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Kelly Hayes

Photo of a white woman with red hair just past her shoulders wearing a blue shirt and black blazer against a dark grey plain background.Kelly Hayes

J.D. Thomas Jefferson School of Law, 2013

B.A. University of Rhode Island, 2006

Miss. Hayes is a California attorney whose practice focuses on cannabis and hemp law, regulatory compliance, and business transactions. Since 2014, she has advised a diverse range of clients — from small legacy operators and farmers to multi-state and large corporate entities — on the rapidly evolving legal landscape governing cannabis and hemp. Her work includes state and local licensing, land use and zoning matters, corporate structuring and transactions, operational compliance, and business litigation. Ms. Hayes has successfully obtained numerous commercial cannabis licenses throughout California and regularly counsels clients on navigating complex regulatory frameworks at both the state and municipal levels.

Ms. Hayes became involved in drug policy reform during her undergraduate studies at the University of Rhode Island, where she was an active member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and later interned with SSDP’s national office in Washington, D.C. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island before relocating to San Diego to attend Thomas Jefferson School of Law. During law school, she served as President of the Public Interest Law Foundation and received a Certificate in Law and Social Justice. She gained practical experience working with the City of San Diego’s Primary Office of the Public Defender and the Federal Defenders of San Diego. She also contributed research and editorial work to the case law text: Controlled Substances: Crime, Regulation and Policy authored by Professor Alex Kreit, a nationally recognized expert in drug policy and cannabis law.

Ms. Hayes is a frequent speaker at legal conferences and industry events addressing cannabis regulation, licensing, and compliance. She is the founder of the Law Office of Kelly M. Hayes, APC, a San Diego-based boutique law firm focused on corporate and business transactions, cannabis and hemp licensing and regulatory compliance, and civil litigation. Drawing on experience practicing at large national law firms, she emphasizes strategic, client-centered representation tailored to the needs of emerging and established businesses operating in highly regulated industries.

Courses: Cannabis Law, Legal Writing I