Professor Chelsi Hayden joined the law faculty in 2017. She is directing and teaching in the Legal Research and Writing program and teaching advanced legal writing courses. Her research focuses on Evidence, Legal Methods, Legal Writing, and Learning Theories. In addition, she often writes for the Kansas bar.

Prior to coming to Nebraska Law, Professor Hayden was a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Kansas, where she taught predominately litigation focused classes—Evidence, Lawyering Skills, Advanced Legal Writing, and legal-skills simulation workshops.  

In addition to her academic pursuits, Professor Hayden served, or continues to serve, on the Federal Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity, the Kansas Land Trust, the Kansans Advancing Women Political Action Committee, and the Willow Domestic Violence Center. Professor Hayden continues with representation in court, most often in an amicus curia.

Before entering academia, Professor Hayden served as chambers counsel to Judge Carlos Murguia of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas and was an associate in business litigation for Shook, Hardy & Bacon in Kansas City, Missouri. She has extensive experience in civil and criminal law, litigating in both state and federal courts.

Professor Hayden received bachelors of art degrees in Sociology and Criminology from the University of Kansas. She graduated Order of the Coif from the University of Kansas School of Law.