Kristin Hayes

Adjunct Professor of Law Location: University Park   krh23@psu.edu

About Hayes

Professor Kristin Hayes brings 25 years of trial experience to the classroom. She spent almost 20 years as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where she was responsible for hundreds of grand jury investigations involving all federal law enforcement agencies from inception through prosecution, guilty plea or trial, sentencing, and appeal. These cases included fraud, corruption, tax, narcotics, and firearms. Investigations involved search warrants, wiretaps, and development of cooperating witnesses.

Professor Hayes tried approximately 50 cases to verdict. She received the DOJ John Marshall Award for United States v. Richard Ramos, et al., a 50 defendant narcotics prosecution of a violent neighborhood drug gang where all defendants pleaded guilt except for two who were convicted after trial. Sentences ranged from life without parole and 30 years without parole for mother and son leaders of organization to probation for significant cooperators. While a fugitive, Richard Ramos had a series of operations performed by a plastic surgeon to change his appearance and the surgeon was ultimately convicted of harboring a fugitive and obstruction of justice.

She also received the Executive Office of United States Attorneys Office award for United States v. John and Anthony Gambone, a complex tax fraud prosecution of real estate developers who were convicted after a month-long trial of a 25-year conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Two lead defendants received 36-month sentences and paid $3,000,000 in back taxes. Overall investigation and prosecution resulted in the IRS collecting over $5,000,000. Published district court decisions denying pretrial motions and post-trial motions and published Third Circuit decision are leading authorities on scope of the federal statutes authorizing prosecutions for conspiracy to defraud the IRS.

Other significant cases include United State v. Alexander Moskovits, a University of Pennsylvania student who ran a large-scale drug organization, was convicted after a lengthy trial and then was re-convicted approximately ten years later after conviction was vacated on habeas petition; United States v. Edward Burka, a physician at Pennsylvania Hospital who diverted thousands of dosages of narcotic pain medicine from his sickle cell anemia patients; and United States v. Joseph and Stephen Traitz, racketeering prosecution of drug organization for 20 years of methamphetamine trafficking and murder of P2P supplier. Search warrant executed during investigation recovered methamphetamine manufacturing sludge which had been buried for ten years.

Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Professor Hayes worked for six years as an associate in the Litigation Department of Saul, Ewing, Remick & Saul, specializing in commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense. She also spent a year at the City of Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority specializing in the eminent domain litigation arising from condemnation of properties for the Convention Center.

Professor Hayes taught at the National Advocacy Center while at the Department of Justice and served on the Training Committee for the USAO. Upon her retirement, she taught White Collar Crime for four semesters at a Philadelphia law school and has co-taught Courtroom Proceedings and Testimony (Forensic Science 400) with Professor Mitchell Holland at Penn State University. In addition to Evidence, she has taught CSI and the Law: The Use of Forensic Science in the Investigation and Prosecution of Criminal Cases.

Professor Hayes graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in American Civilization and an M.A. in English. She received her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Education
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School
M.A., Brown University
B.A., Brown University

Course
Evidence

News
Gift to support Penn State Law interns through Happy Valley LaunchBox