Michael T. Hayes, Ph.D.

Michael represents people and businesses in the construction, insurance, engineering, fire protection and consumer products industries. He has helped clients navigate initial case assessment, pleadings, discovery, dispositive motions, alternative dispute resolution, trials and appeals in both state and federal court. He has recently secured several victories for his clients through dispositive motions and appellate briefing.

Before practicing law, Michael taught philosophy, logic and history courses at the University of Kansas and the University of Saint Mary. He earned a Ph.D. after defending a natural law understanding of ethics and morality, which placed historical thinkers like Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas in dialogue with many of today’s foremost philosophers. He continues to research and publish in the fields of philosophy, ethics and public policy, and has held various fellowships in recognition of his academic accomplishments. 

Michael served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Leonard Steven Grasz on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals before coming to Shook. While a clerk, Michael worked on a wide variety of cases—wrongful death, crop damage, insurance contracts, criminal procedure, death penalty, copyright, bankruptcy and more. Michael has used the skills and experience developed during his clerkship to advance the interests of clients, both at the trial-court and appellate level.