Donelle Morgan, a founding partner of Morgan Tidalgo Sukhodrev & Azzolino LLP, and now “of counsel” to the firm is a Certified Family Law Specialist with over 38 years of legal experience. Ms. Morgan is a capable strategist and trial lawyer whose work involves complex issues associated with the dissolution of marriage and post-dissolution matters. She is available for consultation and strategic planning at this time. Flexible and creative problem solving is what Ms. Morgan takes pride in, along with the ability to assist clients in a risk-benefit analysis related to the merits of their cases. Her breadth of knowledge is vast, on issues such as the characterization and division of assets, child and spousal support, custody and visitation, valuation of professional practices and businesses, stock options, proving up separate property claims, actions to set-aside prenuptial and marital settlement agreements, misappropriation of assets and breaches of fiduciary duty in the family law setting.
“When Ms. Morgan takes a case the client knows they will not only survive their dissolution, they will thrive.”
In one of the most difficult areas of family law – custody and visitation – Ms. Morgan brings both compassion and a wealth of experience. From move-aways to parental alienation matters, Ms. Morgan applies an expert approach to complicated psychological issues. Her early civil litigation background has given Ms. Morgan extensive knowledge of discovery disputes, law and motion practice, and trial strategy. She is equally skilled at settlement, bringing the skills honed after trying and settling hundreds of cases to each new and unique matter she accepts.
Ms. Morgan has been named among the top 5% of family law attorneys in Northern California in the publication “Super Lawyers of Northern California” in addition to being named the nation’s top 1% from the “National Association of Distinguished Counsel.” Ms. Morgan is a member of Association of Certified Family Law Specialists. She was appointed as a member of the Family Law Select Committee by the Presiding Judge of Santa Clara County, making recommendations for significant changes in Family Court which were then implemented to great advantage for family law litigants. Ms. Morgan also serves regularly as a Judge Pro Tem for Santa Clara County, is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, and teaches family law seminars for various organizations. She is an AV-rated lawyer with Martindale Hubbell.
Ms. Morgan attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, and Ohio University, graduating with a Bachelor ‘s Degree Summa cum Laude in 1976. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University, placing thirteenth in her class in 1979. Her admission to practice by the State Bar of California was in the same year. While in law school she was appointed as a judicial extern for the Honorable Stanley Mosk of the California Supreme Court. Her early years as a lawyer were spent as an associate with several law firms, and then in solo practice until 1989. Ms. Morgan was a former partner at a San Jose law firm, where she headed up their family law practice for nineteen years before leaving with two other partners in 2008 to form the new firm of Morgan Duffy-Smith & Tidalgo. With the retirement of Ms. Duffy-Smith in 2016, the firm changed the name to Morgan Tidalgo Sukhodrev & Azzolino, LLP, reflecting the name of the four current partners. In 2018, Ms. Morgan transitioned to an “of counsel” role. She is actively engaged in volunteering as a Judge Pro Tem for the Santa Clara Family Court.
Ms. Morgan brings the same energy she applies to her cases to her non-legal interests; among others: flying her Piper Cherokee 180, kayaking and rafting whitewater rivers throughout the West, serving as a Board Member for Friends of the River, gardening, reading and cooking good food.
