Danielle Hawkes

Danielle Hawkes is a dedicated partner at The Salt Lake Lawyers, a firm renowned for its expertise in criminal, divorce, and civil litigation across Utah. Danielle obtained her law degree from the University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law in 2010. Following her graduation, she embarked on a one-year fellowship in Washington, D.C. with Georgetown Law and the Law Students for Reproductive Justice, collaborating with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health to advocate for women's and immigrants' rights.

During her law school tenure, Danielle contributed to the S.J. Quinney College of Law’s Journal of Law and Family Studies, publishing two insightful notes. Her first note, 'Locking up Children: Lessons from the T. Don Hutto Family Detention Center,' examined the controversial practice of detaining immigrant families, including young children, in private, for-profit detention centers. Her second note, 'Elective Surgery: When Parental and Medical Opinion Supersedes a Child’s Right to Choose,' delved into discretionary medical procedures for children, addressing topics such as hysterectomies for physically disabled children and cosmetic surgeries.

Danielle's academic achievements include winning two best oralist awards at the Pace National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. She also served as the student coordinator for the Guadalupe Legal Clinic, a low-income legal clinic, and co-founded Rainbow Law, a free legal clinic focused on LGBT law in Salt Lake City. As president of OutLaws, S.J. Quinney’s queer student group, she demonstrated her commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Her practical experience is further enriched by her role as a legal intern at the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah and her position as a law clerk at Strindberg & Scholnick, LLC, an employment discrimination law firm. Upon graduating, Danielle was honored with the Outstanding Law Graduate of the S.J. Quinney College of Law Award by the National Association of Women Lawyers and received a runner-up award from the National Association of Women Lawyers.