About Donald J. Ward
Donald J. Ward III trained as a historian before he turned to the law. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 2008 with a B.A. in history and religious studies. He then attended the University of Notre Dame Law School, earning his J.D. in 2011. While at Notre Dame he was involved in the Order of St. Thomas More, a student group that brings law and ethics into conversation.
He began his legal career in Florida courts and joined Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A. early in his practice. Records list him as a shareholder at the firm since 2011. Over the years he has worked on matters that brought him before state tribunals and administrative forums. Colleagues describe him as steady under pressure and methodical in preparation; clients have relied on that approach in contested proceedings.
Ward belongs to a number of professional organizations that reflect an interest in courtroom practice and the history of the law. He holds memberships in the Palm Beach County Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. He is also a member of the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society and the Notre Dame Law School Order of St. Thomas More. His participation in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum indicates involvement in cases that reached significant resolutions.
Those groups provide a forum for continuing legal education and peer review. Ward's activity in them keeps him engaged with developments in evidence, procedure and trial strategy. He has presented and participated in panel discussions organized by local bar sections and national groups. Outside of formal programs he contributes to firm strategy on case development and trial preparation.
Clients and peers encounter him most often in litigation settings. He habitually prepares cases for trial while also weighing settlement options when they serve a client's interest. He handles pleadings, discovery, dispositive motions and trial advocacy. His courtroom experience is reinforced by memberships that emphasize trial skills and post-trial practice.
He remains based in Florida at Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley, P.A., practicing civil litigation and representing clients in matters before Florida state courts.
