Hughes grew up on a farm in eastern Nebraska. Currently, he resides in the High Desert of Oregon. Hughes is now available to provide expert opinion and reports regarding compliance issues for cannabis related businesses, including those seeking to open a dispensary under Oregon’s new dispensary law, H.B. 3460. He is also available to provide expert opinion in legal cases concerning cannabis production and distribution. Hughes is the founder of Hughes Law and The Hughes Companies, which does jury trial consulting, mediation, and expert opinion regarding cannabis production and distribution. The Hughes Companies also have a division that promotes the arts and entertainment. Hughes has extensive jury trial experience. He has obtained numerous favorable outcomes for his clients at trial, including many not guilty verdicts and total exoneration. Hughes is regarded as the consummate fighter and advocate for his clients. He has represented thousands of clients in a variety of criminal, juvenile, child protection and personal injury matters. He possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience within the legal system. Hughes graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice. In 1999, he graduated from Drake University Law School, where he focused on Criminal Law, Agricultural Law and litigation. Hughes also graduated from Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College in 2006. Hughes is a former adjunct professor of Criminal Law and Procedure at Minnesota State University – Moorhead. Hughes has extensively studied the cannabis plant for over 25 years. "Hemp", a non-psychoactive strain of the cannabis plant, was a feral crop in eastern Nebraska where he grew up. Hemp had been grown commercially in that area for multiple generations. Hughes was able to learn much about this plant at an early age, both from observing the feral hemp growing every year, and by learning about its production from those who used to do it commercially. His grandfather's generation was the last to legally farm hemp in the United States, prior to 1937. This life experience provided Mr. Hughes with a wealth of information about the cannabis plant and a particular interest in industrial hemp. Hughes founded the Industrial Hemp Producers Association in 1997 while still in law school. In 1999 he wrote an unpublished article called “Industrial Hemp: What is there to legalize?” He is currently working on an updated version of that article. Hughes is also the author of the soon to be released book “High Way”, which is the first book in the series “High, Higher and Highest: A Trilogy of Prohibition Parables”.
