Hayley Ellison

Hayley Ellison Profile Hayley Ellison is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law, and her practice is focused on federal and state appeals and commercial litigation, including bankruptcy litigation and complex business disputes. After serving as a law clerk for U. S. District Judge W. Royal Furgeson and a briefing attorney for the San Antonio Court of Appeals, Hayley began her career as a trial lawyer. Before joining Davis & Santos, Hayley handled complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts and represented plaintiffs and defendants in diverse industries, including energy, real estate, information technology, banking, hospitality, construction, and entertainment. Hayley returned to San Antonio in 2018 to serve as a staff attorney to Chief Justice Sandee Bryan Marion at the San Antonio Court of Appeals. In that role, Hayley advised the justices regarding resolution of complex issues in civil and criminal appeals and original proceedings. Hayley applies the experience and skills she gained as a staff attorney to her appellate practice, advising trial lawyers on building a record for appeal and crafting winning appellate arguments. In her appellate practice, Hayley has drafted petitions and briefs in Texas and federal courts of appeals, including an amicus curiae brief to the Supreme Court of the United States. Education B. A., Trinity University, 2007 J. D., St. Marys University School of Law, 2010 Recognition Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star (2017-18, 2022-2024) Top Attorney in Appellate Law, San Antonio Magazine (2020-2023) Scene in S. A., Outstanding Women in Law (2022-2024) Scene in S. A., Best S. A. Female Lawyer (2021) National Association of Women Lawyers Outstanding Law Graduate (2010) Editor-in-Chief, The Scholar: St. Marys Law Review on Race and Social Justice (2009-2010) Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society Clerkship Memberships & Activities Bexar County Womens Bar Association & Foundation, President (2025), Board Member (2020-present) San Antonio Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, Chair (2020-present), Board Member (2018-present) YWCA San Antonio, Chair of the Board of Directors (2025), Board Member (2019-present) Junior League of San Antonio, Sustaining Member (2024-present), Vice President of Membership (2021-2022) American Bar Association Appellate Judges Conference, Member Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit, Member San Antonio Bar Foundation, Fellow State Bar of Texas Appellate Section, Member Texas Bar College, Member Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow Publications The Impact of Expanding Interlocutory Appeals, Texas Lawyer (May 2022) Admitted To Practice Texas (2010) United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit United States District Court for all Districts of Texas Board Certification Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2022) Practice Areas Appeals Bankruptcy Disputes Commercial and Complex Business Litigation General Litigation