Malinda L Hayes

        Ms. Hayes is board certified in business bankruptcy, with a practice focused on guiding individual and business debtors through the bankruptcy process, assisting creditors with the recovery of debts, and facilitating corporations with business transactions such as asset sales, business formation and preparation of customized contracts.  In 2020, she started her own firm after practicing for several years as a partner in a medium-sized law firm. 

       Ms. Hayes graduated in the top 5% of her class at the Florida State University College of Law where she highly involved in the Law Review. She studied International Law at Oxford University in England. Before attending law school, Ms. Hayes graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Washington. Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Ms. Hayes comes from a background closely tied to agriculture and farming, which gives her a unique perspective and qualification to handle business and financial matters unique to family farmers and fisherman, including chapter 12 bankruptcy.

       Ms. Hayes served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable J. Rich Leonard for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of North Carolina. After her clerkship, Ms. Hayes returned to Florida and entered private practice.  For over a decade, she has helped clients in South Florida navigate complex legal issues, ranging from debt related issues and bankruptcy appeals to business sales and acquisitions.  She strives to empower clients with the tools they need for long-term success, working to achieve the best outcome in any situation. 

       Ms. Hayes is active in various professional and community organizations, including Leadership Florida, which led to mentoring youths aging out of the foster care system.  She has also assisted domestic violence victims with family law and social issues and served as a Volunteer Income Tax Preparer for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). In her spare time, Ms. Hayes enjoys college football, boating, and ballroom dancing.