Shayla R. Hayes

Shayla R. Hayes is an experienced attorney who has dedicated her career to advocating for vulnerable individuals, children, and families. She earned her Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from the Charleston School of Law, where she served as associate articles editor of the Charleston Law Review.

Before joining Fields Law, Shayla served as general counsel for the South Carolina Foster Care Review Division. In that role, she advised statewide review boards, agency staff, and the Board of Directors, represented the agency in abuse and neglect matters, and worked closely with courts and community partners. She also helped develop training materials and drafted revisions to the South Carolina Foster Care Review Board Regulations that were enacted in 2026.

Shayla has extensive experience handling complex and sensitive matters involving family law, child welfare, administrative law, and government litigation. Throughout her career, she has managed demanding caseloads, negotiated settlements, represented clients and agencies in administrative hearings and family court proceedings, and provided guidance on a broad range of legal issues.

She has received advanced training in trauma-informed interviewing and the forensic interviewing of abused children. Shayla has also completed the South Carolina Bar’s mediation training and volunteers as a mediator through the Upstate Mediation Center.

Shayla is admitted to practice in South Carolina state courts. She is a member of the South Carolina Bar, the Children’s Law Committee, and the National Association of Counsel for Children.