Kayla H. Quam is a founding attorney at Hawkes Quam, LLC. She practices family law exclusively.
Kayla has a deep-rooted passion for family law—a passion that is apparent in her work and advocacy. Kayla’s chief aim is to help make the best of a difficult time for her clients. Because of that, she works tirelessly on behalf of her clients, recognizing that family law involves the most pressing and emotional issues a client will face. Whether zealously advocating for a client in court or helping to bridge a gap in informal settlement talks, Kayla provides her clients a sense of calm throughout all stages of domestic law.
Her devotion to family law keeps Kayla active on the Family Law Executive Committee of the Utah State Bar, currently serving as the Secretary and expected to serve as the Vice-Chair and as Chair thereafter. She also serves on the subcommittee that puts together the Annual Seminar for the Family Law Section. Kayla previously worked on the committee of the New Lawyer Training Program (NLTP), where she recommended and drafted various changes to the award-winning and mandatory mentoring program for new lawyers. Kayla’s recommendations were accepted by the Committee and later the Bar Commission. A Utah State Bar Journal article was written about those changes and Kayla’s assistance in the process. See Utah State Bar Journal, Volume 32 (July/August 2019), utahbar.org/wp-content/uploads/Jul_Aug_2019_FINAL.pdf, at 48. Kayla was later asked to present on those implemented NLTP changes at the Utah State Bar Summer Convention in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Kayla has been an active speaker on family law matters. She has spoken at the Utah State Bar Summer Convention on the issue of granted, but unvested, stock options, after writing an article for the Utah State Bar Journal on the same topic. She presented to large virtual audiences on recent changes to the family law statutes and rules in Utah, and also how to avoid being ‘hometowned,’ where she shared tips for practicing in the Third and Fourth District. Other presentations include speaking at the Women Lawyers Retreat on mentor-mentee dynamics and to realtors on the intersection of family law and real estate matters.
While in law school at the S.J. Quinney College of Law (University of Utah), Kayla was a Note and Comment Editor for the Utah Law Review. Kayla had two separate Law Review Notes selected for publication in the Utah Law Review, but Kayla turned down the publication of the first Note based on her fear of its impact on transgender individual’s legal rights in Utah. Her second Note, Unfinished Business of Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: The Military’s Unconstitutional Ban on Transgender Individuals, was published in 2015 in the Utah Law Review. Kayla participated in Traynor Moot Court, where she and her teammate rose to the top of the selection process, arguing in front of the law school student body against one other team before three sitting judges. Kayla twice won the best-oralist during the selection process, and her team won third-place best brief.
During law school, Kayla clerked for a sitting Third District Court Judge and also for Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake City, where she successfully represented dozens of individuals seeking Protective Orders. Kayla won the David T. Lewis Award for her clerkship work.
After graduating from Westminster College, but before law school, Kayla was a paralegal for a local domestic family law attorney, where she learned the ins-and-outs of legal practice. She also volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) during that time, where she was appointed by judges to assist children in their journey through the complexities of the foster care system.
Kayla learned in junior high school that she wanted to be a family law attorney after watching her best friend’s family struggle through a tragic and messy divorce. Kayla quickly realized that good representation makes all the difference. Kayla is dedicated to her clients, and her compassion for them and their situation is apparent.
Read about client’s experiences in working with Kayla here:
Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2022–2023
Utah Business, Legal Elite, 2022
Avvo Clients’ Choice Award, 2019–2021, 2023
National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, Inc., Top 10 Under 40 Award (multiple years)
Traynor Moot Court, Finalist (twice named best oralist; third place best brief), 2015
David T. Lewis Award, Recipient, 2015
Service Award, S.J. Quinney College of Law (University of Utah), 2015
Unsettled Issue in a Divorce Suit: Should Granted, Unvested Stock Options Constitute a Marital Asset or a Separate Asset?, Utah State Bar Journal, Jan/Feb 2021, at 17, available at http://old.utahbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Jan_Feb_2021_FINAL.pdf
Unfinished Business of Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: The Military’s Unconstitutional Ban on Transgender Individuals, 2015 Utah Law Review 721, available at https://dc.law.utah.edu/ulr/vol2015/iss3/4/
What Employers and Employees Need to Know about the FMLA, Zions Community Magazine (January 2016), at 94, available at https://www.zionsbank.com/content/dam/zfnb/zionsbank/documents/community/community-JanFeb-2016.pdf.
Divorce and Real Estate, Presentation to realtors at Coldwell Banker Homes, Salt Lake City, Utah (May 9, 2023)
How to Avoid being "Hometowned"– Practicing Family Law in the Various Districts, Utah State Bar CLE, St. George, Utah (April 7, 2023)
Teachings from the Family Law Sages, Utah State Bar CLE (September 12, 2022) (moderator)
Work Relationship Health: Data-Driven Tips on Building Relationships from Mentees-Turned-Mentors, Women Lawyers of Utah Retreat in Park City, Utah (May 7, 2022)
Keeping Up with the Recent Changes in Family Law Rules and Statutes, Utah State Bar CLE (November 22, 2021)
Handling Stock Options in a Divorce Case, Utah State Bar Summer Convention in Sun Valley, Idaho (July 29, 2021)
Amendments to the New Lawyer Training Program, Utah State Bar Summer Convention in Sun Valley, Idaho (July 20, 2019)
Kayla was incredible to work with. She listened to what I needed and was able to handle things in a way where I knew she was on my side during my divorce. She provided excellent feedback whenever I had questions and was very conscious of my money, and always tried to provide the best ways to make this as affordable as possible. I absolutely trust Kayla and would 100% recommend her to anyone.
– Nik
Kayla is hands down the best lawyer I have worked with. She is kind, passionate, and absolutely cares about her clients. I thank my lucky stars that I found Kayla! She will work hard to represent you and is honest with outcomes and reality of the process with what to expect. I had the best outcome in my case because she was on my side.
– Pamela
Though my case was daunting, complex and intense, Kayla Quam was only incredible. From the start through the very end, she and her amazing team exhibited unparalleled dedication to the law and commitment to me as her client. I will be forever grateful that I chose Kayla Quam to represent me. She is everything you would want in a lawyer.
– Julia
Kayla Delivers! Kayla is very intelligent and a great strategist. Kayla provided clear explanations for the documents, process, timelines and potential scenarios. Her strategies are effective. She and her team are very professional, friendly and compassionate, which is so important during such emotional turmoil. Without hesitation, I recommend Kayla as a divorce attorney.
– Kelley
