Overview
Danny loves long walks at Eden Park with his dog, Mars, who loves the walks even more.
Danny is a member of the Real Estate Practice Group. A life-long Cincinnati resident, he practices law at the Bricker Graydon downtown Cincinnati office.
Danny has devoted much of his career to the Cincinnati area and the betterment of his community. Working as Assistant Director of Development of the UC Economics Center, he implemented strategies for achieving fundraising goals of over $250,000 per year to service financial literacy education programs in the Cincinnati area. Furthering his commitment to his city, he worked as a Campaign Manager for a Mayoral Candidate in 2017.
Industries & Practices
Education
University of Cincinnati College of Law, JD, cum laude, 2023
University of Cincinnati, BA Political Science, summa cum laude, 2016
Distinctions
Augustine John McDonough Prize for Best Torts Essay (2023)
CALI Excellence for the Future, Legal Research & Writing, Award Winner (2020)
Professional Activities
Managing Editor, University of Cincinnati Law Review (2022-2023)
Member, Student Legal Education Committee (2020-2023)
Sergeant-at-Arms, Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, Alpha Xi Chapter (2015-2016)
Cincinnati Bar Association
Experience
- Declaring Dankruptcy: Exploring Avenues to Relief for Debtors Involved with Cannabis, Volume 91, Issue 2, University of Cincinnati Law Review
- All of the Products, None of the Liability: Examining the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Decision in Stiner v. Amazon.com, Inc., Volume 90, Issue 4, University of Cincinnati Law Review
Presentations & Publications
Speaking Engagements
Outside The Office
The phrase “walk before you run” makes Danny laugh each time he hears it. “My mom told me I always did the opposite when I was a kid.” Danny explained. “She says when I was first learning to walk as a baby, I never tried to walk, I always tried to stand up and run instead. I hit a lot of walls (literally) that way, but I always kept getting back up.”
Originally born in Arizona to a father that served the skies as a pilot, and a mother who worked a variety of jobs in retail, Danny was surrounded by a family that emphasized hard work and persistence, and also one that inserted compassion into moments of failure.
“My parents showed me how to persevere,” Danny reminisced. “I think they gave me lot of my academic vigor and my self-motivation. But even more importantly, they showed me how to get myself up off the ground when I failed, and the importance of being compassionate to others.”
That same combination of academic vigor and compassion fueled Danny all through his schooling in childhood, eventually culminating into his initial interest in the legal world during the years surrounding the 2008 financial crisis.
“I was glued to what was happening then, even though I was only in middle school,” Danny said. “I wanted to understand what was happening, and that was probably the first time I learned about attorneys that helped everyday people without necessarily going to court to argue in big trials. That was when I really became interested in doing something rooted in law or politics.”
While that was the first moment Danny got a sense of his future career, he’s pretty sure his mom knew he’d eventually be a lawyer from the day he started elementary school.
“I think my mom always knew I’d end up going into law, even when I wasn’t as vocal about it,” Danny laughed. “When I first got into law school she told me, ‘Danny, your favorite things to do as a kid were reading, writing, and thinking. I had a strong feeling you would end up wanting to be an attorney.’”
After four years of high school, with a schedule that had him swimming six days a week all year long, Danny went on to attend the University of Cincinnati, majoring in political science.
During his junior year at UC, a unique opportunity presented itself that allowed Danny to experience the political world as a campaign manager in the 2017 Cincinnati mayor’s race. Danny graduated a semester early to take on this role, but soon found himself once again stumbling into walls and unable to find his footing.
“It was overwhelming coming fresh out of college and trying to run a local campaign,” said Danny. “Of course I think the experience helped me develop key skills as a professional, but something about it didn’t entirely click for me, and I knew I needed a change.” This led to Danny taking on a job as a development coordinator at the University of Cincinnati Foundation, where worked the next two years assisting in fundraising efforts for the University of Cincinnati Economics Center.
As time passed, Danny felt like he was still running into walls.
“One day, I don’t know what it was, but I felt myself take a step back, and I asked myself what I really want to do, who I really want to be,” he said. “And I kept thinking back to those days when I felt really inspired by the idea of becoming an attorney. I still liked research, writing, thinking, reading, and I got the chance to meet some fantastic attorneys through my work at the UC Foundation. I finally started to realize that the time had come for me to pursue my own legal journey.”
So, after three years of experience in the working world, Danny went back to school to earn his law degree at his alma mater, the University of Cincinnati.
Three years later (and many more hours spent reading, writing, and thinking) and Danny had obtained his JD. However, it was the summer of 2022, after his second year of law school, when Danny first encountered Bricker Graydon.
“When I first met everyone during the firm’s summer associate program, I was really excited about how positive the culture was. Everyone was kind, helpful, and passionate about what they did. It’s the type of place where teamwork is especially emphasized, and where your colleagues will get you on your feet and patch you up when you run into the proverbial wall. It’s also a firm where people are really passionate about Cincinnati, and that was something I wanted to be a part of”
These days, outside of practicing law for Bricker Graydon’s real estate industry group, Danny keeps himself busy by watching the NBA, playing basketball with friends (Danny emphasized he’s no pro, but something of a ‘decent rec player’) running, reading science fiction books (his favorites being the Dune and Foundation series) and spending time with his, family, girlfriend and dog.
When asked for advice on what he would tell those younger than himself looking for success, Danny said, “Always try to find time to take a step back and look at where you are. Ask yourself when you’re feeling burned out: is this where I want to be? If not, how do I get there, and what steps can I take to make sure I’m happy? But also remember to be patient, and that nothing happens overnight. Whether you’re a toddler taking their first steps or in your early 20s trying to figure out your career, you have to learn how to walk before you can hit the ground running.”
Daniel T. O'Connor
- office 513.629.2825
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312 Walnut StreetSuite 1800Cincinnati, OH 45202 -4152
Admissions
- State of Ohio