Eric W. Doney | Attorney

Eric W. Doney is a 25 year partner and the Chief Executive Officer of Donahue Gallagher Woods LLP, specializing in the legal issues specific to computer hardware and software companies, small to medium sized businesses of various types, and the music industry. His clients range from some of the largest software companies in the world to start-up operations on the cutting edge of technology. Mr. Doney also maintains a substantial practice in the music industry including representation of Santana, Phish, Journey, Ratdog, The String Cheese Incident, The Jerry Garcia Family LLC, and several emerging artists. Mr. Doney's practice is focused on corporate and intellectual property matters, including copyright and trademark enforcement, copyright, trademark and music licensing, technology transfers, product distribution agreements, and trade regulation. Mr. Doney also presently serves as outside general counsel to a number of businesses, providing expert advice and handling transactions relating to such diverse issues as corporate acquisitions and dispositions, finance, securities regulation, employment and general contractual matters. For over 30 years, Mr. Doney has represented scores of emerging and high-growth companies, giving him an in-depth understanding of all aspects of business structure, operations and management. He has advised small companies from inception, including directing negotiations with venture capital firms and providing advice during initial and secondary public offerings. He is especially skilled at identifying legal strategies that produce practical, real-world solutions.

In addition to his corporate and business law practice, Mr. Doney has been instrumental in shaping the firm's software anti-piracy programs. The firm's unique approach to software anti-piracy was begun over 18 years ago with Autodesk, Inc., one of the largest PC software companies in the world. The Autodesk program has become a model for the industry and remains the most successful single company program in the world, having realized over $85 million in recoveries. These programs offer an innovative, cost-effective approach to businesses losing revenues due to illegal use of their software products. Clients may elect to retain the firm as a turn-key operation - directed by Mr. Doney - in which our personnel identify, pursue and, if necessary, pursue civil litigation agaisnt businesses and individuals found using improperly obtained software. In all of the programs operated by the firm, clients have realized substantial profits in excess of total fees charged thus converting traditional legal cost centers into profit centers. Clients may opt to have the firm handle only specific aspects of in-house programs or assume responsibility for all anti-piracy operations.

Currently, Mr. Doney directs the firm's anti-piracy activities for several companies, including Autodesk, Macromedia, and Electronic Arts and serves as counsel for domestic anti-piracy matters for the Business Software Alliance (BSA), a national trade association that counts among its members Microsoft, Autodesk, Adobe, Novell, Symantec, Corel, and Network Associates. Mr. Doney also directs the firm's relationships with the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). Recoveries made on behalf of clients retaining the firm's anti-piracy services now exceed $170,000,000.

Mr. Doney was awarded his law degree cum laude by the University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., 1977). He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from the University of California at Davis (B.A., 1973). He became associated with Donahue Gallagher upon earning his law degree and became a partner in the firm in 1983. He is a member of the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association, and the Alameda County Bar Association. Along with several other members of the firm, Mr. Doney has been named a Super Lawyer by San Francisco Magazine, an honor bestowed on just 5% of the lawyers practicing in Northern California.