Patrick Hayes | Compliance, Entrepreneurship, and Building a Legal Career That Evolves

In this episode of Corporate Law Lab, host Neil Taylor, Director of the Corporate Law Center at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and student co-host Brett Blair speak with Patrick Hayes of Calfee about building a modern legal practice focused on securities compliance and entrepreneurial clients.

Patrick shares his path from litigation to in-house work and back to private practice, where he now serves as a strategic legal partner to financial advisors and investment professionals launching and growing their own firms. He reflects on:

• Finding direction in law school without a fixed career plan

• The difference between being an advocate and a counselor

• The value of early litigation experience — even for transactional and compliance lawyers

• Moving from in-house back to private practice

• Building and leading a multidisciplinary team within a law firm

• How compliance programs create value when they identify and address issues early

• Balancing legal risk, fiduciary duties, and business realities

• Professional development, mentorship, and engaging with the UC Law alumni network

• Work-life balance and investing time in work that “fills your cup”

This conversation highlights how legal careers can evolve over time — and how curiosity, flexibility, and relationship-building can lead to a deeply rewarding practice.