Hayes represents corporations and individuals in a wide variety of business matters, crisis management, and civil litigation in both state and federal courts across the country. Due to his diverse background in handling both civil and criminal matters, he has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict. Hayes also serves as chair of Cozen O'Connor's Sports Industry team.
Hayes won the “Pennsylvania Attorney of the Year” award presented by The Legal Intelligencer and is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. The Fellows is an honorary society of lawyers and jurists and is limited to one percent of the lawyers admitted to practice in the United States and supports empirical, interdisciplinary research in law and social science. Hayes is also a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA). The LCA is a trial lawyer honorary society whose membership is limited to less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Since 2010, he has been recognized as one of Pennsylvania's "Super Lawyers" and is consistently recognized by "Best Lawyers in America". Hayes was selected as one of Pennsylvania’s 35 “Lawyers on the Fast Track” by The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly and named a Pennsylvania “Rising Star” by Law & Politics.
Hayes is a member of the firm's Commercial Litigation Department and White Collar Defense & Investigations practice group. He has represented businesses and individuals in high-impact matters involving: shareholder actions; investor issues; contractual disputes; wrongful death claims; ownership disputes; intentional torts; Title IX; civil rights claims; discrimination claims; consumer protection claims, trade secret and privacy data breaches; and product liability matters. He has represented a broad spectrum of companies in legal and business matters serving as outside general counsel. Hayes’ varied experience includes representing clients in investigations, litigation, and grand jury proceedings involving allegations of sexual harassment and abuse, malfeasance, improper conduct, political corruption, perjury and obstruction charges, and health care and tax fraud claims. Hayes provides corporations, investors, start-ups, organizations, business executives, and families with solutions to the most challenging problems.
Hayes’ commitment to providing legal services to the underprivileged started prior to joining the firm, which is one of the reasons he was selected to chair Cozen O’Connor’s Pro Bono Committee. His dedication to the indigent began when he was an attorney at the Defender Association of Philadelphia and continues to represent clients with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. In 2017, Hayes received the Martin Luther King, Jr. Salute to Greatness Justice and Social Equity Award. Previous recipients of the Award include the Hon. Colin Powell, the Hon. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., Ossie Davis, and Bernard Segal, Esq. He has been named one of the “10 Best” Attorneys in Pennsylvania by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys.
For over a decade, Hayes has taught Integrated Trial Advocacy as an adjunct professor at Temple University - Beasley School of Law. His unique class integrates civil procedure, evidence, and trial practice skills using a practical hands-on approach. Hayes also frequently lectures to corporate counsel, the American Bar Association, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and the Pro Bono Institute. Notably, he was one of only three lawyers in the country selected as a member of NITA’s Next Generation Faculty.
Hayes is also a writer and contributor to The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, The New York Times, Forbes, National Public Radio, Time, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Legal Intelligencer, and Law.com’s Corporate Counsel Section.