Atty. John L. Hay

Atty. John L. Hay

John Hay, who counsels the Firm, focuses his general corporate and commercial law practice on representing small and medium-sized businesses, including insurance companies, banks, franchisors, and franchisees. He works with business clients on formation, financing, and relationships and contracts with vendors, customers and lenders.

Phoenix Phoenix 62 yrs experience 62 year
Call (602) 257-7470 Email Book Appointment

Profile Summary

About John L. Hay at a glance

John L. Hay is an Attorney based in Phoenix, Arizona, practicing at Gust Rosenfeld P.L.C.. They have 62+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1964. Their practice focuses on business, ip, and adr. Admitted to practice in Colorado (1964), Arizona (1965), and District of Columbia, inactive School of Law (former member, Law Alumni Board) Community Legal Servi (1971). Educated at University of Colorado School of Law (J.D., 1964) and Stanford University (B.A., 1961). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Serands clients in Phoenix, AZ and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

  • John Hay, who counsels the Firm, focuses his general corporate and commercial law practice on representing small and medium-sized businesses, including insurance companies, banks, franchisors, and franchisees
  • He works with business clients on formation, financing, and relationships and contracts with vendors, customers and lenders
  • He also provides counsel on dealings with regulatory agencies, relationships among owners, mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property matters, including trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets
  • A member of the state bar committees that drafted the 1976 and 1996 Arizona Business Corporation laws, the Arizona Entity Restructuring Act, and the 2019 Arizona Limited Liability Company Act, John has published numerous articles and been a speaker at seminars on corporate law
  • He was a member of the state bar committee that prepared the current (2004) report used by Arizona lawyers on rendering legal opinions in business and financing transactions
  • John has been a member of the Alternative Business Structures Committee, which was appointed by the Arizona Supreme Court in 2021
  • John is an American Arbitration Association-accredited and approved arbitrator and mediator
  • He has handled ADR proceedings in commercial disputes involving franchising, non-competes, contracts, business formation, financing, and intellectual property
  • John has been a member of the American Bar Association Forum on Franchising since its inception in 1978
  • He has written articles and made presentations about franchising from the perspective of both franchisees and franchisors
  • John has represented insurers and reinsurers in corporate and regulatory matters since 1966, and was a member of the Arizona Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Fund Board, a part of the Arizona Insurance Department, from 1984 to 1995
  • John is recognized in the Franchising Law category of The Best Lawyers in America® (1995 – present)
  • In addition, he was listed under the Business/Corporate category of the 2007 and 2008 Southwest Super Lawyers® magazine
  • John Hay is AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, representing the highest rating in legal ability and ethical standards
  • Professional Associations • State Bar of Arizona (member, Fee Arbitration Committee; member, Business Law, Intellectual Property and Securities Regulations Sections) • American Bar Association (Forum on Franchising) • District of Columbia Bar Association • Maricopa County Bar Association • Association of Life Insurance Counsel • Arizona Licensor/Franchisor Association (secretary, treasurer and former president) • Arizona Life and Disability Insurance Guaranty Fund (former chairman, Board of Directors) • Small Business Council of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce (former member, Transportation Committee; former chairman, Arts and Culture Task Force) • University of Colorado School of Law (former member, Law Alumni Board) • Community Legal Services (former President) • Arizona Town Hall Presentations and Publications • Faculty member, lecturer and author for State Bar of Arizona, American Bar Association Forum on Franchising, Small Business Administration, and trade associations on franchising and corporate law, including more than 40 seminars for lawyers, clients and business professionals. • Speaker, “Advising Entity Management – Fiduciary Duties,” State Bar of Arizona, 2012 • Faculty presenter, “Course on Professionalism,” State Bar of Arizona, January 2004, August 2009 • Speaker, “1996 Arizona Business Corporation Act,” State Bar of Arizona, CLE By the Sea, 1997 • Speaker, “1996 Arizona Business Corporation Act,” State Bar of Arizona, Phoenix, 1996 • Presenter, “Representing Franchisees,” 19th Annual Forum on Franchising, American Bar Association, 1996 • Presenter, “Special Sales Compliance Problems of the New/Smaller Franchisor,” 10th Annual Forum on Franchising, American Bar Association, 1987 • Presenter, “Establishment of a Franchise System,” 1st Annual Forum on Franchising, American Bar Association, 1978 • Speaker, “1976 Arizona Business Corporation Act,” State Bar of Arizona, Tucson, 1976 • Author, Arizona Corporate Practice, Thompson West (1996, supplemented annually) • Author, Arizona Nonprofit Corporations, Art Law Committee of the State Bar of Arizona (1979, revised 1999) • Author, “The New Arizona Business Corporation Act,” 17 Arizona Law Review 559 (1976) • Author, “Government Regulation of Real Estate Franchising,” 12 Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal 580 (1977) • Author, “Franchising: An Only Sometime Solution,” 1 Practical Approach to Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights 59 (1979) • Author, “Representing Franchisees,” ABA Forum on Franchising (1996)

Practice Areas Explained

John L. Hay's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases John L. Hay handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Business & Corporate Law

Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

John L. Hay is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Arizona →

Intellectual Property

IP attorneys protect inventions, brands, and creative work through patent prosecution, trademark registration, copyright, and trade-secret enforcement.

John L. Hay is one of 106,079 ip attorneys indexed nationally. Browse ip attorneys in Arizona →

Mediation & Arbitration

Mediators and arbitrators for civil, commercial, family, and employment dispute resolution.

John L. Hay is one of 73,906 adr attorneys indexed nationally. Browse adr attorneys in Arizona →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in Arizona

Practicing law in Arizona. Legal matters in Arizona are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Phoenix are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Arizona state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Arizona brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Arizona courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional Arizona attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Phoenix or all attorneys in Arizona.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about John L. Hay

Where is John L. Hay's law office located?
John L. Hay's law practice is located in Phoenix, Arizona. The firm is Gust Rosenfeld P.L.C.. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does John L. Hay handle?
John L. Hay focuses on business, ip, adr. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in Arizona.
How long has John L. Hay practiced law?
John L. Hay has 62+ years of legal experience and has been licensed since 1964.
Where did John L. Hay go to law school?
John L. Hay earned their education at (J.D., 1964); (B.A., 1961).
How can I contact John L. Hay for a consultation?
You can contact John L. Hay directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has John L. Hay received?
John L. Hay's notable recognition includes: AV Preeminent.

Education

J.D.
University of Colorado School of Law
- 1964
B.A.
Stanford University
- 1961

Awards

AV Preeminent

Bar Admissions

Colorado
Admitted: 1964
Arizona
Admitted: 1965
District of Columbia, inactive School of Law (former member, Law Alumni Board) Community Legal Servi
Admitted: 1971

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