Member Highlight – Underwriter: William Ellis
William (Will) Ellis was born and raised in the small town of Hartselle, Alabama, where he learned early the importance of community, trust, and treating others with care and respect. Those values have remained at the forefront of his professional career as a real estate title professional. In an industry where property transactions often involve complex legal issues and significant financial decisions, Will understands the importance of providing clients with clarity, confidence, and personalized guidance. His small-town roots taught him that behind every transaction is a person, family, or business relying on others to help protect what matters most. That perspective continues to shape his approach to the legal and title-related aspects of real estate, ensuring that each client feels informed, protected, and supported throughout the process.
Will graduated from the University of Alabama in 2013 with a degree in Management Information Systems. After a brief stint in data management for a large technology company, he quickly realized that he was looking for a more fulfilling career, one that would allow him to make a meaningful impact on the lives of the types of individuals, families, and businesses he knew growing up in his small hometown. Will went on to graduate from Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in 2017 through its joint JD/MBA program. While in law school, he discovered that transactional law was his calling and developed a particular interest in real estate and contract law.
Fresh out of law school, Will returned to North Alabama and joined a small rural law firm, where he focused primarily on real estate and probate law. It was there that he saw firsthand the impact a real estate title professional could have on individuals, families, and businesses as they navigated the issues that can arise during a real estate transaction. Will encountered properties that had not changed hands by deed in generations and worked with families to develop a roadmap for curing title to property they had inherited. To Will, title was like one large puzzle, one that not only required careful legal analysis but often told an interesting story about the property’s history and the people connected to it.
After five years in private practice, Will joined a small title insurance underwriter as Regional Agency Manager and Underwriting Counsel, covering Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. In that role, he expanded his knowledge of the title insurance industry and gained valuable insight into the many issues that arise in the title and closing process. He also had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with title insurance professionals throughout the region, experiences that further shaped his understanding of the importance of strong relationships within the industry.
After several years in that role, Will returned to private practice in North Alabama as a real estate attorney. There, he continued to expand his experience with real estate transactions, ranging from straightforward residential transactions to complex commercial matters.
Today, Will serves as Underwriting Counsel for Stewart Title, a role he assumed in May 2026. In this position, he advises and assists title agents throughout Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas. Each day brings something different, and he never knows what unique title or underwriting issue may arise. That variety is one of the aspects of the industry he enjoys most.
Will particularly enjoys the opportunity to get out and meet with Stewart’s agents and partners, establish relationships, and discuss the challenges facing the title insurance industry, as well as the issues that arise on individual transactions. He considers relationship building and collaboration to be among the most rewarding aspects of his work. That same commitment is shared by his colleagues at Stewart Title, and it is one of the things that excites Will most about being part of the organization. The team is focused on providing the highest level of service to its agents and partners while working collaboratively to address issues head on and find practical solutions.
Throughout his career, Will has encountered his fair share of unusual and unique situations. One that stands out occurred early in his career, when an individual appeared for a transaction without any form of valid photo identification. In an attempt to address the issue, the individual presented a mugshot that had appeared on a website only a few days earlier. Unsurprisingly, Will was not comfortable accepting the photograph as identification and instructed the individual to obtain a valid, government-issued photo ID before proceeding. Experiences like these serve as a reminder that, in the title insurance industry, you truly never know what you may encounter.
Outside of work, Will enjoys spending time with his family and friends. During the summer, you can often find him spending weekends at the lake, while the winter months may find him on a mountain somewhere skiing. Will also loves to travel and experience new sights, cultures, and, particularly, food.
Growing up in a small town, Will’s younger years centered around sports, whether it was baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. That passion has continued into adulthood. Among his most memorable sporting experiences are attending the 2013 National Championship Game, where Alabama prevailed, and Game 4 of the 2021 World Series, where his beloved Atlanta Braves came from behind to defeat the Houston Astros.
As he continues to serve Stewart’s agents and their clients, Will recognizes that there is always more to learn in the title insurance and real estate industries. He is committed to continuous learning and professional growth so that he can provide the highest level of service and guidance to his agents and their clients. Above all, Will believes in building lasting relationships and approaching every transaction and underwriting issue with the same level of care, attention to detail, and commitment to finding the best possible solution.