Serving West Virginia and Ohio
Personal Injury Attorney
For more than two decades, personal injury attorney Damon L. Ellis has represented individuals and families across West Virginia and Ohio whose lives have been changed by serious injuries, wrongful death, and negligence.
From the firm’s offices in Charleston, West Virginia, and Columbus, Ohio, Damon works with clients facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives — when an accident, preventable injury, or tragic loss has turned everything upside down.
“When someone walks into your office after an injury or tragedy, they’re putting their trust in you,” Damon says. “My job is to make sure they feel heard, understood, and confident that someone is fighting for them.”
Known for his approachable and down-to-earth style, Damon has a way of putting clients at ease from the very first meeting.
“My goal is simple,” Damon says. “When a client leaves our first meeting, I want them to feel confident that someone is standing beside them and will fight for them every step of the way.”
He believes strong advocacy begins with listening — understanding not only the legal issues in a case, but the real impact an injury or loss has had on someone’s life. That philosophy reflects the firm’s guiding principle: “It’s not just business. It’s personal.”
Charleston Roots and a Strong Work Ethic
Damon was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, where he grew up surrounded by a close-knit community and a family that valued hard work, commitment, and integrity.
His parents and grandparents instilled in him the importance of showing up, doing the work, and standing by the people who depend on you. His mother worked until the day she passed away, and his father — now in his eighties — still goes to work every day.
“That kind of work ethic stays with you,” Damon says. “It taught me that if something matters, you give it everything you have.”
Those values continue to shape how Damon approaches the practice of law today. To him, representing injured clients is not simply a profession — it is a responsibility.
Discovering the Practice of Law
While many members of Damon’s family were involved in the real estate business, he felt drawn in a different direction. During college, Damon spent his summers working in the Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office, where he had the opportunity to observe talented lawyers in the courtroom. Watching prosecutors and defense attorneys advocate for their clients sparked his interest in the practice of law. “I loved being in the courtroom and watching lawyers argue and fight for their clients,” Damon recalls. “That’s when I realized this was what I wanted to do.”
After earning his Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, Damon returned home to Charleston to begin his legal career.
Taking a Leap and Building a Firm
Early in his career, Damon practiced alongside attorney Jonathan Mani, who shared a similar vision about the kind of legal representation they wanted to provide to injured clients. In 2004, the two made a bold decision: they left their firm and started their own law practice. “We walked away with no cases and set up a two-room office,” Damon remembers. “It was a little scary, but we believed in what we were building.”
Three years later, Bernie Layne joined the partnership, and Mani Ellis & Layne was born. Nearly two decades later, Mani Ellis & Layne represents injured individuals and families throughout West Virginia and Ohio from its offices in Charleston and Columbus, continuing the firm’s commitment to personal attention and aggressive advocacy.
Expanding the Firm into Ohio
Damon’s connection to Ohio began during law school, when he attended Capital University Law School in Columbus. During his time there, he developed a strong appreciation for the city and the people who call it home. Years later, that connection helped shape the firm’s growth.
Damon became the first attorney at Mani Ellis & Layne to become licensed in Ohio, paving the way for the firm to expand its practice beyond West Virginia. His familiarity with the region and passion for the Columbus community ultimately helped lead to the opening of the firm’s Columbus office, allowing the firm to represent injured individuals and families throughout Ohio.
The expansion into Ohio reflects Damon’s long-standing commitment to ensuring injured people have strong advocates — no matter which side of the river they call home.
A Competitive Spirit
Damon’s competitive nature started long before he entered a courtroom. Growing up, he played basketball and soccer and quickly developed a reputation for passionately debating referees’ calls — sometimes earning the occasional technical foul or yellow card along the way. “At one point my dad made me wear a mouthpiece because I argued so much,” Damon says with a laugh. “Maybe that’s where my love for advocacy started.”
The mouthpiece may be gone today, but the competitive drive remains. “I’m aggressive, methodical, and strategic in how I approach every case,” he explains. “My client has one opportunity to obtain justice and fair compensation, and I take that responsibility seriously.”
Damon views litigation as both competition and problem-solving — a process that requires preparation, strategy, and the willingness to stand up to powerful companies and insurance carriers. If fair compensation is not offered, Damon is fully prepared to present his client’s case to a judge and jury.
Fighting for Families When It Matters Most
One case early in Damon’s career had a lasting impact on how he views his work.
He represented the estate of a twelve-year-old girl who tragically died from carbon monoxide exposure during a sleepover. What initially appeared to be a straightforward case quickly became complex litigation involving multiple defendants across several states, including the homeowner, equipment manufacturers, a gas company, and the company responsible for installing the heater.
The case lasted for years, but Damon and his team ultimately secured compensation for the girl’s mother. “The loss of a child is something no parent should ever have to experience,” Damon says. “But we were able to give her a voice and hold the responsible parties accountable.”
Cases involving wrongful death, injured children, and vulnerable victims remain among the matters Damon feels most compelled to handle. “When someone trusts you to be the voice for a loved one who can no longer speak for themselves, that responsibility means everything.”
The Cases Damon Handles
Damon represents injured individuals and families throughout West Virginia and Ohio in cases involving: wrongful death, car accidents, truck accidents, nursing home abuse, premises liability, product liability, catastrophic injuries, child Injuries and complex multi-defendant litigation.
Contact Mani Ellis & Layne, PLLC, today for more information!
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