In founding Hughes Law PLC, my goal is to help clients solve problems and navigate the increasingly complex world of federal procurement. An area of particular interest to me is the efficient resolution of contract disputes. With more than 40 years of government contracting experience, I have represented government and private sector clients in a wide variety of government procurement matters. I have seen procurement issues and disputes from both sides.

My legal experience has been split between counseling and disputes resolution. Although an engineer by training, my legal career began in the U.S. Army where I served as a Judge Advocate General’s Corps officer. My first assignment as a JAG officer was as a trial counsel in the 82nd Airborne Division. My subsequent assignments all involved procurement. I was assigned twice to the trial team, representing the Army in contract disputes before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals.

Following completion of the six-month program manager course at the Defense Systems Management College, I was assigned to the Pentagon to work on acquisition matters as an Assistant General Counsel and later as Special Assistant to the DoD Inspector General.  In 1991, I volunteered for deployment to Kuwait and spent nine months as Chief Counsel for the Defense Reconstruction Assistance Office. I retired from the Army in 1992 as a lieutenant colonel.

I spent ten years in private practice in the Washington, D.C. area. I was a partner in a large D.C. law firm with strong government contracts and lobbying practices. This is where I learned the “other side” of government contract issues. We solved client problems by careful analysis and by simultaneously advocating for our clients in multiple forums. In early 2003, I returned to the government service as the Deputy General Counsel for Acquisition for the U.S. Air Force. It was my great honor to serve in that capacity for nearly nine years. 

As the senior acquisition lawyer for the U.S. Air Force, I worked with some of the most talented acquisition professionals in the Department of Defense and helped them solve challenging procurement problems. My office supported the acquisition of major defense systems and the administration of contracts throughout the Air Force. I volunteered again for overseas deployment and was assigned by the Secretary of the Air Force to manage a special project in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2007 and 2011 in addition to my primary responsibilities in the Pentagon.

In 2011, I became the General Counsel for the Fluor Government Group. I helped my clients deliver quality services to the government, resolve contract administration issues, manage litigation, and comply with the myriad of rules applicable to federal contracts. I managed the delivery of legal services at six locations. Other areas under my responsibility were risk management, compliance, and export control. As a general counsel, I managed the litigation budget and understand the importance of effective but efficient litigation.

My formal education includes a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy, a J.D. & M.B.A. from Boston University, and an LL.M. from Georgetown University School of Law. Later in my career, to get a better understanding of technology issues facing my clients, I earned an M.S.E.E. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. I am admitted to the practice of law in Virginia, New Jersey, and  the District of Columbia.