John Griffith DAVIES

Davies retired from swimming after the 1952 Olympics and returned to the United States to continue his studies at the University of Michigan. He later transferred to UCLA, where he completed his degree in 1959. After graduation, Davies settled in Pasadena, California and became a naturalized US citizen, passing the bar examinations to become an attorney.

From 1960-71 Davies was associated with, and then became a partner of Hagenbaugh, Murphy & Davies where he specialized in litigation and tried many cases in the areas of personal injury, products liability, medical malpractice, construction, and insurance coverage. Davies joined Rosenfeld, Meyer & Susman in 1971, becoming a partner in 1972, practicing litigation, and representing major motion picture studios and entertainment companies.

In 1986, Davies was nominated to a seat on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He presided over the trial of a group of Los Angeles Police Department officers charged in relation to the Rodney King incident in 1992. In 1993 he was named District Judge of The Year by the Criminal Justice Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and received the Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition for Exemplary Performance. He also received the Daniel O’Connell Award from the Irish-American Bar Association.

Davies retired from the bench in 1998 and later continued to practice law privately, mostly as a private arbitrator. Davies was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 1984 and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1992.

Personal Bests: 200 m breaststroke – 2:29.3 (1951).