Scott M. Daniels

Biography

Professor Scott M. Daniels is an Assistant Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law, where he teaches LAWR III and Trial Advocacy. His teaching focuses on legal analysis, persuasive writing, litigation strategy, and courtroom advocacy.

Professor Daniels earned his Juris Doctor from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 1988 after receiving his Bachelor of Arts from New York University in 1985.

Prior to entering legal education, Professor Daniels practiced law for more than twenty years, litigating thousands of cases across a broad range of practice areas. His extensive courtroom experience included criminal defense litigation, family law, probate and estate matters, real estate transactions, administrative proceedings, and appellate advocacy.

As a criminal defense attorney, Professor Daniels handled felony and misdemeanor matters ranging from shoplifting offenses to homicide prosecutions. His work included motion practice, evidentiary hearings, jury trials, bench trials, appellate arguments, and post-trial proceedings before both state and appellate courts. Several of his cases attracted public attention, including one featured on Court TV.

Professor Daniels also maintained an active family law practice representing parties in custody, visitation, paternity, neglect, and protective order proceedings. In estate and probate practice, he drafted wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, and health care proxies while representing executors in surrogate’s court proceedings.

His professional experience additionally included representing clients in residential and commercial real estate transactions and appearing in administrative proceedings involving license suspensions and school disciplinary hearings.

Alongside his litigation practice, Professor Daniels served as an arbitrator in the Civil Court of the City of New York.

Professor Daniels has also written extensively for nationally recognized legal treatises and professional publications, including Moore’s Federal Practice, Collier on Bankruptcy, Criminal Defense Techniques, New York Criminal Practice, and other major legal reference works. His scholarship and professional writing have focused on criminal procedure, search and seizure law, bankruptcy practice, occupational safety law, litigation strategy, and evidentiary issues.

At Ave Maria School of Law, Professor Daniels brings substantial practical litigation experience into the classroom, helping students develop effective legal writing, analytical reasoning, and courtroom advocacy skills.

Education

• J.D., Benjamin Cardozo School of Law, 1988
• B.A., New York University, 1985

Professional Experience

Professor Scott M. Daniels serves as an Assistant Professor of Law at Ave Maria School of Law, where he teaches LAWR III and Trial Advocacy.

Before entering academia, Professor Daniels practiced law for more than twenty years, litigating thousands of cases in both trial and appellate settings. His practice areas included criminal defense, family law, probate and estate matters, real estate transactions, and administrative proceedings.

As a criminal defense attorney, Professor Daniels handled felony and misdemeanor matters ranging from shoplifting offenses to homicide cases. His experience included extensive motion practice, evidentiary hearings, jury trials, bench trials, post-trial proceedings, and oral arguments before the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court.

Professor Daniels also represented clients in family court matters involving custody, visitation, paternity, neglect proceedings, and orders of protection. In estate practice, he drafted wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills, and health care directives while guiding executors through probate proceedings.

His legal experience further included representing buyers, sellers, and financial institutions in residential real estate transactions and representing clients in administrative hearings involving license suspensions and school disciplinary proceedings.

In addition to his litigation work, Professor Daniels served as an arbitrator in the Civil Court of the City of New York and has written extensively for major legal treatises and professional publications.

Honors & Professional Affiliations

• Member, The Florida Bar
• Member, The New York Bar
• Member, New York State Appellate Division, Second Department
• Member, United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York
• Arbitrator, Civil Court of the City of New York

Courses Taught

• LAWR III
• Trial Advocacy

Publications

• Criminal Defense Techniques (Matthew Bender) — Lead update author for ten-volume treatise on criminal law.
• Collier on Bankruptcy (Matthew Bender) — Extensive analysis of the Bankruptcy Code and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
• Collier on Bankruptcy Exemption Guide (Matthew Bender) — Author-in-charge of twice-yearly updates covering statutory bankruptcy exemptions for all fifty states and U.S. territories.
• Moore’s Federal Practice (Matthew Bender) — Complete revision of Search and Seizure chapter and updates to federal procedural chapters.
• New York Criminal Practice (Matthew Bender) — Update and revision author.
• A Practical Guide to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Law Journal Seminars-Press) — Complete publication updates with annual revisions.
• Use of Statistics in Equal Employment Opportunity Litigation (Law Journal Seminars-Press) — Complete publication updates with annual revisions.