▁and ▁education ▁▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Baltimore , ▁Maryland , ▁Davis ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁East ▁Baltimore . ▁ ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁a ▁school te acher , ▁his ▁mother ▁was ▁a ▁food ▁services ▁worker ▁and ▁his ▁step father ▁was ▁a ▁steel ▁worker , ▁according ▁to ▁an ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁article ▁in ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Sun . ▁Davis ▁attended ▁Phill ips ▁Academy ▁for ▁high ▁school , ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁in ▁American ▁history ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁Although ▁he ▁had ▁planned ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁college ▁professor , ▁Davis ▁chose ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁law ▁after ▁taking ▁an ▁under grad uate ▁course ▁in ▁constitution al ▁law , ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁October ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁article ▁in ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Sun . ▁Davis ▁earned ▁a ▁Jur is ▁Doctor ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland ▁School ▁of ▁Law ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁At ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Maryland , ▁Davis ▁won ▁the ▁My er ow itz ▁M oot ▁Court ▁Compet ition ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁was ▁thus ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁law ▁school ' s ▁three - member ▁National ▁M oot ▁Court ▁Team . ▁ ▁Professional ▁career ▁▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁law ▁school , ▁Davis ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁housing ▁manager ▁and ▁equal ▁opportunity ▁special ist ▁with ▁the ▁H ous ing ▁Author ity ▁of ▁Baltimore ▁City . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁law ▁school , ▁Davis ▁cl erk ed ▁for ▁United ▁States