Vilia B. Hayes is Senior Pro Bono Counsel at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, litigating pro bono cases in the areas of prisoner’s rights, voting rights, immigration, family law, and housing among others. She is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Pro Bono Committee and supervises numerous pro bono matters in federal and state court. Ms. Hayes has over 35 years of experience as a litigation associate and partner concentrating on employment, product liability, insurance, bankruptcy, and commercial litigation, as well as counseling/and negotiations on employment law and insurance law.
Clerkships
Law clerk to Honorable Charles L. Brieant, United States district judge, Southern District of New York, 1980 – 1981
Professional Activities
Board of Trustees, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Board of Directors, Legal Momentum
Co-President, Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert from May 2018 – May 2020
Federal Bar Council, President from November 2014 - November 2016
Board of Directors, Legal Services NYC from 2010-2016
EDNY Mediation Panel
Pro Bono Panel, Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
N.Y. American Inn of Court, President from 2012-2014
Board of Directors – VOLS from 2008-2016
Director, Fordham Law Review Alumni Association
Board of Directors of New York County Lawyers Association from 2002 to 2014; Chair of Audit Committee 2012 to 2014
Chair of Litigation Committee, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 2004-2007
Clerkships
Law clerk to Honorable Charles L. Brieant, United States district judge, Southern District of New York, 1980 – 1981
Court Admissions
United States District Courts for Southern, Eastern, Western and Northern Districts of New York
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Third Circuit and DC Circuit
United States Supreme Court
Teaching
Adjunct Professor teaching U.S. Constitution and Homeland Protection and Contemporary Legal Problems, St. John’s University, Graduate Professional Studies in Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Leadership, Fall 2018 to present
Highlighted Matters
Counsel for Plaintiffs in a voting rights action against Secretary of State of Georgia challenging SB 202 enacted in March 2021 No. 1:21-mi-55555-JPB (N.D.Ga.)
Recent Pro Bono representation in the Second Circuit of Appeals:
Golding v. Barr, No. 18-772, remand granted
Jesus Giron v. Garland, No. 18-3719, pending
Johnson v. Barr, No. 19-401, removal order vacated after stipulated remand
Wiggins v. Medina, No. 14-591, pending
Scarlett v. Whitaker, No. 16-940, remand granted
Kwei Genego v. Matthew G. Whitaker, amicus counsel, No. 16-867 (2019 order terminating removal proceedings)
Joseph Emanuel Hechavarria v. Jefferson B. Sessions III, amicus counsel, No. 16-1380, (2d Cir. 2018), remand granted
Richard Orlando Edwards v. Loretta Lynch, No. 15-2815 (2015), application for withholding of removal granted on remand by the Immigration Judge, in re: Richard Orlando Edwards, A086-774-182
Aurel Smith v. Dale Artus, No. 11-4186 (2013), dismissal of civil rights claim reversed and remanded
Michael Jones v. Joseph Smith, No. 12-401-pr (2012), dismissal of civil rights complaint reversed
Eon Shepherd v. Jason Ferrick, 08 Civ. 09297 (RA), United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (jury verdict for prisoner in 2017; post-trial motions denied in 2018)
Amicus brief on behalf of the ARC of South Carolina, Able SC, SCAAIDD and Protection and Advocacy for People with Disabilities, Inc. in the Supreme Court of the State of South Carolina. (Simmons v. State CA No. 05-CP-18-1368)
Working with Kids In Need of Defense – supervising associates and representing over 50 unaccompanied minors during the past ten years
Working with Her Justice – supervising associates representing over 50 women in uncontested divorces, as well as in contested divorce and child support proceedings
In re: MF Global, Inc. – No. 11-02790-mg (Bankr. SDNY) representation of SIPA, Trustee for the liquidation of MF Global Inc., including representation of the Trustee in the investigation of the events leading to a shortfall of customer property at MF Global Inc., and in preparation of the report on the reasons for the firm’s collapse and in the resolution of major general creditor claims
National coordinating counsel for ALSTOM in asbestos litigation, coordinating discovery and motion practice and achieving dismissal without payment of thousands of claims in multiple jurisdictions
Representation of Merck & Co, Inc. in VIOXX® litigation in all cases filed in New York, including removal and transfer of cases to the MDL and litigation of claims in NYS court
Representation of employer in Welding Rod litigation dismissed by plaintiffs prior to trial
Pereira, as Chapter 11 Trustee v. Marshall & Sterling, Inc. Representation of insurance broker in successful appeal to federal court from over $20 million adverse determination in Bankruptcy Court
Representation of insurance company in coverage disputes arising from fiber-optic cable claims, breast implants and TMJ implants
Representation of software vendor in breach of contract actions in federal court and arbitration
In re San Juan Dupont Plaza Fire Litigation, MDL 721 (D.P.R.). Representation of Collins & Aikman Corporation on claims arising out of the fire at the Dupont Plaza Hotel
Representation of Skopbank in class actions involving claims of consumer fraud in federal and state courts in Illinois, Alabama and Maryland
