Our Team

Joseph “Joe” A. Heyison

Joseph A. Heyison is Of Counsel to Charles Law. Joe’s extensive experience in financial markets covers all areas of master agreement and other trading documentation, as well as broker-dealer and FCM customer practice, and securities and banking regulation. Joe was most recently Executive Director and Associate General Counsel at Daiwa Capital Markets America Inc., where he was senior counsel for regulation, tax, and international issues, including SEC, FINRA, CFTC, and exchange matters. At Daiwa, he played a leadership role on industry committees dealing with MBS financing, U.S. repo and international repo, and was responsible for the acquisition of a broker-dealer and of an investment bank. His past experience also includes being the general counsel of renewable energy and venture capital firms.

Joe has spoken at Practising Law Institute programs on sponsored repo and securities financing generally. He is also participating in SIFMA task forces preparing industry-standard documentation and structuring done-away mechanisms for Treasury clearing. He takes pride in developing cost-effective solutions to complex legal problems.

He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Princeton University.

Joe is a member of the New York bar.

William “Bill” Schroeder

Bill Schroeder is Of Counsel to Charles Law. Bill brings extensive expertise in trading, markets, and financial regulation. With decades of experience representing corporate clients, financial institutions, and individuals, Bill provides strategic counsel on litigation support, regulatory enforcement, and  helps clients strengthen compliance programs by developing internal policies and delivering customized training programs across the U.S. and internationally.

Previously, Bill was Special Counsel at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, where he practiced for over 35 years, advising leading institutions in high-stakes litigation and regulatory matters. In this role, Bill successfully represented clients in energy, commodities, futures, complex derivatives, digital assets, banking, and antitrust matters. He advised clients on regulatory and self-regulatory inquiries and defended them  before key U.S. regulatory bodies, including the CFTC, FERC, FTC, SEC and DoJ as well as various SROs and the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

Bill is also a dedicated educator, serving as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School since 1997, teaching transnational litigation, public international law, and international court advocacy. He  also teaches Federal Criminal Law at Hofstra Law School.

Bill remains active in public service, advising nonprofit organizations and serving on boards dedicated to youth and family services. He holds a B.A. from Fordham College, an M.S. in Library Science from Columbia University, and a J.D. from Rutgers-Newark Law School, where he was a Tischler Scholar.

Bill is a member of the New York bar.

Conrad Bahlke

Conrad Bahlke is Of Counsel to Charles Law.  Conrad’s legal practice focuses on derivative transactions and related regulatory matters.  He represents investment funds, corporations, governmental and international organizations, pension plans and derivative dealers in structuring and negotiating a broad variety of derivatives agreements and transactions, including equity, credit, commodity, weather, digital asset, interest rate and currency derivatives.  He also represents clients in negotiating debt and equity repurchase agreements and securities lending agreements, and in futures contract-related matters.

Conrad also advises on financial services regulatory matters, including compliance with the Dodd-Frank Act and related regulations as well as the rapidly changing regulatory landscape for digital asset-related products.  He represents clients before Federal and state banking and commodities regulatory agencies, self-regulatory organizations, exchanges and clearinghouses in regulatory audit, registration, risk management, acquisitions and compliance matters.  He has advised on litigation and mediated disputes related to derivatives, and has represented clients on derivatives matters through numerous financial crises and bankruptcies.

Before becoming Of Counsel to Charles Law PLLC, Conrad was a Partner or Counsel at several prominent international law firms.   He has been listed as a prominent practitioner in his fields in Chambers USA, Chambers Global, The Legal 500, and Super Lawyers.

Conrad received his A.B. from Oberlin College, and his J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.  Conrad is a member of the New York bar and the Massachusetts bar.

Sara Hayes

Sara Hayes is Counsel at Charles Law, where she partners with clients to navigate complex legal, regulatory, and policy environments, unlocking growth and ensuring compliance in today’s rapidly evolving markets. Sara brings to this role, 25 years of experience helping businesses and organizations turn regulatory challenges into competitive opportunities.

