Ms. Rutter is a trial attorney who has concentrated her practice on wrongful discharge, discrimination, harassment, retaliation and trade secret litigation before federal and state courts and agencies. She has tried to verdict more than a dozen bench and jury trials – and is one of the few attorneys in California who has taken a wage and hour class action to trial.  Donna has also built an extensive trade secret, unfair competition, employee mobility practice, based on over 30 years of litigation and advising on trade secret matters. She also represents Executives in negotiating employment contracts and/or severance agreements.  Finally, Donna has developed a niche practice in conducting high level, sensitive workplace investigations and has served as an Expert Witness in conducting workplace investigations.  

Donna is a frequent speaker on employment law and trade secret topics, and has developed an audit to assist employers with identifying where they are at risk for having their trade secrets misappropriated.  She is AV-Preeminent Rated by Martindale Hubbell and has been selected to the Northern California Super Lawyers list every year since 2007.  She currently serves as Northern California Chair of the Women Lawyers Alliance (WLA), a network of prominent women lawyers in private practice throughout North America.