In 1952, he was appointed Chair of Commercial Law at Melbourne University by his friend Zelman Cowen,[3] who would later serve as 19th Governor General of Australia.

During this time, he was a visiting professor at Columbia Law School and was President of the Melbourne University Staff Association.

In 1961, Donovan resigned from his chair in the Melbourne Law School to join the diplomatic service, specialising as a trade representative.

[7] After leaving Paris, Donovan was made Special Trade Delegate to the United Nations Office at Geneva from 1980 to 1982 whilst retaining his honorific title of Ambassador.

[citation needed] Donovan died on 3 February 2012, aged 90, in Paris, France, and was buried in the grounds of Magdalen College, Oxford.