Fourth Circuit Judge Andre M. Davis was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1949. Judge Davis received a B.A. degree in American history from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. After attending the University of Maryland School of Law from l975 to l978, Judge Davis graduated cum laude in l978. While at the University of Maryland School of Law, Judge Davis served on the Moot Court Board, and he served as chair of the Honor Board and the Black Law Students Association. He was a member of the National Moot Court Team. He was selected as the Best Advocate in the Myerowitz Memorial Moot Court Competition, and in the Marshall-Wythe Moot Court Competition. The faculty awarded the prestigious Roger Howell Award to Judge Davis.
Before attending law school, Judge Davis worked as an Assistant Housing Manager and Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist from 1972 to 1974 with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. Upon his graduation from law school, Judge Davis served as law clerk to Judge Frank A. Kaufman of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland from 1978 to 1979. He also served as law clerk to Judge Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit from 1979 to 1980. From 1980 to 1981, Judge Davis was employed by the U. S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, as an appellate attorney. In 1981, he joined the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland as an Assistant United States Attorney in Baltimore and remained there until 1983, when he entered private practice.
From 1984 to 1987, Judge Davis was an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Law. In 1987, Judge Davis was appointed as associate judge of the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City, where he remained until 1990. Next, he was appointed as associate judge of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.
On May 4, 1995, Judge Davis received a nomination from President Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on August 11, 1995, and Judge Davis was commissioned on August 14, 1995.
Judge Davis has served or is serving as a member or chair of numerous professional and community organizations, including director of the Baltimore Urban League, Inc., 1975-78; president of the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc., 1985-87; trustee of Goucher College, 1985-91; director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Maryland, Inc., 1989 to 1996, and 2001 to the present; president/vice president of the Executive Committee of the Maryland Judicial Conference, 1992-94; member of the board and president of the University of Maryland School of Law Alumni Association, 1993-2001; president of Digges Inn, American Inns of Court, 1997-98; member of the Council, Section on Correctional Reform, Maryland State Bar Association, 1989 to present; member of the Executive Committee and officer, Conference of Federal Trial Judges, Judicial Division of the American Bar Association, 1999 to present; Lawyers’ Round Table; Rule Day Club; Wranglers. He is a member of the faculty at the National Judicial College and an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Law. He is a member of the board and co-chair of the International Committee at the Einstein Institute for Science, Health and the Courts.
On April 2, 2009, President Obama nominated Judge Davis to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. The Senate confirmed the nomination on November 9, 2009, and Judge Davis was commissioned on November 10, 2009.