Mr. Daniel was born in Macon, Georgia, in 1958. He graduated from Mount De Sales High School in 1977. He received his BA from Mercer University in 1981 and JD degree from the University of Georgia Law School in December of 1983. He was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1984 and is a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the State Bar of Georgia. He served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base from 1984 to 1988. In 1988, he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as an Assistant United States Attorney, in the Office of the United States Attorney, Macon, Georgia. In 1992, Mr. Daniel moved to Athens, Georgia where he began the private practice of law.
From 1988-2004, Mr. Daniel was a member of the Georgia Air National Guard. He served as the Senior Judge Advocate for the Georgia Air National Guard from 1995-2004, attaining the rank of Colonel. Mr. Daniel served as the President of the Middle District of Georgia Chapter of the Federal Bar Association in 2003 and has served as the Middle Districts representative on the National Bench Bar Relations Committee since 2000. He has served on the Middle District of Georgia Arbitration panel and has served as the Chairman of the Middle District Attorney Disciplinary Committee from 2000-2008. Mr. Daniel served on the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia from 2004-2010.
Mr. Daniel married Echo Baker of Gainesville, Georgia in 1984, and they have two children, Ben & Claire.