Firm News

Capes Sokol proudly announces that Missouri Lawyers Media has selected Dani M. Durban to receive a 2023 Up & Coming Award. The award honors early-career lawyers who demonstrate professional excellence while making a positive impact on their profession and communities. 

“Dani is the epitome of everything that is good about our profession,” said Sarah J. Luem, Chair of Capes Sokol’s Business and Real Estate practice groups. “She is a zealous advocate for her clients, she loves the law, and she adores being a lawyer. She is a critical part of Capes Sokol’s transactional team, a joy to be around, and an invaluable partner to her clients.” 

Missouri Lawyers Media will recognize Dani and her fellow honorees on Thursday, October 12 at the company’s headquarters at The Maritz Building in Fenton. They will also feature the group in a special section in the October issue of Missouri Lawyers Media magazine. 

Danielle M. Durban

Dani believes the law is just one part of a client’s needs. Because of that, she is committed to thoroughly understanding each of her client’s business goals, mission, and values in order to provide effective and efficient solutions unique to each client’s business. In doing so, she relies on more than just legal knowledge.

Having worked with a variety of businesses as a graphic and web artist for over a decade, Dani learned the importance of figuring out how to translate a client’s vision into a client’s reality. Applying this approach to the legal world, Dani makes sure to always view a client’s legal needs in relation to their business goals, striving to create harmony between the two. This creative and results-driven approach has proven successful—in both the legal outcome and in the satisfaction of the client.

Dani has worked with television production companies, movie production companies, digital entertainment companies, software development companies, restaurateurs, artists, actors, authors, and entrepreneurs in connection with their business formation, deal structure, network contracts, rights acquisition, IP licensing, software licensing, and copyright and trademark protection.

Dani focuses on entity formation and structuring, business disputes, commercial transactions, real estate, copyrights, and trademarks. Dani joined Capes Sokol as a Summer Associate and continued working with the firm as a Law Clerk throughout her 3L year.

Dani is extremely involved in the start-up and entrepreneur community, developing business relationships initially as a freelance graphic and web artist and then continuing to foster those relationships as an attorney.

She is an adjunct professor at Washington University Olin Business School, where she teaches an upper-level course on business law, and currently serves on the Board of The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to fostering, promoting, and encouraging young people in the St. Louis region to discover and participate in the joy and wonder of live performances. The Foundation also provides unique opportunities and develops educational performing arts programs focused on young artists.

Dani is an active volunteer at a pro bono legal clinic hosted by Grace Hill Settlement House. The legal clinic is part of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s Community Economic Development Program, which assists low income entrepreneurs and small non-profits who do not have the resources to obtain basic legal assistance.

For additional information about Danielle M. Durban, please visit her profile.

Up  & Coming Awards:

The annual Up & Coming awards celebrate outstanding legal professionals who are 40 or younger or who are within their first 10 years of practice. Honorees have demonstrated professional accomplishment, skill and leadership beyond their years as well as extraordinary commitment to their communities through volunteer service and leadership. In addition to the general category, Missouri Lawyers Weekly recognizes attorneys in four supplementary special categories, Law Firm Leader, Public Service, Pro Bono Project, and Mentor.

For additional information about the Up & Coming Awards, please click here.