Consulting an attorney is, to put it diplomatically, not an activity that many people enjoy. Which is understandable given that the circumstances are often stressful, complicated, emotionally charged (and frequently expensive) … it can be frustrating. Amy Hayes is working to improve the process — “make uncomfortable situations more comfortable,” as she puts it — by launching a practice that draws on her expertise but also stresses a personal approach, especially in terms of accessibility. For OKC residents who need help, on their time, Hayes Legal Solutions is ready.

“We are a boutique firm that does family law, LGBTQ family law, real estate and small business contracts,” says Hayes, who has practiced law in OKC for 20 years in firms large and small. Like so many professionals, she went a new direction because of the pandemic, but hers was not a career switch due to layoffs or a decision to make a job out of a long-treasured hobby; she decided to launch her own practice based on the lessons of the last three years.

“I sincerely want to change the way law is practiced in Oklahoma — and by that, I think that we have all learned a lot from COVID,” she explains. “COVID taught us that people don’t necessarily need a lawyer during traditional business hours, and it opened folks to doing Zoom consultations and things like that. I do a lot of nontraditional hours, I meet with people on their schedule instead of mine, and also offer concierge legal services for high net worth divorces and small businesses. What that means is I can craft a package where I’m helping people, and they’re not worried about being billed in six-minute increments. It allows me to customize.”

It’s a personal approach that’s also a practical one: focusing on an individual client’s particular goals helps Hayes use her expertise in both business and family law to negotiate workable settlements or solutions, rather than solely pursuing satisfaction in a courtroom (which can be time-consuming and commensurately expensive).

“I look at things from a business and a legal perspective, and I treat clients’ money like it’s my money,” she says. “Whether it’s going through a divorce or helping a small business get started, I want to make sure that everything is customized and services are available when they’re needed instead of the traditional 8 to 5 — I’ve kind of blown that out of the water.”

Hayes is also proud of her specialization in family law issues that affect the LGBTQ community, an area of focus that’s not especially common for OKC attorneys. “Really, there’s not a lot of precedent out there,” she says. “I recently attended a conference in L.A. to learn more about this ever-evolving area of law. In Oklahoma, we’re [comparatively] behind the times, so the best way to stay ahead is to look outside of the state and look at how other states are handling things, and then you can bring those arguments to Oklahoma. So as a state, we’ve got to create law, and the way we create law is through [getting] these issues in front of a judge. Or, alternatively, if you don’t want a judge to decide your fate, work it out between the lawyers in mediation and get these situations handled.”

The purpose of retaining a lawyer is to have someone to help navigate those stressful, complicated situations … so ideally speaking, shouldn’t that person be experienced, easy to communicate with and convenient for consultations?

“For better or worse,” says Hayes, “lawyers have a reputation of wasting peoples’ money, whereas very seldom will you find a lawyer who wants to add value to your life. I kind of look at things differently; I want to make sure that my services add value.” And that starts with being available whenever clients need her.