Biography
Gary D. Elliston is the senior founding partner of DeHay & Elliston, L.L.P. and specializes in the areas of toxic tort, commercial litigation, medical malpractice, professional and product liability litigation, including catastrophic and wrongful death injury cases. He is licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, Texas Supreme Court, U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas, and the U.S. Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit. He is also licensed in Illinois, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma and West Virginia.
He graduated cum laude from Howard Payne University in 1975, and as a Hatton W. Sumners Foundation Scholar, cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Law School in 1978. In 2007, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Howard Payne University.
Mr. Elliston is respected throughout the United States for his distinguished career as a trial lawyer. He has been engaged in the trial of cases involving thousands of claimants involving multimillion dollar claims. He has served as a member of numerous professional, community and charitable organizations. A few representative organizations include: State Bar of Texas, Bar Association Fifth Circuit, Dallas Bar Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel (Board of Directors, 1990 to 1991; 1997 to 1998; Trial Academy Director), International Association of Defense Counsel, Defense Research Institute, Dallas Association of Defense Counsel (President, 1994 to 1995), American Board of Trial Advocates, Texas Bar Foundation (Life Fellow), College of the State Bar of Texas, Howard Payne University Board of Trustees (1993 to 2002; Chairman, 2000 to 2002), Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom Board of Trustees (1993 to 2002), Baylor Oral Health Foundation (2006 to 2015), Baylor Board of Regents (2006 to 2015). He has been recognized multiple years as a Texas Super Lawyer and Best Lawyers in America.
Mr. Elliston endowed the Gary D. Elliston Moot Court Program at Howard Payne University. In addition, he serves as an adjunct professor at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary where he teaches a Rhetoric and the Art of Persuasion seminar.
Mr. Elliston is also a frequent lecturer and author on issues involving trial tactics, mass torts, and toxic tort litigation.
Honors
Recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer 2003 to Present.
Recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2008 to Present
Recognized by America's Top 100 Attorneys "Lifetime Achievement"
Recognized by America's Top 100 "High Stakes Litigators"
Recognized as "Lawyer of the Year" 2018 in the fields of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action
Honorary Doctorate of Humanities, Howard Payne University
Bar Admissions
Illinois
Missouri
New York
Oklahoma
Texas
West Virginia
United States Supreme Court
Texas Supreme Court
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit
Education
J.D., cum laude, Southern Methodist University School of Law
B.A., cum laude, Howard Payne University
Associations & Memberships
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Bar Association of Fifth Federal Circuit
Dallas Bar Association
Defense Research Institute (DRI)
International Association of Defense Counsel
Texas Association of Defense Counsel (Board of Directors, 1990)
Community
Howard Payne University Board of Trustees (1993 to 2002; Chairman, 2000 to 2002)
Douglas MacArthur Academy of Freedom Board of Trustees (1993 to 2002)
Baylor Oral Health Foundation (2006 to 2015)
Baylor Board of Regents (2006 to 2015)
