As an Air Force brat Donna Davis attended the first twelve years of school in various schools around the world including Montana, Nebraska, and Missouri in the United States, the Phillipines, and Germany, finally graduating from Gosnell High School in Gosnell, Arkansas in 1963. She then attended Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in Memphis, graduating with an RN degree in 1966. This was followed by both a BS in Education (1976) and a JD degree (1979) from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. After practicing successfully for many years as owner of her own law firm, Donna joined Butler, Vines and Babb as Of Counsel in 2005.
Donna and her husband are the grateful parents of four children and grandparents of 7 grandkids, 6 girls, and 1 boy. They enjoy golf, spending time with their children and grandchildren, and learning about other cultures through traveling extensively abroad.
Donna has served on numerous professional and civic boards for the past 40 years. Most recently she has served on the Board of Directors for the Sertoma Center, a facility for mentally impaired adults, the University of Tennessee College of Law Dean’s Advisory Council, and UTIA Chancellor’s Council, also at the University of Tennessee. She also volunteers regularly to deliver Mobile Meals and to help with Girl’s Inc., an organization that provides educational support and life style guidance to young girls who need strong adult role models.
Donna focuses her practice exclusively on litigation, representing injured parties in medical negligence cases, general personal injury matters, and product liability matters.
Year Joined Firm
Litigation Percentage
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
- Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1996
- Civil Trial Specialist, Tennessee Commission on Continuing, 1996
- Rule 31 Mediator, Tennessee Supreme Court Alternative Dispute Commission, 1997
Bar Admissions
- Tennessee, 1980
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Tennessee, 1980
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Tennessee, 1980
- U.S. District Court Western District of Tennessee, 1980
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1980
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
Education
- University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, Tennessee J.D. – 1979
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee B.S. cum laude – 1976
- Methodist Hospital School of Nursing, Memphis, Tennessee R.N. summa cum laude – 1966
Classes/Seminars
- Adjunct Faculty and Dean’s Advisory Counsel, University of Tennessee College of Law, 1986 – Present
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, Past President, 1986
- Tennessee Head Injury Association, 1988 – Present
- Hamilton Burnett American Inn of Court, 1994 – Present
- American Association for Justice, NCA Board of Trustees, 1992 – 1996
- National Board of Trial Advocacy, Tennessee State Coordinator, 1998 – Present
Fraternities/Sororities
