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. In 1874, Durand was elected as a
Democrat from
Michigan's 6th congressional district to the
44th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1875, to March 3, 1877. In 1876, he lost in the general election to Republican
Mark S. Brewer. Durand resumed his law practice. In 1892, he was one of Michigan's
Presidential Electors. He was appointed Justice of the
Michigan Supreme Court in 1892, and was subsequently defeated for election to the court in 1893 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. ==Death and legacy==