A South Georgia native of Rochelle, Donavan brings a rich and multifaceted perspective to the practice of transportation and logistics law. Representing a spectrum of clients including national carriers, local logistics firms, logging companies, and regional transit carriers, Donavan brings an expertise in handling high-stakes litigation as well as a unique insight into navigating regulatory compliance issues at all levels and branches of local, state, and federal government.

Donavan attended law school at Washington & Lee University where he served as a Burks Scholar, aiding first-year students in legal writing and analysis, and as Chair of the Moot Court Executive Board. He won the Robert J. Grey Jr. Negotiations Competition and was a semifinalist of the John W. Davis Moot Court Competition and the Mock Trial Competition. He also received W&L’s Charles V. Laughlin Award for outstanding moot court performance. Donavan later served as a law clerk to Judge John Ellington of the Georgia Court of Appeals and the 25th Judicial Circuit of Virginia, gaining valuable insight into the workings of the appellate and trial courts.

After law school Donavan engaged deeply with public policy, analysis, and legislative lobbying, first as a Senior Policy Analyst and later as Legislative Counsel to the Senate Majority Leader in the Georgia State Senate. While with the Senate, Donavan drafted and shepherded the passage of Georgia’s Domestic Terrorism Act. This experience bridged his transition to private practice, enriching his approach to legal advocacy with a heightened appreciation for collaboration and understanding across all parties involved in the legal process, including the state and federal agencies that regulate the industry.

Outside the Office

Donavan and his wife, Ashley, live near Isle of Hope with their two kids, Ellie and Davis. They attend Isle of Hope United Methodist Church where Donavan teaches adult Sunday School. Ashley is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah and often serves as a volunteer physician with Camp Sunshine. In his free time, Donavan enjoys entertaining the idea that he will one day have a legitimate golf handicap and a 4.0 USTA rating—and hopefully the kids will beat him at both.

Education

Washington and Lee University School of Law, (J.D. cum laude)

University of Georgia, (B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude)

Court Admissions

United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia

United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia

Publications

A Clear and Convincing Reminder of Punitive Damages (February 2024)

Who’s to Blame? Georgia Court of Appeals Grapples with Plaintiff’s Attempts to Disarm Defense from Assigning Blame to Non-Parties (March 2023)

Say What You Need to Say: Avoiding Familiar Pitfalls in Settling Claims (August 2022)

Georgia Court of Appeals Reverses Trial Court for Miscalculating Statute of Limitation in Applying Statewide Judicial Emergency Orders Suspending Deadlines (May 2022)

Life Sentences & Legislatures (March 2022)