Dan Mays, J.D.

Dan Mays is an attorney with an extensive background in legislative and campaign activities. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Dan has been involved in politics in and around the Texas State Capitol in various capacities for the past seven years.

Before joining McWilliams, Dan finished a stint as Chief Committee Clerk and General Counsel for the powerful House State Affairs Committee. He was responsible for completing the Interim Report to the 79th Legislature, which included a thorough examination of issues relating to disclosure protections for individuals’ Social Security Numbers and the ever growing problem of identity theft. In his role as a policy analyst for the State Affairs Committee during the 78th Legislative Session, Dan was primarily responsible for completing all bill analyses, legal research, and other research and reports for a committee that received over 300 bills. He also advised and wrote reports for two influential Committee Chairmen: Congressman Kenny Marchant and State Representative Jerry Madden.

In 2003, in addition to his role with the State Affairs Committee, Dan took on the title of Legislative Director for Congressman Kenny Marchant during his service in the Texas House of Representatives. In that capacity, Dan was the lead researcher on all legislative issues and advised Congressman Marchant during four special sessions. Dan played a pivotal role during the 2003 redistricting special sessions in building a coalition of support within the legislature for Marchant’s congressional bid, and advised Congressman Marchant on legal issues relating to the redistricting trial. Dan also served as Congressman Marchant’s primary liaison for the House and Joint Select Committees on Public School Finance during multiple special sessions, working closely with key members and staff in both houses of the legislature.

Dan began his career in the Texas Legislature during the 77th Legislative Session. As an analyst in the Policy Office of Governor Rick Perry, Dan assisted with research and status reports on various legislative issues and state agencies, focusing primarily on Health and Human Services issues. Dan drafted bill analyses that were made available to the public. During the same session, Dan also spent time as a law clerk for the Office of General Counsel to Governor Rick Perry. Dan researched and briefed many issues in that capacity, most notably the State’s decision to waive its sovereign immunity in the wake of the tragic Texas A&M bonfire collapse. Prior to the 78th

Legislative Session, Dan assisted the office of State Representative Dianne White Delisi by serving as an interim Chief of Staff.

In addition to his experience at the Texas Capitol, Dan also worked on Kenny Marchant’s congressional campaign in the spring of 2004. Dan assisted as needed in all aspects of the campaign’s preparation for the March Primary, including fieldwork in several locations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Dan has also gained experience with three private Texas-based law firms: Conley, Rose & Tayon, L.L.P..; Fisher & Newsom, L.L.P.; and Gammage & Ray, P.L.L.C. Among the many top-rated attorneys with whom Dan worked during his time with these firms was former Texas Supreme Court Justice Robert Gammage. Dan became involved in politics early in his legal career, specializing in Legislation, State and Local Government, and Administrative Law at the University of Texas School of Law.

Dan graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 2002 and received his Bachelor of the Arts Magna Cum Laude from Vanderbilt University in 1999, where he was accepted into the Honors Program in History.  He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the District of Columbia Bar, the American Bar Association, the Texas Young Lawyers Association, and the Austin Young Lawyers Association. Dan has remained very active in his community, regularly tutoring elementary school students in both Austin and Nashville. An avid runner, Dan has finished seven marathons, including four Austin Marathons, and has raised money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by participating in the Race for the Cure.