Holly Taylor currently serves as Assistant Director for Post-Conviction Matters and Complex Litigation Support in the Civil Rights Division of the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. In this position, Holly works in a supervisory capacity with the Office’s Appeals Team, the Civil Rights Unit, and the Conviction Integrity Unit, which seeks to remedy wrongful convictions. Holly has also led the Office’s Appeals Team and served as an attorney in the Public Integrity Unit working to prosecute fraud and corruption impacting government agencies.

Previously, Holly served as a staff attorney and as the Rules Attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and was a member of the Court’s Rules Advisory Committee. From 2018-2020, Holly taught an advanced legal writing class as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law. Holly received her BA from Rice University in Houston. She earned her two graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin: a law degree and a Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Holly is Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a member of the Society of Legal Scholars. She has been admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court. She has recently co-chaired the Austin Bar Association’s CLE Committee which plans and presents free monthly training events for the local bar.

Holly has authored articles on diverse criminal justice topics including domestic violence and the juvenile justice system, jury unanimity, recent legislative changes to criminal laws, and the Rules of Appellate Procedure. She has been invited to present at several continuing legal education events, including the Robert O. Dawson Conference on Criminal Appeals, the Texas State Bar’s Advanced Criminal Law Course, the Center for American and International Law’s Criminal Writs & Habeas Training, and the Texas District and County Attorney Association’s Advanced Appellate Advocacy Course.

Holly and her husband, John, originally got to know each other when they played in a band together—Holly was the lead singer. They still enjoy listening to live music together and have been longtime members of Sonic Guild, a public charity focused on funding the creation and performance of new music by local artists.

Holly and John have raised four children, who all attended Austin public schools, and hosted three foreign exchange students. Holly and John have served as PTA officers and Holly was president of the high school band parent booster club. She also coached her children’s soccer teams for many years.