George Donnini

During his more than 25 years in practice, George Donnini has accumulated an impressive record of prevailing in matters across the country in the areas of white collar criminal defense, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) civil enforcement actions, antitrust investigations, and conducting corporate internal investigations. Due to the expansive nature of fraud claims, he routinely counsels his clients through criminal charges, civil liability issues and/or regulatory matters. He is experienced in managing complex litigation involving multiple adversaries, numerous jurisdictions, and interrelated issues. Throughout his career, George has interacted with state and federal prosecutors, law enforcement, and personnel at all levels in government agencies throughout the nation and internationally. Among his most recent victories is leading Butzel's White Collar Criminal Defense Team in achieving back-to-back acquittals in separate cases in federal court against a tax attorney (allegations of mail fraud and tax evasion) and a medical doctor (39 counts of health care fraud related charges).

Mr. Donnini has experience in a broad array of criminal and civil cases, representing clients at the trial and appellate levels in federal and state courts across the US. He has extensive experience representing clients in a variety of criminal cases involving allegations of health care, securities, and tax fraud, theft of trade secrets, insider trading, public corruption, and environmental and mortgage fraud. He has conducted numerous internal investigations for private and publicly traded companies. He aggressively, creatively, and successfully represents clients in a wide variety of federal and state criminal matters to secure the best possible outcome for his clients. Often, such representation results in convincing the government not to prosecute in the first place or the avoidance of litigation altogether. Clients include corporations and businesses in diverse sectors including health care, pharmaceuticals, automotive, environmental, and individuals including executives, medical professionals, corporate officers, directors, managers, lawyers, and employees at all levels.

George Donnini is a Shareholder practicing in the firm's Troy office. Mr. Donnini is a Vice President of Butzel and serves on the firm's Board of Directors. He is Chair of Butzel's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Department, head of the Litigation Section, and serves as Co-Chair of the White-Collar Criminal Defense Practice Department. He has been recognized year-after-year by numerous well-respected industry publications for his legal prowess in the areas of white collar criminal defense and government investigations. Mr. Donnini is frequently sought as a legal expert by local and national radio and television syndications on a variety of topics. 

Before joining Butzel, Mr. Donnini served as a law clerk to The Honorable William H. Pauley III, United States District Court, S.D.N.Y., New York, New York (1998-1999). He also served as a Judge Advocate for the United States Marine Corps from 1999 to 2003. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2003 after serving as counsel of record in numerous criminal trials.