From a Street Kid to a Man Realizing His Dream

Sholdon Daniels BA’10 is a modern self-made person. Born and raised in a working-class neighborhood in south Sherman, Texas, Daniels is a Dallas defense attorney, business advocate and community activist who has been relentless about the road he has traveled in his life and career. From a tough street kid who ran afoul of the law to a savvy attorney who now helps others, Daniels discarded the anger he carried with him since childhood to build a life for himself.

“I’m blessed to be where I am and I honestly feel I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be,” Daniels said from his downtown Dallas corner office that features a view of the neon Majestic Theatre marquee. “I’m able to use my skills, what I call superpowers, to help people.”

Daniels remembers growing up with kids who believed they had only two options for making something of themselves — becoming rappers or professional athletes. Daniels sought to make a name for himself in high school athletics, hoping for a ticket to a better life. But at only 5 feet, 8 inches, a future in sports wasn’t likely, he said.

Like many kids looking to make a little money via part-time jobs, Daniels applied for positions at fast food restaurants like McDonalds. He wasn’t even considered. Then he applied for what was advertised in the local newspaper as a guaranteed job as a door-to-door salesperson.

“I talked to the only person who would hire me and at 14 years old, I became a Kirby Vacuum salesman,” Daniels said. “This guy trained us for a day and sent us out, and I think I sold three or four vacuums. I learned early on that if I was going to make it, I was going to have to pull stuff from the ether of my reality and create my own lane.”

Daniels grew up without a permanent male role model in his life. He had a good relationship with his stepfather for a while, but the one man he was close to was eventually incarcerated and had little future impact. Daniels met his biological father for the first time when he was 18, learning that the man lived just a few blocks from his childhood home. Angered that he made no effort to know him, Daniels confronted his father who threatened him with a gun. In a scuffle, the gun accidentally went off and Daniels was grazed on the chin by the bullet, leaving a scar that’s still visible today.

Daniels’ experiences as a young person set him on a path to do something with his life. As a teenager he became fixated on a career that he was surprisingly familiar with — the law.

“Everyone I knew was a defendant, a convict coming back from prison or on probation,” Daniels said. “My (step)father was incarcerated for 19 years, and I knew the only people who helped him were defense lawyers.”

Daniels was arrested for possession of marijuana and an incident involving cocaine, which scared him away from drug use. So, his familiarity with defense lawyers was personal and as a teenager he decided he wanted a career where he could help people like his stepfather. As a teenager, becoming an attorney drove Daniels. He just had to figure out how to get there.

After graduating from high school, Daniels served in the U.S. Army until his discharge in 2006. College was next in his career quest, and he was able to pay for his education through student financial aid. After moving to Dallas and living on an uncle’s couch, Daniels enrolled in El Centro College downtown, later transferring to UT Dallas to enroll in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies and graduating in 2010.

For me, UTD felt like home. I just feel like I fit in at UTD. In high school I was used to being the smartest kid in the room, but at UTD that went away fast, and it was such a relief. I really enjoyed my classes and being able to talk to people about my ideas.

Sholdon Daniels BA’10

After graduating from UT Dallas, Daniels was accepted at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, graduating in 2014. His dream of becoming an attorney became a reality after passing the bar on his first attempt.

While in college, Daniels interned for a local law office in Sherman and learned an interesting fact that related to his future. He was told that if he becomes a lawyer and practiced in Sherman, he would be the first Black attorney in the town since 1933 when well-known civil rights attorney William Durham practiced in Sherman. Durham became an associate of future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first Black justice and the namesake for the law school Daniel attended.

“I thought it would be cool to graduate and come back to Sherman and open up shop,” Daniels said. “At the time I thought I could one day be the first Black district attorney in Grayson County. That didn’t work out, but it’s still on the table.”

Daniels did return to Sherman in 2014 and began representing people needing a criminal defense lawyer. In fact, he won his first jury trial he argued in Grayson County. His star was on the rise.

“People were seeing me on the news and seeing me winning cases that I tried,” Daniels said. “They said that it was inspiring to see me now. Even some street guys that I knew said they were inspired.”

Today, with Attorney Sholdon Daniels, PLLC serving clients in both Sherman and Dallas, Daniels continues to do criminal defense work, but he’s also become a community activist and political leader, having run for the U.S. 4th Congressional District (before dropping out of the race) and campaigning unsuccessfully for a Sherman city council seat. He successfully led an effort to establish bike routes in the town and founded a nonprofit called the Texoma Arts Mentoring Program that connected area youth with established artists. Today he is often asked to serve on community and foundation boards in his hometown. He enjoys serving as a volunteer youth coach at a local YMCA, on his local PTA executive board and on the Trustee Appointed Advisory Council (TAAC) of Dallas ISD’s Racial Equity Office.

Daniels is also a leader in advising people on how to start businesses and has written and published the book “B.A.N.G! Blacks Achieving Next Level Growth.” He believes business is the best tool available in society to combat poverty and other economic ills and he has helped several people start businesses.

“I see business as a tool to empower people, so I preach the gospel of business ownership,” he said.

From wayward street kid with rough edges to becoming a successful trial lawyer, husband and father, Daniels is the first to tell you that his rise in life had much to do with losing the anger he held inside for so long against people he felt held him down. He calls it the chip on his shoulder.

“That chip, it got me so far and protected me for so long,” Daniels said. “But it got to the point where that chip started to become my albatross, my crucifix. It was just a burden that I finally decided, after getting married and having kids, that I got to let it go. That made all the difference as far as where I am today.”

Daniels believes that with a clear vision and determination, one can accomplish anything. 

“All you need is an opportunity,” he said. “But sometimes, you’re going to have to create your own.”

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