Donald M. Scotten, USC Gould School of Law’s vice dean for administration and professor of the practice of law, wears many hats at USC Gould — but his role as professor is his absolute passion. For as long as he can
remember, Scotten wanted to be a teacher. He began his career as a high school teacher, but an undergraduate law class he had taken at the University of Pennsylvania inspired him to go back to school and pursue a law degree.
After receiving his JD from College of William & Mary’s law school, Scotten practiced law for a few years at private law firms and also at a major corporation, Countrywide Financial, where he was an in-house advisor to the company. “Out of all the positions I had in practice, I most enjoyed serving as in-house counsel,” Scotten said. “It was fulfilling to be able to advise the business so they could meet their goals.”
Throughout his practice years, Scotten never lost his passion for teaching. “As much as I enjoyed practicing law, I continued to want to return to teaching,” Scotten said. “I sought to combine my interest in law and my passion for teaching by teaching law, which is what brought me to Gould.”
Scotten continues to show a passion for teaching as he received the 2023-2024 USC Dornsife General Education Teaching Award for his contribution to the General Education Program. The award is given annually to professors, writing instructors and graduate assistants for excellence in teaching undergraduates. Scotten’s award citation included an anonymous quote from a former student. “Never stop teaching! Your class was an absolute joy. I learned about U.S. law and have a better understanding of how our government works and why those systems are in place today. It’s so clear how passionate you are about what you teach and your students as well.”
“Receiving this award means that my students are getting value from my teaching and that they are enjoying the educational experience,” Scotten said. “Education should be fun.”
From Adjunct to Vice Dean
Scotten began at USC Gould in 2007, when he joined as an adjunct faculty member. Since then, in addition to becoming a professor of the practice of law, he has also taken on the role of vice dean for administration.
“It makes my day super interesting to have multiple roles,” Scotten said. “I get to help staff and faculty in their day-to-day work and help facilitate their success.”
Scotten also serves as counsel for Akerman LLP, which keeps him active in practice and up-to-date in the field for his students.
“Staying connected to practice allows me to bring real life examples to my students so they can learn how the law impacts people,” he said. “My counsel role at Akerman also helps inform my teaching by showing me what law firm associates are really dealing with today.”
Shaping Students’ Experience
Currently, Scotten teaches three classes at USC Gould: For undergraduates, Fundamentals of the U.S. Legal System; for master’s students, Introduction to the U.S. Legal System; and for JD students, Business Organization. His philosophy when teaching any student follows the same principle: “The law affects real people and holds substantial consequences for your client,” Scotten said.
“I want my students to know how the law affects people’s lives. My job as an educator is to help them understand that and then give them the tools to question it: Can there be a different or better way for the law to be?”
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