As the first in her family to go to university, Davina Simons (30) had to make it happen largely on her own. In 2019, she earned her master's degree in law from Ghent University. In no time, she became one of the Belgium's best-known criminal defense lawyers and today she runs her own law firm.
However, the road to getting there was anything but easy. "I spent countless hours in the faculty library. I had to prove I could do this." Back at her favorite study spot, she laughs: "I loved sitting here: I could look outside and had plenty of room for all my books."
What memories do you have of your university studies?
“I have many fond memories of my student days, but one of the best was also a turning point. During my studies, I thought for a long time that becoming a criminal lawyer wasn't for me. That changed when I participated in the assizes moot court competition… and won. I was very nervous, but once I got going, I felt I was on a roll. Walter Van Steenbrugge was a jury member—a strict one—and he told me, ‘You have a gift for words.’ I've never forgotten that compliment. That was the moment I knew: I'm going to be a criminal lawyer.”
What was the biggest challenge for you as a student?
“Persevering. I felt a tremendous need to prove myself: I wanted to show I could do it, even though I faced a lot of resistance from those around me. Moreover, during my master's program, I had a double mastectomy, a procedure in which both breasts are removed. I underwent six surgeries in total. Although the doctors said I should take a year off, I wanted to keep going. It was tough, but my study advisor, Mieke Mestdagh, always helped me tremendously with all the practical matters. I am immensely grateful to her.”
Did you live in student housing?
“Yes, at Kantienberg. It was a small place, but I loved it. My sister, mom, and I lived in a small apartment where I didn't have my own room. So living in student housing was a fresh start for me, in a new city with my own place. I happily worked at Kruidvat every weekend to help pay for it.”
Which professor or lesson has stood out to you the most?
“Professor Brice De Ruyver, without a doubt. He taught criminal law, and his classes flew by. I was captivated by him even during the introduction days. It was my first impression of Ghent and Ghent University, and I immediately felt a connection: I absolutely had to study criminal law. I was so impressed by him that I desperately wanted to write my thesis under his supervision. Just as I was about to start, he suddenly passed away. He was truly an icon.”
What knowledge or insights from your studies do you still use today?
“I truly learned to think critically here. Don't just accept anything, always consider: is this correct, where does it come from? The methods of moot court and the mock court also gave me a solid foundation. Early in my career, I regularly took additional courses to brush up on my skills.”
You've become one of the country's most renowned criminal lawyers. How do you feel about that?
“Sometimes I think: my life is a movie. It all happened so fast, like a rocket. People ask me for selfies, young people send messages saying I give them hope. That really affects me. But I mainly want to use this fame to highlight issues I find important: prison overcrowding and violence against women, for example.”
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