Jones Walker announced this week that it has added two maritime lawyers to its Houston office.
The new laterals are Kelly Haas and Hayley Stancil, who worked together in the Houston office of Schouest, Bamdas, Soshea, BenMaier & Eastham.
“Kelly brings valuable maritime experience representing clients in complex matters and is a leader in the Houston maritime community, with a strong record of professional leadership and industry recognition,” said Bill Hines, Jones Walker managing partner. “Her addition further strengthens our Houston office and expands the depth of our maritime capabilities as we continue to serve clients across the Gulf Coast and beyond.”
Haas, a 2007 graduate of South Texas College of Law, spent nearly seven years as a partner at SBSB advising vessel owners, shipyards and offshore clients on nearly all phases of maritime law — collisions, property damage, personal injury, pollution, environmental, insurance and contract claims. Her far-flung maritime case portfolio includes client issues ranging from personal injury and damage claims to vessel arrest and indemnity demands.
In addition, she is current chair of the Houston Marine & Energy Insurance Conference as well as the former president of the Galveston County Bar Association and the former chair of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute.
“I am excited to bring my practice to Jones Walker’s nationally recognized Maritime Practice Group,” Kelly said. “Joining one of the largest maritime legal teams in the country allows me to seamlessly support clients through complex litigation, regulatory challenges, and high-stakes transactional matters across the industry.”
Associate Hayley Stancil, who spent under two years at SBSB as a maritime litigator, earned her J.D. in 2024 from the University of North Carolina. Her background includes an internship with the office of chief counsel at the Maritime Administration.
Jones Walker, founded in New Orleans in 1937, has more than 350 lawyers in 20 office locations, including three in Texas (Houston, Dallas and The Woodlands).