Hays Ellisen is a partner in the Firm’s Corporate & Securities Group. Hays concentrates his practice in two primary areas – investment management and corporate transactions. His extensive private fund experience makes him a premier investment management asset for hedge funds, private equity funds, venture capital funds, and real estate investment funds. Hays has also acted as on-call outside general counsel to fund managers, providing advice as-needed on federal and state adviser act registration; blue-sky questions; compliance matters; regulatory changes; and employment issues.

Hays has extensive experience assisting public and private corporations and LLCs. He has assisted tech-startups and entrepreneurs, privately-held family businesses, Fortune 500 public companies and investment banks in structuring and forming business entities; raising money from investors and banks; selling or buying assets or businesses; drafting and reviewing complex contracts; providing regulatory and employment advice; filing public documents and advising on SEC matters; and assisting clients finance, develop, lease, manage and dispose of all types of commercial real property.

Hays received a B.S. in philosophy and Norwegian from the University of Minnesota. He earned a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. Prior to joining Fox Swibel, Hays was the Managing Partner at his own law firm, Shahmoon & Ellisen, in New York. Before he started his own firm he practiced at Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP and Sidley Austin, LLP.