Overview
Alemayehu (Ali) Ayanaw specializes in complex business litigation, with a focus on asbestos, talc, and mass toxic tort matters as well as premises, retailer, and product liabilities cases. He has a proven track record of effectively advocating for manufacturers, retailers, and premises owners in large-scale toxic tort litigation, securing favorable results via motion practice and settlement negotiations. He is experienced in preparing for and defending clients in trials concerning lawsuits alleging asbestos exposure, whether as manufacturers of products or owners of premises.
Mr. Ayanaw mainly handles cases filed in Madison, St. Clair, and Cook Counties in Illinois and St. Louis City, Missouri. Additionally, he serves as national coordinating counsel for multiple clients, overseeing their defense strategies across various jurisdictions across the country.
Before joining HeplerBroom, he served as Attorney Advisor for the Office of Independent Trustees of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust. In this capacity, he helped to oversee the day-to-day operation of the $20 billion fund BP established to address the claims of those affected by the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
During law school, he gained valuable experience as a clerk in the General Counsel offices of a national food products producer and distributor, as well as a global biopharmaceutical company. These roles provided him with insights into the legal needs and expectations of corporate clients.
Education
- Washington University School of Law, J.D., 2012
- University of Kansas, M.S. in Higher Education Administration, 2009
- University of Missouri-Columbia, B.A. in Psychology, 2006
LAW SCHOOL HONORS/INVOLVEMENT
- Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Microsoft Corporation Fellow
- Wiley Rutledge Moot Court Board
- Faculty Appointments Committee
Admissions & Affiliations
- Illinois
- Missouri
Professional Associations
- Defense Research Institute
- Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
Practices
Honors
Honors & Awards
- Illinois Leadings Lawyers
- Emerging Lawyer (2018-2024)
Insights
News
Events & Speaking Engagements
Blog Posts
Publications
- Amicus brief, accepted by Illinois Supreme Court in Moon v. Rhode, addressing the discovery rule in an action brought under the Wrongful Death Act. (Co-author)
- “PA 98-1131 - Can it Really ‘Breathe Life’ into a Time-Barred Claim?” IDC Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 2. (2015) (Co-author).
