Donald Wagner, a 2012 graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, has begun his new career in civilian practice as a senior associate at Atlanta's Drew Eckl & Farnham. But his path to a J.D. was far from traditional. Wagner attended law school as an active-duty Army captain in the highly selective Funded Legal Education Program.
His decision to pursue a career in law was solidified under the most demanding circumstances. While deployed as an infantry platoon leader in Afghanistan, Wagner was flown to Bagram Airbase specifically to take the LSAT. His experience on the ground, seeing how legal decisions directly impacted operations, motivated his next step. He wanted to "be part of the legal team that answers the unique legal issues that arise in a combat zone."
At the School of Law, Wagner was on active duty but remained in a nondeployable status, allowing him to focus on his studies. He balanced the rigors of law school with his home life, which included twin boys born just two weeks before his Afghanistan deployment. During his time at the school, he helped establish the Military Law Society, embracing the chance to be "part of a group that is working toward a common goal."
This transition to law was the second major pivot in Wagner's professional life. A 1997 Penn State journalism graduate, he first worked as a sportswriter, covering high school sports for the Gettysburg Times and later college football for Blue-White Illustrated. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, crystallized his long-held interest in military service. “If I was going to join, I had to do it then,” Wagner said.
He began Officer Candidate School in 2005 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 2006. He served as an infantry platoon leader at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and led a 39-person rifle platoon for part of the time during combat operations in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009.
After earning his J.D. from the School of Law, Wagner began a distinguished career as a judge advocate. His legal roles showcased a wide breadth of experience, moving from the courtroom to high-level international advisory positions. He served as a criminal prosecutor and later as senior defense litigation counsel at Fort Leavenworth, where he led a team defending clients in high-stakes, felony-level courts-martial, including cases of sexual assault and fraud.
Wagner's career then took him to Germany for four years. He served as senior administrative law counsel for the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, playing a key legal role in renewing a decades-old international rail logistics agreement and helping advise the two-star commander responsible for Army logistics in Europe. Later, as chief legal advisor for the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, he provided strategic counsel to a one- and two-star general on regulatory matters affecting cross-border defense operations, even advising on the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on U.S. Army air-missile-defense operations in Europe. His final military role was senior supervisory attorney for U.S. Army Central in Sumter, South Carolina, advising on high-value procurement contracts valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
After 20 years of service, Wagner retired in July 2025. He meticulously planned his transition, becoming the first military attorney selected for an internship with the Mayo Clinic’s legal department through the Army Career Skills Program.
In August 2025, he joined Drew Eckl & Farnham, where he applies his extensive experience in advocacy and complex problem-solving to general tort and commercial transportation litigation. Outside of his practice, Wagner enjoys fly fishing and traveling with his wife and three sons, the youngest of whom was born in his last year of law school.
“I am truly fortunate to have been surrounded by some of the greatest friends, mentors, and teachers a person could have, including at UM,” he said. “Not a day goes by where I don’t rely on something I learned there. Whether it’s breaking down a complex issue into smaller, digestible pieces for a leader who’s pressed for time or relying on the litigation skills learned by some of the best in the business, I would not be where I am today without the skills and knowledge I first learned at Miami Law.”
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