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Dona Playton
Working with victims of domestic violence can be an emotional job, but Dona Playton can “ride on the little successes for a long distance,” which keeps her going. Playton is an attorney and a professor at the University of Wyoming College of Law. She is also the Faculty Supervisor at the Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Clinic, a facility she established that provides pro bono representation for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. It is in this realm that Playton has an enormous impact on all those she comes across.
Her interest in working on behalf of victims began when she was in private practice. So when a position at the Wyoming Coalition for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault opened, she jumped on the opportunity. While at the Coalition, Playton worked diligently with her mentor and former professor, John Burman, to open the Domestic Violence Clinic on campus and in 2002, the clinic successfully opened with the Coalition providing funding for legal assistance. Along with starting the clinic, Playton had been sharing her knowledge and passion for this issue by teaching Domestic Violence and the Law courses, which she began in 1999. She also created and began teaching a course on Children and the Law in 2006.
Playton’s belief is that, “lawyers have a responsibility to help people access the court system.” She whole heartedly believes this philosophy and the belief hugely influences the students and victims she works with. Stacey Obrecht, a former student and current Director of Wyoming Guardians Ad Litem Program couldn’t agree more. “She truly empowers each and every woman who is represented by the clinic. Playton has been the strongest woman and best inspiration to me and many other women in Wyoming and it has been an honor learning from her.”
Playton works to be a strong mentor for her students ensuring that they have an opportunity to grow under her guidance. Students work under Playton’s license to deal with issues that affect women, children and families. The issues are not “light” and the clinic is a busy place- serving around one hundred clients a year, with many on a waiting list. Needless to say, stress levels can be high. “If a person ever feels like this [family law] is not emotional and not upsetting, then it probably isn’t the work they should be doing.” But Playton stays positive, laughs a lot and will be the first to tell you that she loves the work and the students.
A lawyer, teacher, mom, wife and leader it is hard to imagine how Playton juggles it all. “I’ve got kind of a high-strung personality,” she says. “It’s challenging but it’s also rewarding and a lot of fun. I’ve learned there’s no such thing as multi-tasking, you just try to balance it all and not let anything fall.” So far it looks like Playton has mastered her juggling act.
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