About David ‘Hawk‘
David ‘Hawk‘ Allen grew up studying human stories. He earned a Bachelor of Liberal Studies at the University of Memphis, pairing anthropology and poetry. That undergraduate curiosity led him back to the same campus for law school. He received his J.D. from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law in 2019.
After law school, Allen moved into private practice. In 2020 he joined the Songstad Law Office as an associate. He worked on client matters that required courtroom preparation, case investigation and written advocacy. Colleagues from that period describe a lawyer who pays attention to detail and who values clear, plainspoken arguments.
In 2022 Allen took a position in the Office of the Shelby County Public Defender as a lawyer in the Direct Representation Unit. There he handled direct client representation on criminal matters. The DRU role placed him in court frequently. It also demanded rapid case assessment and readiness for trial settings.
Allen’s background in anthropology and poetry informs his work. He approaches interviews and witness statements as stories to be understood, not just facts to be filed. That approach shapes how he prepares cases and how he explains them to judges and juries. He is deliberate in building factual narratives and in testing assumptions behind witness accounts.
He maintains professional memberships and practices under the laws of Tennessee. His work has moved between private and public defense settings, giving him experience in both client-driven litigation and government-funded representation. Peers note that he brings a steady presence to stressful courtroom moments and that he values thorough preparation.
Today Allen practices under the name Hawk Allen, Lawyer. He continues to work in Tennessee, handling criminal defense and public defense matters in both trial and pretrial settings.
