Xavier R. Donaldson received a law degree from Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. in 1994 and is an experienced trial counsel with offices in New York City and a former Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County. He is admitted to practice law in the Courts of the State of New York, the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of New York as well as the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Donaldson has also represented individuals in the Federal and State Courts of the District of Columbia, Western District of Pennsylvania, Chicago, Illinois, Miami, Florida and New Jersey on a Pro Hac Vice basis.

Mr. Donaldson recently served as trial counsel and strategist for Sean Combs in the matter of United States v. Sean Combs (Southern District of New York) and has served as lead trial counsel to verdict on criminal matters including, but not limited to: federal and state RICO violations, federal and state murder cases, federal and state major narcotic conspiracies, federal and state white collar cases, federal and state firearm conspiracies, federal sex trafficking, rape cases, domestic violence and a variety of other federal and state matters. Additionally, Mr. Donaldson has served as lead counsel to individuals facing the Death Penalty on Capital Offenses in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Mr. Donaldson also represents businesses and individuals facing federal and state grand jury investigations and provides critical advice and counsel to federal and state elected officials, not for profits, prominent entertainers and professional athletes.

Regarding Continuing Legal Education (CLE) for attorneys and judges, Mr. Donaldson teaches Trial Skills related to Effective Cross Examination, Opening Statements, Persuasive Closing Arguments, Implicit Bias and instructs on the Art of Storytelling. Mr. Donaldson is also the Criminal Law Instructor for the Criminal Law Section of the New York State Bar Exam, former Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at Brooklyn Law School, former Team Leader and Lecturer for a New York State Bar Association Trial Academy and has provided instructional classes to the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the New York City Bar Association, the Kings County Criminal Bar Association, Judicial Conferences and several other professional organizations.

Mr. Donaldson has also served as the Administrator of the prestigious New York County Supreme Court Judicial Screening committee where he presided over the evaluation, vetting and interviewing of candidates for prominent seats on the New York County Supreme Court and has also vetted candidates for the Appellate Divisions of the State of New York and New York State Court of Appeals.

Mr. Donaldson has also provided advice and counsel to elected officials and executives related to Criminal Justice Policy, Effective Strategies related to Criminal Justice, the impact of Social Media on Teenagers and Concepts surrounding Structural Criminal Deterrence. Mr. Donaldson is also frequently invited to speak at high schools, colleges, law schools and other not for profit organizations.

Mr. Donaldson is a former President and Board Member of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, current Board member of the New York City Criminal Bar Association, current board member of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and current board member of the New York County Defenders Services (NYCDS).