About Us

Kim works with clients in acquisitions, entity selection and formation, corporate finance, real estate, general business and corporate, bond financing, industrial incentives, estate planning, and probate and estate administration.

Representing clients in all lines of business, Kim concentrates her practice largely in the newspaper and print industry sectors with a focus on acquisitions, corporate finance, and other transactions. With over 35 years of experience dealing with issues relative to the publishing world, Kim represents several hundred newspaper clients in 32 states and has participated in over $500,000,000 newspaper acquisition and corporate finance transactions. Kim represents both buyers and sellers as well as their owners and family members of closely held newspaper properties.

Through Kim’s work in newspaper acquisitions, she manages a vast array of transactional components, including document preparation, due diligence, governmental compliance, employment, real estate, environmental, intellectual property, contracts, and finance. Kim works directly with third parties on her clients’ behalf, including lenders, title companies, environmental consultants, surveyors, regulatory agencies, engineers, appraisers, insurers, government officials, accountants, and vendors. Kim applies practical and creative solutions in solving complications that often arise in acquisition transactions, such as clouds on real estate title, environmental conditions, intellectual property filings, lien releases, lender and other third-party approval, governmental compliance, and competitive challenges. Kim strives to always keep sight of her client’s objectives and temper her representation to help met those objectives while aiding the client in maintaining optimal industry and banking relationships.

Kim also acts as outside general counsel for multiple closely held newspaper groups across the United States, offering counsel in all facets of their business and owners’ day-to-day affairs. Kim provides succession planning advice for the transition of businesses to family members or valued executives, as well as the principal’s personal asset management and estate planning. She provides recommendations and documentation for executive compensation packages such as deferred compensation and equity sharing plans. Kim works closely with CPAs and other professionals in business and personal planning for her clients.

In her corporate finance practice, Kim represents borrowers in a variety of credit facilities, including cash flow lending, revolving lines of credit, commercial mortgage loans, equipment financing, and asset-based loans. She advises clients in all aspects of credit transactions, including collateral, guaranties, remedies, and financial covenants. Kim also has experience in finance workouts and restructurings.

On the general corporate side, Kim’s experience is in all areas of general day-to-day business issues, business organizations, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures and dissolutions, corporate financing, real estate, and estate administration. She regularly advises clients on real estate matters, including leases, easements, licensing, and development.

Other industries in which Kim renders counsel and advice include real estate development and construction, professionals, medical innovation, manufacturers, fabricators, non-profit entities, religious institutions, and various fields of retail. She renders advice to start-up as well as growing businesses with respect to entity selection and formation, buy-sell agreements, contracts, leases, general employment, real estate, and financing.

Kim has also served as bond counsel in both public and private finance transactions that may be tax-exempt or taxable, with experience dealing with rating agencies and federal governmental agencies such as the Small Business Administration.

In addition to providing her regular clients with estate planning advice, Kim offers general estate planning services, and guides clients through the process of will probate, estate administration, and asset transfer. Establishing trusts and advising trustees and beneficiaries on trust parameters and interpretation are other areas in which Kim practices.

Kim has a long history of community involvement and leadership. In addition to decades of service in local schools, churches, and other altruistic endeavors, Kim purposely directs attention to activities and organizations in order to learn more about the nature of her clients’ businesses and the business arena generally, including the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce and trade organizations such as Inland Press Association and Alabama Press Association

Marland is a versatile attorney with over 25 years of experience in acquisitions, real estate, bond financing, commercial financings, and corporate issues, serving a diverse clientele that includes banks, lenders, borrowers, and developers.

His practice in public finance is extensive, having acted in various roles such as bond counsel and underwriter's counsel, where he has advised on tax-exempt financing, swap transactions, and distressed bond deals, including restructurings and bankruptcy-related matters. In commercial lending, Marland represents both lenders and borrowers across a wide range of credit facilities, offering guidance on collateral, guaranties, and financial covenants. His work with local and regional banks, as well as his role in non-recourse federal agency loans and tax credit syndications, underscores his depth of knowledge in finance.

Marland’s expertise in acquisition transactions and project development is demonstrated through his involvement in the development or purchase of significant properties across several states, advising on all transactional aspects, from environmental regulatory compliance to economic incentives for development. His real estate practice spans negotiation, property entitlement issues, and leveraging state and federal programs to revitalize properties, showcasing his comprehensive approach to legal counsel in development and finance.

Gary Sullivan began serving Of Counsel with Hayes Ingram in 2022. Gary’s practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, complex bankruptcy matters, appellate work, creditor rights and real estate. Gary has decades of experience practicing law representing clients ranging from small business owners to multiple Fortune 1000 companies. His legal career began with Balch & Bingham LLP in 1996, and he was a founding member of Sullivan & Gray LLC in 2006.

Paula S. Beams is a Senior Paralegal at Hayes Ingram with over 25 years of experience assisting attorneys with real estate transactions, loan transactions, title examination, like-kind exchange transactions, employee manual preparation, industrial incentives, regulatory procedures, litigation, and acquisitions. She holds a Specialized Associate’s Degree in Legal Studies from the College for Professional Studies and is a Licensed Title Insurance Agent. Paula is an integral part of the Hayes Ingram legal team. She conducts real estate closings at the firm and is knowledgeable about title insurance underwriting and policy issuance matters.

She is Chief Operating Officer of the firm’s title company, HI Title LLC. Paula is also involved with document preparation, document review, and organization. She makes sure every client receives the best legal services possible from Hayes Ingram and HI Title LLC. Paula and Marland have worked together for more than 15 years. 

Donna is a Senior Paralegal at Hayes Ingram and has worked for more than 29 years in the areas of corporate, general business, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, real estate, labor and employment, trademark, estate planning, and probate law. She holds a degree from the University of Alabama (B.S., Pre-Law, 1990, cum laude). Donna has worked extensively on transactions in the newspaper and print industry as well as other types of corporate transactions. She is involved with client communications and meetings, communications with opposing counsel, governmental officials, and third parties, as well as document preparation, review, and management.

Cheryl is a Senior Paralegal at Hayes Ingram with over 29 years combined experience serving as a legal secretary, administrative assistant and paralegal. She has worked in the areas of estate planning, probate, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, discovery management, trial preparation, appellate matters, environmental, labor and employment, and corporate law. Due to the positions Cheryl has held in the legal field, she is able to support the attorneys with numerous aspects of their work. Along with her other responsibilities, Cheryl is involved with the preparation and review of legal documents and correspondence, registering and renewing trademarks/service marks, filing court documents, and performing records research.

Sheila is a Paralegal at Hayes Ingram with over 19 years combined experience serving as a legal secretary, administrative assistant, and paralegal. She has worked in the areas of acquisitions, real estate, employment, and corporate law. Due to the positions Sheila has held in the legal field and as a licensed real estate agent, she is able to assist and support the attorneys with numerous aspects of their work. Along with her other responsibilities, Sheila is involved with the preparation and review of legal documents and correspondence, analysis of real estate title, and performing records research.