Jake Hays is an associate at Goodwin Procter LLP in the firm’s Business Law Department and a member of its Technology and Life Sciences practice groups. His work focuses on general corporate representation, venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, and public offerings. Mr. Hays counsels emerging growth companies in technology, life sciences, and clean tech at all stages of maturity. He serves as the Associate Chair of the New York Steering Committee for Goodwin’s Neighborhood Business Initiative (NBI), a program created to provide pro bono legal services to low-income entrepreneurs and small-business owners in underserved communities. Mr. Hays was designated a Pro Bono Star by Goodwin in 2017 and 2018 and has completed over 250 hours of pro bono service on a variety of matters, in addition to his work with NBI. His pro bono work includes the protection of endangered species for the American Bird Conservancy and the prevention of wrongful convictions with the New England Innocence Project.
From 2011-2017, Mr. Hays served as the Director of the Environmental Health Program at PSE Healthy Energy and as a Research Associate at Weill Cornell Medicine. At Weill, Mr. Hays worked on public health, environmental, and ethical issues surrounding unconventional oil and gas development. He has worked on various environmental issues with Natural Resources Defense Council, Riverkeeper, and Environmental Defense Fund.
Mr. Hays received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, his M.A. in Environmental Ethics from the University of Montana, and his B.A. in Philosophy from Connecticut College. At Fordham, Mr. Hays was chosen as a Stein Scholar for his efforts in public service and received the Adele Monaco Memorial Award, the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award, the Public Service Student Leadership Award and, upon graduating, became a member of the Order of the Coif.
