Our Interview With Halston Davis, Managing Attorney at Davis & Sanchez, PLLC

Hal is a Managing Attorney at Davis & Sanchez, PLLC. Hal has been dedicated to helping injured workers secure the compensation they deserve since 2004, guiding hundreds of clients toward recovery and a return to work. As a workers’ compensation specialist, Hal devotes 100% of his practice to this area, with 20% focused on litigation—fearlessly taking on insurance companies to fight for his clients’ denied benefits.

What motivated you to pursue a career in law?

At the time, I was working for the State Human Services Department, and my wife and I had ten children. Out of curiosity, I applied for food stamps—and to my surprise, I qualified. That experience was a wake-up call, and I realized I needed a career change. Given my years of experience as a legal secretary and paralegal, along with the fact that my father and brother were both attorneys, law school felt like a natural next step.

What do you wish you had known about the law school application process before you applied?

Honestly, nothing stands out. My experience felt pretty straightforward.

A lot of students struggle with the law school personal statement. What did your brainstorming, writing, and editing process look like, and what do you think made yours stand out from the crowd?

Since I was 37 when I applied to law school, my approach was likely different from that of younger applicants. I highlighted my years of experience working in law firms and emphasized life experiences that many of my peers simply hadn’t had. I also pointed out my technical background as a hardware and software engineer, which allowed me to bring practical, tech-savvy insights to a field that was, at the time, lagging in technology adoption.

What was the biggest challenge that caught you off guard when you sat down to write the LSAT?

Honestly, I can’t recall anything catching me off guard during the exam.

How much work experience did you gain before applying to law school? What opportunities did you pursue, and what helped you the most during the application process?

Between the ages of 17 and 30, I worked in law firms as a legal secretary and paralegal. That experience gave me an insider’s perspective on the profession. I saw firsthand the difference between successful attorneys who had a solid work-life balance and those who struggled due to poor business skills. This background was invaluable when applying to law school and later building my own practice.

Did you have any setbacks or rejections during the law school admissions process, and what did you learn from those experiences?

Since I had a family to consider, I limited my applications to law schools within the state—I applied only to the University of Utah and Brigham Young University. Fortunately, I was accepted at the University of Utah, so I didn’t face any significant setbacks.

What led you to specialize in Workers’ Compensation? What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue your specialty? What activities/events/opportunities would you recommend for students wanting to pursue Workers’ Compensation?

My father, who was also an attorney, advised me that many new lawyers end up specializing in the areas where they gain the most experience as junior associates. While certain specialties—like tax, patent, or real estate law—may require a more deliberate career path, others, including Workers' Compensation, often develop organically.

For those interested in Workers' Compensation, I recommend taking administrative law courses, learning how to run a solo practice, and seeking out firms that focus on personal injury or Workers' Compensation. These steps can help you gain the necessary expertise and build your network.

What are some emerging fields of law that you would recommend potential students to start thinking about if they want to future-proof themselves in the industry?

There are several emerging areas that seem poised for significant growth, including artificial intelligence, drone regulation, and cybersecurity. In addition, certain fields will always be in demand, such as intellectual property, health and insurance law, trusts and estates, and real estate transactions.

What are the biggest sacrifices you’ve had to make to pursue a career in law?

The biggest sacrifices were:

1. Taking three years out of my professional life to attend law school.
2. Paying for law school through student loans, which took time to repay.
3. Living for about 18 months without a steady income while building my solo practice.
   At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure if I was being courageous or foolish, but in hindsight, becoming an attorney was one of the best decisions I ever made. It led to financial stability and a deeply fulfilling career.

Bonus question: How much would we have to pay you to take the LSAT again?

For $500, I’d take the LSAT again. But if we’re talking about the bar exam—well, that’s a whole different story!

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Juris Education is proud to interview experts like Halston to help future lawyers understand the challenges and rewards of a legal career. Learn more about how our experts can help you get into law school today.