of family law, including complex property division, high-conflict custody disputes, separate property claims, child and spousal support, date of separation issues, breaches of fiduciary duty, premarital and postnuptial agreements, domestic violence matters, and post-judgment enforcement and modification proceedings.

Ms. Donnell is particularly experienced in cases involving complex financial issues, including the valuation and characterization of business interests, investments, real estate, stock options, RSUs, and retirement assets. When a case requires specialized expertise, she collaborates with her trusted network of leading professionals throughout California, including forensic accountants, financial advisors, business valuation experts, and co-parenting specialists, to help achieve the best possible outcome for her clients.

 While Ms. Donnell is committed to resolving disputes efficiently and amicably whenever possible, and successfully settles the vast majority of her cases outside of court, she is a formidable advocate in the courtroom when litigation is necessary. She regularly appears before both public and private judges throughout the Bay Area and has earned a reputation within the family law community for her skilled advocacy, strategic judgment, and unwavering commitment to her clients.

A certified mediator, Ms. Donnell also serves as a neutral in family law disputes, helping parties reach resolution outside of litigation. In addition, she provides mediation consulting and strategic premarital and pre-divorce counseling, advising individuals on their rights, obligations, and options as they navigate important decisions about marriage, separation, and divorce.

Ms. Donnell graduated summa cum laude from UCLA and earned her J.D. from Berkeley Law. She further refined her advocacy and negotiation skills through Harvard Law School’s Executive Program on Negotiation. While at Berkeley Law, she studied family law under renowned scholar Herma Hill Kay, co-author of California’s landmark no-fault divorce legislation, served as an editor of the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice, and was active in the Berkeley Youth & Education Law Society. Ms. Donnell also externed for the Honorable Carlos T. Bea on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and clerked at the international law firm, Jones Day. In recognition of her dedication to public service, she was awarded the Boalt Hall Fellowship.

 Ms. Donnell’s legal skills and contributions to the law have earned her repeated recognition from legal organizations nationwide. She has been named among the “10 Best Attorneys in Client Satisfaction” by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, a “Top 10 Family Law Attorney” by both Best of the Best Attorneys and Attorney and Practice Magazine, and a “Northern California Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers Magazine following earlier recognition as a “Rising Star.” Her accolades also include multiple designations as “Lawyer of the Year” from the American Institute of Legal Professionals, “Litigator of the Year” from the American Institute of Trial Lawyers, and inclusion in San Francisco Magazine’s lists of top rising attorneys in Northern California. She has additionally received the “America’s Most Honored Professionals Award” and was named a “Top 10 Attorney” by the American Association of Attorney Advocates.

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