Pro Bono Spotlight: Anna Davis

By Dawn LaRue

For attorneys, fewer things are more important than having an outstanding reputation amongst one’s professional peers. Reputation is something that is observed by others. For example, one attorney could be known for sporting flamboyant bow ties, another for her killer collection of Jimmy Choo shoes. While it’s good to score fashion and style points, that says nothing about the quality of one’s work. It’s better to be known for getting great results for one’s clients. And it’s best to be known for zealous representation, and for carving out time from a busy practice to provide pro bono legal services. Anna Davis has earned an exemplary reputation not only for practicing law at the highest professional level, but also for making tremendous pro bono contributions.

Anna is an alumna of North Carolina Central University School of Law. Upon being admitted to the Bar in 2010, Anna started out as an assistant district attorney in Wake County, North Carolina. She would go on to serve as an assistant attorney general for the North Carolina Department of Justice, and then as a senior assistant city attorney for the City of Durham. In January of 2022, Anna made the jump from governmental entities to private practice, joining the Hartzog Law Group, LLP as a senior associate attorney. Anna has consistently made time for pro bono work throughout her career. She is most passionate about helping victims of domestic violence and has provided representation through Legal Aid of North Carolina and the Blanchard Community Clinic of Campbell Law School.

Along the way, Anna has been repeatedly recognized for her pro bono efforts. In 2020, Anna was inducted into the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society for providing 50+ hours of pro bono legal services. In 2021, Anna was recognized by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service for her substantial service with the ABA’s Free Legal Answers program. If the demands of her law practice and pro bono efforts aren’t enough, Anna is also a candidate for an MPS in Human Resources Management at Georgetown University School of Continuing Education. In 2021, Anna was an honoree of the Hoya Professional 30 for exemplifying Georgetown values. There is no rest for the dedicated!

Anna has committed her life to the service of others and believes she has an obligation to help others succeed where she has succeeded. Anna has indeed used her legal expertise to benefit others. She relishes the personal and professional satisfaction that comes from making a difference in people’s lives. One story in particular captures this gratification. In 2015, Anna was a domestic violence prosecutor. One case involved a woman charged with felony assault. As Anna reviewed the evidence, it became clear to her that this defendant was not the aggressor. Anna was then able to offer her a deferral through a program that included resources for domestic violence victims through Interact. Although the charge was dismissed, it remained on her record and became a barrier to employment. Fast forward to 2021, when Anna was volunteering with the Blanchard Community Clinic. That very same woman was a client of the clinic, and Anna was able to work with her to obtain an expunction of that underlying charge.

What a privilege it was for Anna to help this woman and know that she helped provide someone with a true second chance!