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Hays is a partner and shareholder in Archer & Greiner PC’s Voorhees office—a remodeled, more than 72,000-square-foot space that previously served as American Water’s headquarters. With the firm for more than 35 years, she serves as chair of its Business Counseling group and has been chair of the board of directors since October 2019.

Her practice is focused on complex business transactions, including business financing, securities offerings and compliance, director advisory services, mergers and acquisitions, and technology transfer and licensing with clients ranging from local operators to international corporations (both privately held and public), as well as startups and development stage entities. She is also a member of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee.

One way the work of that group is put into practice is through the Archer Women Lawyers Network, led by senior women at the firm and focused on mentoring, networking opportunities, marketing and practice development as well as informational programming for women attorneys. Hays herself is also an advocate and example for women.

Speaking to New Jersey Law Journal about her role as chair, she commented on the importance of adapting the ways we work to help promote and support women in the workplace. “The profession needs to be flexible, abandon the traditional career ‘ladder’ mentality and hold senior individuals accountable for their individual efforts to mentor, retain and advance women,” she said. Active in her community, Hays serves as chair of the executive committee for the Chamber of Commerce of Southern New Jersey and chair of the board of trustees for The Wetlands Institute Inc., in addition to other posts.