WLWT: How one of Ohio’s newest lawyers went from federal prison to UC Law
UC Law alum Damon Davis is helping individuals without representation navigate the justice system
Damon Davis took the oath for the Ohio Bar Admissions this month and is now a Hamilton County public defender.
Davis, a 2022 graduate of UC Law, spoke with WLWT-TV about his journey from former federal prison inmate to accomplished attorney. Davis spent four-and-a-half years behind bars after being convicted of federal drug and gun charges in 2017.
He was introduced to law while working in the prison library. Davis was released homeless and with only $26 to his name before finding a factory job that reimbursed his college tuition and offered a path forward. Davis attended community college and later the University of Kentucky for a bachelor’s degree. He completed UC Law with scholarship assistance.
“It means a lot to be here and be able to help these people,” Davis told WLWT. “To understand what they're going through and to have faced personally the things they're going through.”
While at UC Law Davis was an Ohio Innocence Project (OIP) fellow who wrote appeals for individuals in the prison system. Now a freshly-minted public defender, Davis is making a positive difference in his community.
Listen to the WLWT segment.
Read a digital story on WLWT’s website.
Spectrum News also produced a segment on Davis.
See a story on Davis from Court News Ohio.
Learn more about Damon Davis at UC Law.
Featured image at top: Damon Davis. Photo/UC Alumni Association.
Related Stories
Drone-delivered groceries descending into Cincinnati
June 25, 2026
Walmart is bringing drone delivery to Cincinnati, as reported by 700WLW. Host Scott Sloan spoke with Michael Jones, associate professor of economics at the University of Cincinnati's Lindner College of Business, for a look at what it means for Cincinnati shoppers.
A leg up in a challenging job market
June 24, 2026
Spectrum interviewed a panel of University of Cincinnati experts and alum for a look into how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. They highlighted UC's cooperative education (co-op) programs and courses that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) competence as key to being ready for the workplace.
Measuring emissions from vintage street lamps
June 24, 2026
UC Professor Amy Townsend-Small talks to Resources Radio about her examination of escaped methane from natural gas lights in Boston and Cincinnati.