The father-daughter team of Randy Hey and Polly Hey Panos opened their equine law practice, Hey and Hey Attorneys At Law, two years ago in the heart of the Bay Area horse scene. Randy Hey is a respected trial attorney who has practiced law for 36 years, working much of that time as a prosecutor with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office. Randy’s in-depth experience includes both criminal and civil cases.
Polly is a respected equine attorney. She has been involved with horses for 27 years and competed on the hunter/jumper show circuit for 25. She’s owned and competed her 12-year-old Holsteiner/Thoroughbred mare Papillon successfully for seven years, winning the Region 2 PCHA Championship last year.



Polly represents clients in all matters relating to horses. This includes contracts, issues and disputes involving sales and leases; equine mortality; immigration law and advice; the formation of partnerships, corporations, LLCs and LLPs; property liability; horse insurance; zoning; disciplinary matters with the United States Equestrian Federation; trainer/breeder liability and breeding.
The equine law practice was a natural progression for this horsey family. Mom, Nancy Hey has been a hunter/jumper trainer for 35 years with her business Strideaway Farms, located at the Stanford Equestrian Center. “I basically grew up at the Stanford Barn and my dad and I learned a lot about the horse business through my mom’s dealings,” explains Polly.
When Polly graduated from law school she went to North Carolina to gain experience. Upon returning to California she thought about what legal needs were not getting met in the horse industry and decided to collaborate with her dad to offer a solution. Equine law includes all legal aspects of the horse industry and horse-related business. Within the horse industry there are so many intricacies and detailed terminologies that people can often save money in the long run by hiring Blue Ribbon Law to lead the way. “I saw a need,” says Polly. “A lot of people have been stung through bad business deals and practices. It’s not a good idea to do a six-figure deal on a handshake: You should really have a contract and we can help with that.”
Polly explains that they get calls almost every day from very reputable people in the horse business who have managed to get into trouble by not having written contracts. Sales, boarding, training and liability are among the categories in which contracts are essential. She and her dad firmly believe that it’s easier and less costly to prevent problems than fix them. “A large part of our business involves helping clients develop strategies to prevent lawsuits and limit liability. In short, to make things really work in a more businesslike fashion,” Polly says.
Another portion of the Blue Ribbon Law practice focuses on immigration issues, and Polly and Randy look forward to seeing some immigration reform passed especially for the seasonal workers who obtain the H2B visas.
Randy and Polly only take cases where they feel confident that they can help their clients. They pride themselves in not running up legal bills and will only accept a case if they feel they can accomplish something for the client. “One of our favorite sayings is that we don’t sugarcoat things,” says Polly with a grin.
Polly is also available to give educational seminars to clubs and groups. She presented two seminars last year at the Pebble Beach summer horse shows. The Blue Ribbon Law website is also a resource for horse owners. Articles such as 17 Costly Mistakes That Force Horse Owners, Breeders & Trainers Into Court, 9 Dangerous Ways Equine Enthusiasts Expose Themselves to Lawsuits, 9 Smart Ways to Avoid Lawsuits, How to Buy and Sell Your Horse or Pony, 6 Key Steps to Help You Avoid Costly Problems, Stress and Lawsuits and 8 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring an Equine Lawyer can be found at www.blueribbonlaw.com.
For more information contact Polly Hey Panos at Hey and Hey Attorneys At Law, 650-216-6012, Cell 650-465-7439, polly@blueribbonlaw.com or at www.blueribbonlaw.com.