Commitment to Teamwork Brings Success
by Joan Stone

Margaret Doyle went to law school to avoid being "hounded" on a daily basis by her good friend Lorenzo Patino. In 1983, Doyle was a homemaker with two small children, having decided to forego her formal education to care for her husband and family. Patino decided that she would make an excellent attorney and wanted her as a student at the newly formed University of Northern California School of Law. Doyle attended school at night and graduated with the first class.

She was offered six jobs upon her admission to the bar in 1987. She determined to follow her heart and go to work with personal injury attorney Michael P. Clancey.

Born in Modesto, Doyle attended high school in Sacramento and considers herself a true Sacramentan. Her love of the arts has led to an extensive, long-term involvement with the Visual and Performing Arts Foundation (VAPA), an organization that provides scholarship money to local students to pursue arts-related higher education. As a true Sacramentan, Doyle's strong interest in deep-sea fishing comes as something as a surprise. Looking at her it is hard to believe that she catches and releases 100lb. Marlin. However, it is all explained by the fact that her father, who lives in Mexico, taught her to fish at an early age.

Like many unsung heroes, it is difficult to persuade Doyle to talk about her practice and her achievements. She credits her success to the great teamwork in her firm Clancey, Doyle & O'Donnell. She and partner Daniel G. O'Donnell have a simple philosophy - to obtain the best possible results for clients. Doyle has a strong commitment to pro bono representation. She will happily waive all fees and give the tendered policy amount to a child bitten by a dog to ensure an adequate structured settlement to pay for necessary plastic surgery.

Doyle is proud that everyone at her firm works tirelessly, pulling together to help people. They are proud no matter what the outcome. She has "the best staff in the whole world." At any one time they have 300 open cases ranging from slip and fall, through automobile accidents to major wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment suits. Most of Doyle's referrals come from satisfied clients.

Doyle is a consummate lawyer's lawyer. She does not seek the limelight. But she works tirelessly behind the scenes with Sacramento Consumer Attorneys (SCA) to ensure that the plaintiffs' bar has plenty of networking and educational opportunities. As SCA treasurer, she takes care of the organization's fiscal wellbeing. She believes that the opportunities offered by both local and statewide consumer attorneys' groups are immeasurable.

Asked for her advice for new attorneys, Doyle stated her passionate belief that now more than ever, the public needs representation. Young lawyers have the opportunity to make sure that legal rights are properly protected.