South Carolina

James M. Hughes, Ph.D.
Senior Counsel

Jim Hughes practices securities fraud and shareholder litigation on behalf of institutional investors, public pension funds and unions. A former professor of philosophy, Jim’s practice includes developing strategic legal arguments and drafting of legal complaints and lead plaintiff motions. He plays a key role in cases involving corporate governance issues, shareholder derivative lawsuits and securities fraud.

Jim previously concentrated his practice on occupational disease and toxic torts, representing individuals such as steel and chemical workers injured by the exposure to silica and asbestos in the workplace. His efforts on behalf of occupational disease victims led to his participation in arguments before appellate courts in Illinois and Minnesota. He shared his experience with silica litigation and product identification at several national conferences, addressing the plaintiff’s perspective and other pertinent issues. He also has supported the firm’s consumer and commercial fraud litigation.

A published author on several legal and academic themes, Jim’s law review article, “Informing South Carolina Capital Juries About Parole” (44 S.C. Law Review 383, 1993) was cited in 2000 by U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens in his dissenting opinion in Ramdass v. Angelone. His reported opinions include Ison v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. (Del. 1999), In re Minnesota Asbestos Litigation (Minn., 1996), W.R. Grace & Co. v. CSR Ltd., (Ill. App. Ct. 1996) and In re Tutu Wells Contamination Litigation (D.V.I. 1995). He began his legal career with the plaintiff’s bar after clerkships with the South Carolina Office of Appellate Defense and a business, employment and intellectual property defense firm. Jim is a member of the American Association for Justice and the South Carolina Association for Justice.