Donna Brown | Manchester Criminal Defense Lawyer

Donna is one of New Hampshire’s most experienced and respected trial attorneys. In her 29 years of practice she has been lead counsel in some of the most high profile cases in this state. She has tried over 150 jury trials including charges of homicide, aggravated felonious sexual assault, felony assault, domestic violence, DWI, theft, sale and possession of drugs as well as numerous motor vehicle cases. Donna has obtained verdicts of not guilty in numerous cases including affirmative defense cases such as self-defense, consent and entrapment. She has also done extensive litigation regarding racial profiling and racial disparity. She has appeared in courts all over the state of New Hampshire. Donna is also an adjunct professor at University of New Hampshire School of Law where she teaches trial advocacy to students selected to be in the Daniel Webster Scholar Program. Donna has been a frequent presenter at legal training programs including presentations on the voluntariness of confessions, false confessions, jury selection, cross-examination of expert witnesses, racial profiling, defending domestic violence cases and sentencing strategies. In 2005, Donna was selected to receive the Champion of Justice Award from the New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire

Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
In December of 2017, I helped my client get a verdict of not guilty in a jury trial for a charge of conspiracy to commit murder.

In December of 2017, my motion for a new trial was granted and my client's conviction for aggravated felonious sexual assault was set aside.

I help two separate clients avoid convictions on charges related to prostitution.

My client had a felony drug charge dismissed after the court granted the motion to suppress that I filed related to the illegal search of his car.

I helped a federal client get 4 1/5 years off of his sentence on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.

I negotiated a deal to get client's felony charges dismissed after he got into a treatment program.

How did you build a successful practice?
I have built a successful practice by caring about my clients and responding to their questions and concerns immediately. Being charged with a crime can be one of the most stressful events in a person's life and clients don't want to wait for their lawyer to get back to them when they have a question. I also work hard to find every possible defense available to get the best outcome possible in very case. Finally, I have a reputation for fighting for my clients and this reputation is known by both prosecutors and judges.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?
Clients should look for someone who has tried many cases, has the experience to anticipate legal issues and be prepared to deal with any issue that comes up at trial or any stage of the defense. Clients should also look for a lawyer who cares about them and cares about getting the best outcome possible.

How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
Local knowledge is very important in the success of the cases that I have handled here in New Hampshire. It is important to know the local prosecutor and the type of arguments he or she will make during trial. It is important to know the judges and the law specific to each case.

What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
I can give the client an estimate as to the likely cost of the case and what typically happens in similar cases.

What information do you need in a free phone consultation?
I need the name of the court, the police department and the type of charge.

What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
I have done more jury trials than most criminal defense attorneys. Because of my experience, I have been asked to do trainings at legal events and teach at the local law school. I am deeply committed to my clients and getting them the best outcome possible.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Getting a great outcome for my clients, especially when that outcome can give them a future to look forward to. This is especially true in cases where I have helped to get the charges dropped or convinced the jury that my client was not guilty. Having a felony conviction, even if you don't go to jail, can be a horrible burden on a person's life.

What are your other interests in addition to law?
I enjoy travel, hiking and kayaking.

Are you involved in your community?
I am a member of the Manchester NAACP and I volunteer doing work as the Director of the NAACP Legal Redress Committee. Though my work with the NAACP, I created an annulment clinic where lawyers volunteer to give advice to people who have criminal records as to how to annul their convictions. I am also a member of the Board of Directors of the New Hampshire chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness. I also do pro bono work.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Attorney	Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C.		2015 - Present
Staff Attorney	NH Public Defenders Office		1986 - 2015

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
University of New Hampshire School of Law	J.D.	Law School	1986
Rhode Island College	BS	Political Science and Government	1983

State / Court	Date
Massachusetts	2016
New Hampshire	1987

• NAACP | Legal Redress Committee | 2016 - Present
  Manchester Bar Association | Member | 2015 - Present
  New Hampshire Women's Bar Association | Member | 2015 - Present
  National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | Member | 1988 - Present
  New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | Member | 1988 - Present

• Champion of Justice Award | New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers | 2005
  
  AV Preeminent Peer Rating | Martindale-Hubble | 2017

Sun.	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Sat.
	8:00 am - 5:00 pm	8:00 am - 5:00 pm	8:00 am - 5:00 pm	8:00 am - 5:00 pm	8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Donna Jean Brown has been a Premium Member since March 05, 2018.
Lawyers with longer memberships tend to have more experience so we use the Membership date to help prioritize lawyer listings on search pages.

Verified Credentials	Date Verified
(1987) Licensed as Attorney in New Hampshire. Verified with New Hampshire Bar Association.	March 05, 2018
(2016) Licensed as Attorney in Massachusetts. Verified with The Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.	March 05, 2018

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Above credentials have been verified independently by Lawyer.com.

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