Profile
Representative Matters
Personal

Brian Maye concentrates his practice on aviation litigation, product liability, discrimination, class action suits, employment matters, and corporate governance relating to tax-exempt and nonprofit organizations. He practices in state and federal court, including consolidated and multi-district proceedings.

Brian represents airlines in litigation involving wrongful death, personal injury, and contractual and environmental claims. He also represents aviation and aerospace manufacturers in product liability actions arising out of accidents involving commercial and general aviation aircraft. He further represents appliance manufacturers on matters involving product liability. Additionally, he defends pilots, airlines, and air transport companies in FAA Enforcement Actions.

Representative matters include the successful defense of major US airlines in a class action related to sexual assaults. He also defended a component manufacturer in the crash of a Piper PA-32R-301 near Jacksonville, Maryland, resulting in three deaths; the defense of an avionics manufacturer in the crash of a Sikorsky S-76A twin-engine turbine-powered helicopter in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in ten deaths; defense of an airline following an emergency landing at Kansas City International Airport, resulting in multiple injuries; representation of a cargo airline in a lawsuit related to mercury contamination of an aircraft; and defense of an avionics manufacturer in a mid-air collision between a commercial aircraft and a cargo aircraft in Europe resulting in multiple deaths.

In employment matters, Brian represents employers in allegations of discrimination, whistle-blowing, retaliation, and violation of wage and hour laws.

Brian previously served as a criminal trial lawyer for the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAGC). As a prosecutor, he successfully prosecuted over 300 cases and dozens of jury trials to verdict as lead counsel. Brian also acted as general counsel to 50 military commands in ten states, advising on ethical, criminal, regulatory, contractual, and labor issues.

During his tenure with the Navy, Brian was assigned as a special prosecutor for the U.S. Central Command in Baghdad, Iraq, effectively prosecuting over 100 insurgents for attacks against Coalition forces. Brian also collaborated with the U.S. Department of Justice and Iraqi judges in developing an Iraqi federal court with national jurisdiction over government corruption, terrorism, white-collar crime, and crimes against the Iraqi government.

Brian served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nikolaev, Ukraine, from 1997-1999.

Professional Affiliations

  • Chicago Bar Association

Representative Matters

Aviation

  • Represented avionics manufacturer in litigation involving the mid-air collision of Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937, a Tupolev TU-154M passenger jet, and a Boeing 757 cargo jet over southern Germany.

Product Liability

  • Obtained dismissal of product liability claims against helicopter component manufacturer related to alleged tail rotor component failure in the fatal crash of an MD-500 helicopter.

Personal Injury

  • Obtained summary judgment in the Circuit Court of Cook County on a wrongful death claim on behalf of an emergency medical helicopter operator involved in an aero-medical transfer of a patient who died of an acute aortic dissection after an inter-hospital transfer.

Personal

Brian lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three kids.

Community/Civic Activities

  • Elk Grove Township, Trustee
  • Mount Prospect School District 57, Board Member
  • Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization (NSSEO), Board of Governors
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
  • American Legion
  • Knights of Columbus
  • Moose Lodge
  • Lions Club

J.D., University of Akron School of Law, 1997

B.A., Political Science, SUNY Oswego, 1994