Dion W. Hayes Partner

Dion has represented debtors, official and unofficial committees of creditors or equity holders, private equity sponsors, senior lenders and administrative agents, Section 363 purchasers, post-confirmation plan administrators, liquidating trustees, and bondholders, in significant chapter 11 cases throughout the United States. He has also represented federal and state court receivers and other court-appointed fiduciaries.  He has represented clients with respect to derivative terminations in insolvency cases and litigation and opinions relating to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Bankruptcy Code relating to derivatives.  He has also represented litigation targets in large Ponzi scheme cases and significant fraudulent transfer, preference, and breach of fiduciary duty litigation. He has advised boards of directors and board committees on fiduciary duty issues and other matters presented in special situations confronted by their companies.  He has led recent restructuring engagements in the following industries – energy, oil & gas, coal and metals mining, semiconductor, print media, health care, and hospitality.  Dion has also represented defendants in putative class actions relating to alleged bankruptcy discharge and stay violation issues, including in the student loan servicing area.

As noted in Chambers USA, “Dion Hayes has a national bankruptcy practice. He is experienced in insolvencies, restructurings, workouts and distressed sales for all bankruptcy parties. He is held in high esteem by clients and peers for his work, with one source stating: ‘He very effectively balances a commercial mindset with a keen understanding of legal risk to help us craft our strategies. He is also very effective in the courtroom as an advocate.’ ” Others commended Dion as “a strong advocate for his clients,” “experienced, smart, respectful, and very creative,” and “well versed at handling a full suite of restructuring and insolvency matters in bankruptcy and other federal courts.” Chambers further provides that Dion “has a calm and deliberate manner about him. He is able to offer rational and sound advice and draws upon a great deal of experience.” Dion is “a highly respected member of the bankruptcy bar.”

From 2017-2022, Dion served as the firm’s Deputy Managing Partner for Litigation, managing the firm’s various litigation departments and roughly 500 litigators in the US and the UK.  In that role, he served in the senior management of the firm and played a significant role in all aspects of the firm’s litigation practices, including lateral partner recruiting and the pricing of client engagements.  He was qualified by a federal court as an expert in law firm hourly rates and pricing and has testified as an expert in a fee dispute for a major law firm.  He currently serves on the firm’s Lateral Partner Integration Committee.

From 2012-2017, Dion served as the Chair of the firm’s Restructuring and Insolvency Department.  Dion has been honored as a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and has taught bankruptcy since 2022 as an Adjunct Professor at William & Mary Law School.