Contract Drafting & Review
Meticulous agreements that protect your interests, reduce ambiguity, and stand up under scrutiny.
Donnie & Hart LLP
Donnie & Hart LLP
Strategic Counsel • Discreet Advocacy
Private Counsel for High-Stakes Matters
Premier legal guidance delivered with discretion, depth, and unwavering responsiveness.
We advise executives, founders, and private families on contract precision, employment risk, mergers and acquisitions, criminal defense, asset protection, tax planning, and sophisticated estate structuring. Each engagement is handled with seasoned judgment, privacy, and a client experience defined by excellence.
Partner-level stewardship
Priority response protocol
Multidisciplinary rigor
Practice Areas
Focused legal counsel across complex matters
Our firm provides discreet, highly technical guidance with the clarity and diligence clients require when stakes are high. Each practice area is led by experienced attorneys who prioritize results and risk mitigation.
Consultations by appointment
Responsive scheduling and clear next steps within one business day.
Employment Law Issues
Practical guidance for workplace disputes, compliance strategy, and risk-aware policy development.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Strategic diligence, negotiation support, and transaction structuring for growth-focused clients.
Criminal Defense
Discrete representation with rigorous preparation and a proactive defense strategy.
Asset Protection
View detailsProactive structures to preserve wealth and safeguard personal and business holdings.
Tax Planning
View detailsCompliant, forward-looking planning aligned with your business and estate objectives.
Trust & Estate Structuring
View detailsThoughtful, durable plans to protect family assets and honor long-term intentions.
Complex Litigation
View detailsDisciplined advocacy across high-stakes disputes, supported by rigorous analysis.
Firm Overview
Discreet, elite counsel defined by precision, judgment, and long-range perspective.
We advise private clients, family enterprises, and leading businesses where confidentiality, nuance, and disciplined analysis are non‑negotiable. Each engagement is shaped by rigorous review, principled risk assessment, and guidance calibrated for enduring outcomes.
Our practice is marked by meticulous execution, refined strategy, and direct, unvarnished counsel. Clients rely on us for steady leadership in complex transactions and disputes, and for foresight that protects their interests before challenges surface.
Our Approach
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Exacting legal analysis
Every engagement begins with an exacting review of facts, documentation, and precedent to establish an unimpeachable foundation.
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Strategic counsel with measured pragmatism
We distill complex legal considerations into decisive options and disciplined steps aligned with your objectives.
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Clear, direct communication
Clients receive timely updates, candid guidance, and plain‑spoken explanations at every stage.
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Enduring, private relationships
We cultivate long‑term partnerships grounded in discretion, trust, and attentive service.
Client Promise
A measured, confidential, and highly disciplined approach to every representation.
Mathew Bethards Saul
Head Litigation Attorney
Practice Focus: Complex Litigation
Senior Advocate
Mathew Bethards Saul provides steady, senior-level litigation judgment designed for matters where clarity and discretion are paramount. His advocacy is deliberate and strategic, shaped by disciplined preparation, rigorous fact development, and courtroom focus that prioritizes the client’s objectives.
Clients value his direct guidance, calibrated risk assessment, and refined presence in high‑stakes proceedings. Each engagement is approached with confidentiality, strategic foresight, and a client‑centered commitment to achieving decisive, defensible outcomes.
Credibility Highlights
Established counsel with a measured, client-first approach
Our practice emphasizes steady guidance, diligent communication, and careful legal strategy—backed by a record of responsible outcomes.
30+ years
Combined experience
Experienced counsel across business, litigation, and private client matters.
1,200+ matters
Carefully handled
A broad range of transactions and disputes managed with discretion.
24–48 hours
Response window
Consistent updates and timely replies to keep you informed.
Client-first
Strategic counsel
Tailored legal plans shaped around your objectives and risk profile.
Practice Area
Asset Protection & Wealth Preservation
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Practice Area
Asset Protection & Wealth Preservation
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Protecting significant personal and business assets calls for a precise legal architecture that anticipates exposure well before it emerges. Our counsel is discreet and exacting, designed to safeguard wealth across generations while minimizing vulnerability to unforeseen liabilities.
We begin with a comprehensive risk review of ownership structures, contractual obligations, and potential points of challenge. This rigorous assessment allows us to recommend tailored legal instruments that isolate and protect assets without compromising lawful access or operational agility.
Our attorneys craft bespoke strategies that may include advanced entity formation, strategic trust design, and coordinated tax and estate planning. Each element is calibrated to reduce liability exposure, preserve liquidity, and align with long-term business and family objectives.
Asset protection is not a one-time event. We provide ongoing, confidential reviews to adapt your structure as laws evolve, enterprises expand, or family circumstances change — ensuring your protections remain resilient, compliant, and enduring.
