Eddy De Los Santos grew up in Port Isabel, Texas, where he lived until graduating high school in 1991. He went on to begin his undergraduate career at Texas A&M, receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. Upon graduation in 1995, De Los Santos returned to his hometown to join his father's construction business. After working in custom homebuilding for some time, De Los Santos decided that construction was not the right fit. He soon thereafter began his new life in Houston, Texas, where he remains with his wife, Nicole, and their four children.
From 1996 – 2000, De Los Santos worked for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation before realizing that law was his calling. He attributes his desire to further his education to the unconditional encouragement and support from his parents and family. "My wife, Nicole, and my children are a constant influence on me and help provide direction for my decisions."
De Los Santos matriculated to the South Texas College of Law in Houston, receiving his law degree in 2003. He was attracted to the school's advocacy program, which is nationally recognized for winning more national championships than any other law school in the nation.
"I went to law school because I wanted to be a lawyer. It seems like a fairly straightforward and uninteresting reason, but, ultimately, that is why all law students should be going to law school. Law school is a difficult, timely, and costly commitment, so one should have a clear understanding of the ultimate result, to practice law."
The start of De Los Santos' legal career included handling a large subrogation docket for Avis Rent-A-Car, wherein he pursued renters, insurance companies, credit card companies, and other drivers for property damage to Avis rental vehicles. From 2003 – 2006, he handled nearly 300 cases for the company. In addition to his work in subrogation, De Los Santos handled various commercial and toxic tort matters.
"From a legal perspective, I have been influenced by various practitioners through the course of my legal career regarding professionalism, legal expertise and strategy, and business acumen. I strive to continue my professional and personal growth by observing legal colleagues, clients, and professional contacts."
De Los Santos advises those who are beginning their journey in the legal field to "Invest in yourself and continue to learn. Be thoroughly prepared. Overcome adversity, try to think like your client, and demonstrate value to your client." In his free time, he enjoys coaching his children's sports teams and attending their sporting activities. The family of six also enjoys traveling when schedules permit.
De Los Santos also works to ensure that other children's needs are met. He has been a court appointed advocacy volunteer for Child Advocates, Inc. (CAI), the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) chapter in Houston, since 2001, donating more than 1,500 hours. This group mobilizes court-appointed volunteers to break the vicious cycle of child abuse in Harris County. He has handled six cases and served 21 children, with each case resulting in family reunification. De Los Santos is an eight-year member of the board of directors of CAI and has been serving as legal counsel for five years.
In 2009, he received the Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Local Hero Award for his work with CAI. He has been a spokesperson for the group through its Part-Time Hero campaign which raises awareness and recruits volunteers for Harris County. From 2011–2014, he chaired the annual Wine Pull at Child Advocates’ Pull For Kids Classic that has raised more than $76,000.
Other honors and accolades include De Los Santos' selection as one of Houston Business Journal's 40 under 40. He has also served on the advisory council for the Hope and Healing Institute's Adoption/Foster Care Ministry since 2013, offering legal, business and strategic advice to further the mission of the Adoption/Foster Care Ministry.
"I attribute my success to a loving and supportive family, hard work, preparation, professionalism with clients and colleagues, and a strong desire to excel."
