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When Donald Smith enrolled in Widener University Commonwealth Law School’s evening division program in the late 1990s, he was already serving as Pennsylvania’s deputy secretary of compensation and insurance under Gov. Tom Ridge. His days were filled with overseeing three bureaus and the state’s Workers’ Insurance Fund, along with working on major legislation to overhaul the workers’ compensation system.

Still, Smith carved out his nights for law school. “While I had a strong insurance background, I realized that a better understanding of the law would be very beneficial in fulfilling my role,” he said. His boss at the time, Labor & Industry Secretary Johnny Butler, not only approved but encouraged the effort, giving Smith the flexibility to pursue the demanding program.

Smith said the study of law sharpened the skills he would later rely on as an executive. “The Socratic method is a wonderful tool to analyze ideas and bring out alternatives in a group,” he said. He credited legal writing with strengthening his communication, and his time in Widener Law Commonwealth’s Civil Law Clinic with grounding his leadership in advocacy for people facing challenges.

As CEO of CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Co., Smith used those lessons to stay connected with employees at every level. His “skip meetings” approach, where he met with groups without supervisors present, became a cornerstone of his leadership. “It gave me a real hands-on look at the operation,” Smith said.

Smith’s long-term goal was to run an insurance company. With his combined insurance expertise, government service, and legal education, he was selected in 2000 to lead Arizona’s State Compensation Fund. He immediately set out to privatize the quasi-governmental entity, working with Gov. Jan Brewer, legislators and the business community to convert the fund into a fully private mutual company.

Today, CopperPoint Mutual operates in 28 states, writing both workers’ compensation and other business lines. Smith said his law school training at Widener Law Commonwealth helped him envision and execute that transformation.

Smith also remembers the camaraderie of the evening division. “Most evening-division students have already embarked on other careers and are motivated to become lawyers out of a desire to either change careers or enhance the one they have,” he said. “Even though we knew our grades would be determined on a curve, everyone was willing to help another classmate.” Friends from those years encouraged him to stay in school when the grind felt overwhelming, and many remain in touch more than two decades later.

Beyond business, Smith has served extensively in civic leadership roles, from the American Red Cross to the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. He sees this work as an extension of his legal training. “Law school was not just about learning the law, it was about understanding justice and the promise we made to serve people with high ethical and moral standards,” he said.

Smith offers clear advice to prospective evening-division students: “First, is your family behind your desire to attend law school? And second, what life activity do you plan to give up in order to make the time to successfully complete your studies?”

He reminds students that a juris doctor degree can open doors well beyond the courtroom. “Focus on effectively learning so that you can apply what you have learned in whatever becomes your future career,” he said.

Looking back, one of Smith’s proudest memories came not in a boardroom but in the company mailroom. A young employee thanked him for creating a program that paid full college tuition for staff members. She shared that as a single mother, she was about to graduate from Arizona State University thanks to the benefit.

“Of all the decisions I made as CEO, that moment made this decision one of the most important lessons about what we are all here to do with our lives,” Smith said. “First, we must use all our energy and skill to lift up ourselves, because when we succeed, we have the real opportunity to help lift up others.”