Donald Hiss was born December 15, 1906, in Baltimore, Maryland. Donald Hiss is a brother of Alger Hiss. Donald Hiss attended John Hopkins University receiving his BA degree in June of 1929. He then attended Harvard Law School and received his LLB degree in June of 1932. In 1942, he was an Assistant to Legal Advisor at the Department of State. Donald Hiss was rejected following an Armed Forces physical in 1943, due to his psychoneurosis. He resigned from the State Department on March 26, 1945, for reasons of health. In 1946, he was at the Labor Department. In 1947, he joined the law firm Covington, Burling, Rublee, Acheson and Shorb. He was a professor of International Law at the School of Advanced International Studies. On February 9, 1949, Bureau Agents attempted to interview Donald Hiss at his office located at Room 710, Union Trust Building, 15th and H Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. He refused to discuss the Alger Hiss case with them saying he had testified under oath before the Grand Jury in New York City. Hiss stated that if they wanted to ask some questions, he would answer them, but he was not going to discuss his testimony before the Grand Jury.