Coming from a family with three generations of judges, David L. Evans ’71 faced high expectations when he decided to embark on a legal career. But Evans shattered those expectations through hard work and an unwavering commitment to serving the legal profession for over four decades. In recognition of Evans’ contributions, his friends and colleagues, especially organizers Neal W. Adams ’68 and U. S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman ’97, undertook a grassroots effort to create the Honorable David L. Evans ’71 Dean’s Endowed Scholarship at Texas A&M University School of Law.
Deep Aggie Roots
Evans’ journey to success began at Texas A&M, following the footsteps of his great-uncle, Class of 1908, and father, Class of 1940 (and a survivor of the Bataan Death March during World War II). As a high school senior, however, Evans did not intend on following his Aggie roots and looked to attend college elsewhere. “But I was persuaded by something my father said: Not only would I receive a first-class education at Texas A&M, but I would make the closest friends I’d ever have and gain a network that would be helpful to me throughout my life. There also would be Aggies whom I would never meet—but because of what they had done, I would benefit from being an Aggie.”
Evans quickly learned that his father was right as he left Aggieland with deep friendships and an education that provided a strong foundation for a successful career.
Occupying Berlin
After graduating from Texas A&M during the height of the Cold War, Evans was commissioned as an Army infantry officer in West Berlin, Germany. “At the time, the city was an occupied zone,” said Evans. “I was the only Aggie junior officer in the Berlin Brigade at that time—and I served for four years with soldiers who had fought in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.”
