Duke Law Life: Meet Davis Donaldson
Davis Donaldson
CLASS OF 2027
Prior Education: Texas Christian University
Hometown: Leawood, Kansas
Professional Interest: Corporate, Private Equity M&A
Previous Work Experience: Teach for America; Exploratory video production middle school teacher
My Duke Law Life
- Guardian Ad Litem Volunteer (co-director ’25-26)
- LEAD Fellow
- Duke Journal of Constitutional Law and Public Policy
I wanted to attend a law school that emphasized the student experience. All law school applicants want excellent legal training from their graduate school, but feeling a part of the campus community and being excited about the university itself can get lost when evaluating schools. I had multiple Duke Law alumni excitedly tell me about camping out for basketball season tickets, waiting hours in line to be front row at the Duke v. UNC game, or just loving the city of Durham. The general excitement and passion about Duke and Durham showed me that Duke Law is a special place to be a law student.
Everyone anticipates that law school helps you become a more critical thinker, but I did not appreciate the importance of being concise and clear. My law school experience, particularly LARW (Legal Analysis Research, and Writing Program), has improved my ability to think with nuance but communicate and write with clarity and conciseness. In a world full of distractions and the increasing usefulness of AI to provide answers, clear communication and storytelling when evaluating complex concepts and issues is critical.
Most rewarding law school experience
Being a Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) Volunteer in Durham County has been by far my most rewarding experience at Duke Law. Finding a legal experience that focused on helping kids was a non-negotiable for me after teaching for four years. I knew I would be fulfilled by helping children who were abused and neglected; however, I didn’t expect the ways the experience would inform and shape my legal skills.
Through writing court reports, I have become a better writer and communicator. I have also gotten courtroom experience. GAL volunteers are seated with the GAL attorney during court hearings and can be called to testify. GAL allows law students to get proximate to important work in the Durham community in a way that few opportunities can.
A must-take class at Duke Law
Contracts with Professor Aguirre was one of my most memorable courses of 1L. Professor Aguirre is the type of professor who will be demanding and hold students’ feet to the fire while maintaining a classroom atmosphere that feels safe and supportive when making mistakes. One of her strengths is placing the subject of contracts in the law into a broader narrative of the social realities in America.
There is also a level of relatability to contracts. We have all experienced power imbalances, broken promises, and missed expectations, and contract cases capture these themes often more than the other doctrinal courses.
- Find ways to get proximate to issues you care about during 1L year. One of the more challenging issues to navigate during 1L is finding outlets to apply your emerging legal skills. 1Ls don’t have a ton of free time nor much maturity in the law yet, but meaningful experiences are out there and can fit your schedule. Find a public interest opportunity that gives you the outlet and experiences that remind you why you went to law school.
- Invest in relationships. These are some of the smartest, most thoughtful, and ambitious people you will be around, and as obvious as it sounds, shared experiences are better when they are shared with friends not strangers. Invite classmates over for dinner, go on a run together, carpool, or whatever you can do to carve out meaningful relational time is important.
- Be intentional and disciplined about the legal involvements you take on early in law school. Try to refrain from joining too many activities/clubs because getting overextended during 1L is not fun.
My advice if you are thinking about law school
Transitioning from a professional career back to law school is really scary. I spent four years and countless hours becoming the best middle school teacher I could be and returning to school as a student felt like I was starting over in some ways. To prospective students with a similar background and concerns, I would just encourage you that going to law school is incredibly gratifying. I have been challenged as a student and grown immensely. Importantly, I have been able to integrate my work experience as a teacher with the law school classroom experience.
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