About Professor Copes

Professor Copes joined the Memphis Law faculty as an Assistant Professor of Law in 2024.  She has practiced law in Texas, focusing on business and corporate law, domestic and international transactions, and civil litigation and appeals. Her academic and scholarly interests include public policy and private contracting rights, contract-based risk reduction strategies, and equity issues in business, education, and employment.

Before joining the University of Memphis, Professor Copes taught at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, where she taught Legal Communication, Analysis, and Professionalism I and II and experiential Contract Drafting. In 2021, she had the distinction of being selected to teach the first legal communication and skills course in the nation's first fully-online J.D. program approved by the American Bar Association.

Prior to teaching, Professor Copes practiced commercial contracting and transactional law, corporate structuring and governance, multi-national ventures, state and federal litigation and appeals, and state and federal administrative law. Her experience includes contracts, business disputes, construction law, fiduciary matters, intellectual property, labor and employment, bankruptcy, insurance defense, and tort claims. She was peer-selected as a Best San Antonio Lawyer (2014, 2015) and a Top San Antonio Lawyer (2014).  While working as a corporate law practitioner, Professor Copes served as an adjunct professor of law teaching and coaching international law and appellate advocacy.

Professor Copes was the first in her family to attend college. She then earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where she received several awards for her leadership skills and academic excellence. She sharpened her advocacy skills as a state, regional, and national moot court competitor, earning national Order of Barristers honors. She also served as a research and editorial assistant in the areas of state, federal, and military rules of evidence and military criminal justice and as a research and teaching assistant in constitutional law.  

Professor Copes holds a post-doctorate degree in international and comparative law, graduating at the top of her LL.M. class.  She is a former intern to Judge Emilio M. Garza of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Education

LL.M., International and Comparative Law, St. Mary's University School of Law

J.D., magna cum laude, St. Mary's University School of Law

B.A., Pepperdine University

Experience

After earning her Texas law license in 2006, Professor Copes began her career as an associate attorney in a business law and civil litigation firm based in San Antonio, Texas.  She has since worked as a senior associate, staff attorney, and law firm partner. She is the co-founder of a business law and litigation consulting practice.

Admitted

Texas, United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Texas, United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Teaching Interests

Current courses: Contracts I, Contracts II, Corporate Law Seminar

Other interests: business and commercial law, international law, administrative law, advocacy

Research & Publications

Deputy Editor, American Bar Association Section of International Law, 2023 International Law Year in Review

Recent conference presentations:

Danielle Copes & Jaime Aleman, Winning with Words: Crafting Compelling Rule Statements, Lone Star Regional Legal Writing Conference, Houston, Texas (April 2024)

Talking in Class: A Lesson in Oral Communication Skills for the Legal Writing Space, Lone Star Regional Legal Writing Conference, Lubbock, Texas (April 2023).

Self-Assessments that Work: Methods, Practices, and Examples to Empower Student Success, AASE National Conference, San Antonio, Texas (May 2022).