Daily Journal Recognizes Donaldson + Callif as a 2015 Top Law Firm Boutique

Donaldson + Callif has been named a 2015 Top Boutique Firm by Daily Journal, focused on recognizing small yet innovative law firms that provide superior service in a focused legal area. Donaldson + Callif was chosen for its dedication to clearance issues in the film industry, particularly fair use. This is the first year the firm has been honored with this award.

Daily Journal noted partner Michael Donaldson’s work on creating a fair use rider that allows filmmakers to secure Errors & Omissions insurance. The article also highlighted major current projects, including partner Lisa Callif’s work on a documentary about Nobel Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai and partner Dean Cheley’s involvement in “Soaked in Bleach,” a controversial documentary about the death of Kurt Cobain.

“Other firms tend to discourage their clients from doing certain things because they are worried about the risk,” partner Christopher Perez told Daily Journal. “’We don’t want to censor people because our goal is to allow people use of their First Amendment right.’”

Daily Journal created the Top Boutique Firm supplement as part of a larger effort to track and report on the success of small law firms, which are often able to provide the same level of service as large firms more efficiently and at a lower cost. The publication compared Donaldson + Callif and its fellow honorees to “David and Goliath” for their ability to tackle difficult legal challenges with limited resources and succeed.