About Patrick J.

Biography

Mr. Hughes began his career as a Captain in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, where Mr. Hughes was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division as a prosecutor and international law officer.

Representative Experience:

Represents a specialty chemical manufacturer in toxic exposure cases brought in state courts by employees of various manufacturers
Represents a chemical manufacturer in disputes regarding multiple complex long term contracts
Represented several manufacturers in disputes regarding domestic and international sales
Represented a manufacturer in various, periodic contract negotiations with major tire manufacturers
Represented a business owner in breach of commercial loan case
Represents manufacturers, distributors, and facility owners in state and federal asbestos actions, including trial of a mesothelioma death case in federal court
Represented a flavor manufacturer in a commercial claim brought by a beverage manufacturer located in Central America, where much of the discovery occurred, to a successful resolution
Represented a construction chemicals manufacturer in an insurance coverage dispute, which resolved satisfactorily without the necessity of filing an action
Represented a construction company that prefabricated concrete for a bridge, seeking commercial damages from a general contractor in a federal court action, which resolved satisfactorily on the second trial day
Represents physicians' practices in all phases of business, compliance and corporate matters

Honors and Awards:

Client Choice Awards (2013)
"New Jersey's Top Rated Lawyers" as seen in Inside Jersey magazine (2012)
New Jersey Super Lawyers (2006, 2008, 2012-2015)

Affiliations:

American Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
New Jersey State Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
USLAW Network
American Inns of Court

Education:
- Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1984)
- Lafayette College (B.A., Government and Law, cum laude, 1981)
Admissions:
- State of New Jersey
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- State of New York
- District of Columbia
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Practice Areas

Litigation 50%

Mr. Hughes represents businesses in diverse industries with commercial, product liability, and mass tort litigation in New Jersey, New York, and Eastern Pennsylvania, in state and federal courts. Mr. Hughes' commercial disputes cover a wide range of contract, fraud, and business tort cases. His defense of product liability actions includes various chemical exposure cases as national coordinating counsel. Mr. Hughes also has extensive experience in asbestos mass tort, defending manufacture

42 years | 50 cases

50%

Business 30%

36 years

30%

Corporate and Incorporation 10%

Mr. Hughes also drafts, reviews, and negotiates commercial transactions. He is adept at complex negotiations and assists clients in the chemical and energy industries in all phases of commercial contracts.

31 years

10%

Health Care 10%

In addition to his trial and negotiation skills, Mr. Hughes is well-versed in compliance issues, providing counsel to health care clients subject to increasingly complex regulatory constraints and governmental scrutiny. In that capacity, Mr. Hughes has developed compliance programs for physicians’ practices which address anti-referral, anti-kickback, privacy, and other state and federal statutes and regulations. He also counsels health care practices regarding general corporate matters.

36 years

10%