Sara delivers customized solutions to help clients stay ahead of regulatory change by identifying risks and opportunities early to maximize market opportunities through innovative strategies for energy markets, carbon offsets, renewable energy credits, and commodities trading.

Sara has worked across the energy, oil and gas, utilities, and financial sectors, advising Fortune 500 companies, hedge funds, trade associations, banks, and governments. Her unique insight—shaped by her roles advising federal regulators, the World Bank, and major industry players—equips clients to confidently address challenges and seize opportunities in competitive markets.

Sara is a member of the New York bar and holds a B.A. from Lewis and Clark College and a J.D. from Fordham University.

Steven Gray

Steven Gray is a Derivatives Professional at Charles Law.  Steven works on the review of trading agreements, including ISDAs, (G)MRAs, (G)MSLAs, MSFTAs, futures and prime brokerage agreements, and account control agreements.

Steven has been an active member on several ISDA and other industry groups standardizing derivatives documentation, especially in relation to equity derivatives. His deep understanding of equity derivatives enables him to assist clients in the review and negotiation of equity derivatives documentation and to expand clients’ in-house coverage of these products: this includes Master Confirmation Agreements, providing clients with training, workshops, and playbooks on the negotiation of equity derivatives. Prior to joining Charles Law, Steven worked with GuyLaine at another boutique law firm in New York City.

Steven graduated from the University of Cambridge and qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales. He is not admitted to the New York bar.

Maria Paula Moya

Maria Paula Moya is a Law Clerk at Charles Law. She brings broad experience in cross-border corporate and financing transactions, with a background in mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and acquisition finance.

Previously with Baker McKenzie’s Corporate/M&A group in Bogotá, Maria Paula advised on complex acquisitions, divestitures, and corporate reorganizations involving multiple jurisdictions. In that role, she coordinated due diligence across Latin America and drafted and negotiated key transaction documents, including share and asset purchase agreements, disclosure schedules, indemnity frameworks, and related financing documentation. In addition to her transactional work, Maria Paula has advised private equity funds on investment structures, governance frameworks, and compliance considerations, providing practical insight into the regulatory, operational, and financial dimensions of private capital. Her experience spans the energy and renewables, oil and gas, healthcare, and financial services sectors, engaging with legal, regulatory, and commercial issues in both domestic and international contexts.

At Charles Law, Maria Paula supports the negotiation of trading agreements with particular attention to their regulatory implications. Her multidisciplinary background—which includes earlier experience with Deloitte’s corporate team in Colombia—and her cross-border perspective provide valuable depth to the firm’s transactional practice.

Maria Paula earned her LL.M. in Corporation Law from New York University School of Law. She also holds a graduate degree in corporate law from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and a law degree from Universidad de los Andes, both in Bogotá. She is not yet admitted to the New York Bar. Maria Paula is fluent in Spanish.

Elorm Zormelo

Elorm Zormelo is a Derivatives Analyst at Charles Law. Prior to joining Charles Law, Elorm practiced as a banking and finance transactional and litigation lawyer in a Tier 1 Legal 500 boutique law firm based in Ghana where he gained experience in complex corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters. He also practiced as an insolvency lawyer with KPMG, as well as in compliance roles in the telecom and upstream oil and gas industries. Elorm works with clients of Charles Law on negotiation of their trading agreements, with a focus on digital assets and crypto.

Elorm graduated from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland where he obtained an LL.B. (hons) and is a member of the Ghanaian bar. He is not admitted to the New York bar. Elorm enjoys playing basketball and golf and is a volunteer with the UNFPA’s Orange Support Center for victims of gender-based violence.

Maria Castle

Maria Castle is the Office Manager and a Paralegal at Charles Law. Maria was educated in London, England and brings over twenty-five years of experience as an office administrator, legal assistant, and paralegal with both small and large law firms in England, Canada and the US. Maria has worked in many areas of law but focusses on corporate and commercial law.

Maria has a Certificate of Higher Education in Architectural History from the University of Oxford. She lives with her family and pets and enjoys traveling, reading and fiber arts.