Donald K. Tamaki is a Partner with Minami Tamaki LLP. His practice focuses on Corporate and Business, Non-profit Corporations, Contracts and Entertainment Law.

Born and raised in Oakland, Calif, he attended U.C. Berkeley and received his law degree from Boalt Hall. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1976 and to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has received an "AV" rating, the highest grade for legal competence and ethics by the Martindale-Hubble Law Directory, a nationwide compilation of attorneys.

Northern California Super Lawyers magazine has also recognized Mr. Tamaki as among the top attorneys in corporate law from 2004 through 2008. Through a process of peer nomination and a blue ribbon panel, only five percent of the lawyers in the California are recognized by Super Lawyers.

Mr .Tamaki specializes in advising privately held companies and non-profit corporations that do not have in-house general counsel, but require experienced, responsive legal services at rates more competitive than are offered by mid-size and large law firms. 

On a daily basis, he advises management on statutory requirements and best practices with respect to corporate governance and employment-related issues. 

His transactional practice includes software development and licensing, manufacturing and distribution agreements, commercial leases, and startup technology companies in their formation, investor financing and acquisition.

His commercial clients include the Straits Restaurant chain, Toppan Forms Co. Ltd. (notably its development of groundbreaking signature capture technology for the first handheld computers used by United Parcel Services drivers), construction product manufacturer Tostem, videogame developer Yuke's, Ltd., technology manufacturers Everex Communications and AverMedia Technologies, and technical service consultants SafeBridge Consultants, Inc. and Technical Safety Services, Inc.

Mr. Tamaki's non-profit clients include the California HealthCare Foundation, The Center to Promote Healthcare Access, Inc., the Consulate General of Japan, Asian Health Services, Inc., the Consortium of Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering, the State Bar of California, and two of the largest residential substance abuse treatment programs in the Bay Area, Baker Places, Inc., and Asian American Recovery Services, Inc.

His media and entertainment law clients include Olympic ice skating gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, KPIX Channel 5 news anchor Wendy Tokuda, independent filmmakers  Farallon Films and its Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker Steven Okazaki, Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker Eric Fournier, independent film producer Richard Hall, and the independent film distributor Center for Asian American Media.

Mr. Tamaki's litigation background includes representing clients in numerous disputes in both trial and administrative hearings. His clients include Pacific Gas & Electric Company and the Peralta Community College District.

He also defended Patrick Hayashi, who came up with the baseball hit by Barry Bonds' record-setting 73rd home run in a single season, only to be sued by a plaintiff claiming to own the historic and valuable ball. Despite Mr. Hayashi's multiple offers to settle the case out of court, the plaintiff pressed for a trial, which resulted in the court exonerating Mr. Hayashi of any wrongdoing and affirming his interest in the ball.

In an effort that started the firm's tradition and commitment to public service, Mr. Tamaki served as a member of the pro bono legal team that successfully reopened the landmark Supreme Court cases of Fred Korematsu, Gordon Hirabayashi and Minoru Yasui and overturned their convictions for refusing to be interned during World War II. He continues to be a lecturer at UC Berkeley in connection with these historic legal events.

Mr. Tamaki also serves as a board member of the Glide Foundation and as the board president of the San Francisco Japantown Foundation.