Edward T. Hayes focuses his practice both on litigation and international trade and business. Mr. Hayes has extensive litigation experience, dating back to 1996 when he clerked for the Honorable Gerald P. Fedoroff of the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana. Since that time, Mr. Hayes has represented domestic and international clients in products liability, insurance, maritime, warranty/redhibition, and professional malpractice cases in state and federal courts throughout the Gulf South region. Highlights of his experience in these areas include the representation of automobile and component manufacturers in premature tire wear, crashworthiness and passive restraint device cases; tire manufacturers in tread separation and rollover cases; and medical device manufacturers in composition defect cases.

Mr. Hayes also has substantial experience handling insurance coverage and defense matters, as well as class action and mass casualty cases. Highlights of his experience in these areas include representation of primary and excess property and general liability insurance carriers in mass casualty and defect cases, including work on the mass casualty arising out of the 1999 Mother’s Day bus crash in New Orleans, LA, the maritime claims arising out of the allision between the M/V Bright Field and the New Orleans Riverwalk and the successful defense of proposed class actions involving alleged premature sidewall discoloration and mold in manufactured/mobile housing.

In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Hayes maintains a specialty in international trade and business. His current international trade and business practice focuses on a wide variety of issues, including import/export transactions; international sales of goods and services; disputes under bilateral investment treaties; and antidumping, countervailing duty and other trade remedy proceedings before the Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission. Mr. Hayes also advises businesses and state and local governments on international trade capacity and economic development programs associated with international free trade agreements. Mr. Hayes is a member of the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee of the Office of the United States Trade Representative, in Washington, DC, a member of the Louisiana District Export Council of the U.S. Department of Commerce and is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Tulane University Law School and Loyola University School of Law, where he teaches a Seminar on international trade policy and practice.

Mr. Hayes has been appointed co-chair of ALFA International's International Law Practice Group for a two year term. ALFA International has member firms in over 50 countries worldwide and the International Law Practice Group promotes and enhances cross-border legal assistance for clients doing business overseas.