Attorney Profiles

Attorneys Scott and Dan Hayes are sons of the firm’s founder, who first hung his shingle as a solo practitioner in 1978. Scott and Dan are pleased to follow in his footsteps.

Because of the required schooling and licensure Attorney Scott Hayes had to wait to join the firm officially until 1993, even though he’d started carrying a briefcase in 7th grade. Scott has been certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law since 2007. His primary areas of practice include Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts, Estate Administration, Trust Administration, Adoption Law, Guardianship Law, and just about anything else you can do in Probate Court.

Attorney Dan Hayes rejoined the firm in 2007 to handle wrongful death litigation, personal injury matters, complex litigation, mediation, and vaccine claims after serving as Licking County’s Common Pleas Court Magistrate. He finds personal injury lawyer solicitation repugnant and refuses to engage in them. [This website is the closest he would let us get to it].

Attorney Melinda Seeds also joined the firm in 2007. Melinda affords clients years of family law experience as well as insight and experience in juvenile law matters obtained as Licking County’s chief juvenile prosecutor. She skillfully helps clients have a realistic view of their situation, see past their present hardships, focus on their children, and seek a reasonable outcome. Should that prove impossible, Melinda is a passionate advocate and a dangerous adversary.

Attorney Laurie Wells joined the firm in 2008 after a long career in the Licking County court system. A Mount Vernon Nazarene University graduate in psychology and long-time adult probation officer, Laurie understands people. Her primary practice area includes real estate law, contract preparation, and negotiation. She also manages the day-to-day operations of the affiliated title insurance agency.

Attorney Sheena A. Sjöstrand-Post joined the firm in 2013, after practicing for a while on her own. Her work quickly caught the attention of her peers who pursued her relentlessly. Like Scott, she also excels at Estate Planning, Wills, Estate Administration, probate avoidance (such as Transfer on Death Affidavits and Survivorship Deeds), as well as Living Wills and Durable Power of Attorney documents. Notwithstanding her youthful appearance, she is an old soul who likes Mel Torme, Lena Horne, and Singin’ in the Rain.

Additionally, Melinda, Laurie, and Sheena each serve and are highly respected in Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court proceedings as Guardian ad litem, representing the best interests of children in a wide variety of cases.

Attorney Samuel Seeds joined the firm as an attorney in 2021, after enjoying several years as an associate at Dinsmore’s Columbus office.  He is no stranger to Hayes Law Offices though –  he worked in several capacities for Hayes since he was in high school.  Sam’s areas of practice include business matters, guardianships, estate and trust administration, and estate planning.  During the pandemic, Sam and his wife sold a house, bought a house, changed jobs, and had their first child.  Sam is also the third lawyer practicing at Hayes who has followed in a parent’s footsteps into the field of law, but the first lawyer in the third generation of lawyers at Hayes Law Offices.

Together, we practice a style of law that inspires trust and confidence in each other and our clients.

Staff

Contact Hayes Law Offices

Hayes Law Offices, Inc. has been serving our community for 30 years. We continue to serve our clients with a dedication to excellence. To talk with us about your legal needs, contact our Pataskala law office by calling 740-927-2927 or toll free at 1-800-536-8678.