Trust and Estate Structuring with Enduring Precision and Gravitas
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Practice Area
Families and privately held enterprises of distinction require thoughtful legal architecture to preserve legacy, minimize friction, and protect what matters most. Our counsel is defined by discretion, technical excellence, and a refined understanding of multigenerational stewardship.
We begin by distilling your priorities—family governance, stewardship objectives, succession timing, and protective safeguards—then translate those intentions into precise, enduring instruments. Whether preserving a family business, supporting beneficiaries with care, or advancing philanthropic aims, we craft plans that are elegant in structure and resilient in execution.
Our attorneys advise on revocable and irrevocable trusts, trustee selection, and distribution standards to ensure stability, confidentiality, and equitable outcomes. We align trust frameworks with tax considerations, liquidity planning, and business continuity strategy so each element remains cohesive under evolving conditions.
For clients with sophisticated holdings or changing needs, we provide ongoing counsel to keep documents current, responsibilities clearly defined, and governance mechanisms aligned with long-term intent. The result is a streamlined plan that protects privacy while providing clarity for future decision-makers.
A distinguished framework for safeguarding family interests
- Strategic succession planning for leadership, ownership, and stewardship.
- Trust structures designed for protection, governance, and adaptability.
- Coordination of estate plans with tax efficiency and liquidity needs.
- Discreet counsel for sensitive family dynamics and privacy concerns.
Each matter is handled with discretion, ensuring documentation is immaculate and decision-makers are equipped with clear guidance for future administration.
Request a confidential consultationOur trust and estate structuring services are crafted for clients who demand meticulous planning and seasoned guidance across generations. We deliver refined legal frameworks that reduce uncertainty and preserve family intentions with professionalism and care.
Luxury-grade advocacy for high‑stakes disputes and reputationally sensitive matters
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Luxury-grade advocacy for high‑stakes disputes and reputationally sensitive matters
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Complex Litigation
We advise executives, founders, and institutions in disputes where financial exposure is substantial and reputation is paramount. Our litigation practice is calibrated for premium outcomes, approaching each matter as trial‑ready from inception with precision on evidence, legal theory, and decision‑critical objectives.
Each engagement begins with a rigorous, bespoke preparation process: comprehensive document review, discreet witness interviews, and a refined case narrative aligned with the client’s strategic imperatives. We evaluate settlement posture alongside trial risk, offering candid counsel and measured options at every phase.
Our advocacy is decisive and disciplined. We pursue motion practice and discovery strategies that compress issues, protect leverage, and build a record for dispositive relief. When courtroom advocacy is required, our arguments are clear, confident, and meticulously prepared to earn judicial credibility.
Clients choose us for discretion, responsiveness, and calm, executive‑level guidance. You will receive a focused team, precise communication, and a practical roadmap that respects both business demands and personal interests.
Client testimony submissions
If you would like to share a confidential quote or feedback about our work, we welcome your words and will review every message with discretion.
Email your testimonialOur litigation method
- Executive‑level issue mapping and exposure analysis to define leverage early and align with leadership priorities.
- Focused discovery plans that safeguard sensitive information and apply pressure at critical inflection points.
- Disciplined motion practice and expert coordination to position the case for optimal resolution or trial.
- Trial‑ready preparation, with courtroom strategy and witness refinement integrated throughout the matter.
Discreet engagement
We uphold strict confidentiality and minimize operational disruption while pursuing the strongest attainable outcome.
Client Testimonials
Trusted counsel, delivered with clarity and care
Discreet, thoughtful guidance across complex matters — reflected in the experience of our clients.
Confidential representations
“Every step was clear and measured. The team translated a complex contract into decisive options and kept our risk exposure controlled.”
General Counsel
Contract Review“Responsive, strategic, and calm under pressure. We felt prepared for every employment issue and confident in the guidance provided.”
HR Director
Employment Law“Their counsel was decisive and disciplined. The transaction closed smoothly, and we felt fully protected throughout negotiations.”
Managing Partner
Mergers & Acquisitions“Clear, steady advice with no unnecessary noise. We trusted the firm with sensitive estate matters and felt our family’s interests were handled with care.”
Private Client
Trust & Estate Structuring“Professional and discreet. The team delivered a strategy that balanced legal rigor with practical outcomes.”
Founder
Complex LitigationShare your experience
An invitation to provide a client testimonial
If our counsel supported your objectives, we welcome a brief note for our confidential records. Your message is handled with discretion and professional care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers before you reach out
We understand that legal matters involve sensitive decisions. These answers explain how we work, what to expect, and how your inquiry is handled—so you can contact us with confidence.
Prefer a direct conversation?
Speak with a member of our team to discuss your situation and determine the right next step.
Request a confidential consultationConfidential intake
Submit a Confidential Complaint or Inquiry
Share the essentials of your concern with care and discretion. This structured intake helps our attorneys review your request and respond with the appropriate next steps.