Durand commenced practice at Flint, Michigan, in 1858, where he was also a member of the board of education and a member of the board of aldermen, from 1862 to 1867. He was the mayor of Flint in 1873 and 1874.[3]
Durand resumed his law practice. In 1892, he was one of Michigan's Presidential Electors.[3] He was appointed Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court in 1892, and was subsequently defeated for election to the court in 1893[3] by Frank A. Hooker. Durand was president of the State board of law examiners for many years and was appointed special assistant United States attorney in Chinese and opium smuggling cases in Oregon, serving from 1893 to 1896.[citation needed]