Overview
William J. ("Bill") Hughes, Jr. is an experienced litigator representing clients in federal white collar investigations and criminal defense, complex commercial litigation in the areas of cybersecurity, antitrust, fraud, intellectual property, director and officer (D&O) liability defense, commercial and shareholder disputes.
With a background as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and Trial Attorney for the United States Department of Justice, Bill has a unique understanding of federal investigations and procedures. In his role as Assistant U.S. Attorney, Bill was responsible for litigating and investigating a variety of cases including: counterfeiting, bank robbery and theft, firearms violations, police bribery, assaults, narcotics cases - including Title III wiretaps and foreign extradition, money laundering, government loan fraud, credit card fraud, and criminal copyright and trademark infringement. As a Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice, Bill was assigned to the Computers and Finance Section of the Antitrust Division where he handled antitrust merger and civil non-merger investigations and litigation.
Prior to joining the Department of Justice, Bill served as a Judicial Clerk with the Honorable John F. Gerry, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Chairman of the Executive Committee for the United States Judicial Conference.
Bill achieved an L.L.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center in 1998, a Juris Doctor with honors from Rutgers University Law School in 1993, a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Political Science from the Eagleton Institute of Politics and Public Policy in 1991, and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Franklin and Marshall College in 1989.
An active member of Boy Scouts of America, Jersey Shore Council, Bill serves as Vice President, having previously served as President. Bill is also a board member and previous Chairman of Atlantic County Crimestoppers Foundation.
Recognition
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The Best Lawyers in America® - Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2020 - 2025)
News
- 26 Porzio Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 Edition; 6 Listed as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®, 8/15/2024
- 27 Porzio Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®; Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®, 8/17/2023
- Law360 Features Commentary from Porzio Principal Bill Hughes, Counsel for the Defendant, in "Ex-Compliance Chief Who Aided Feds In Oxy Case Avoids Jail" , 3/30/2023
- Porzio Client James Barclay's Charges Fully Dismissed in Opioid Case in Ohio , 8/29/2022
- 24 Porzio Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers ® in America, 2023 Edition, 8/18/2022
- Congratulations To The 23 Porzio Attorneys Recognized In Best Lawyers® In America, 2022, 8/19/2021
- Congratulations To The 23 Porzio Attorneys Recognized In Best Lawyers In America, 2020, 8/15/2019
- Porzio Handles Jones Act Work for Puerto Rico, 1/04/2019
- Bill Hughes Quoted in Law360 Analysis article: "Why Doesn’t Paul Manafort Cut A Deal?", 3/07/2018
- Porzio Statement On Michael Sher Guilty Plea, 3/01/2018
- Porzio's Expansion into Southern New Jersey Featured in NJLJ, 7/26/2017
- Porzio Principal Bill Hughes Featured in Shore News Today Article, 4/20/2017
- William Hughes, Jr. Joins Porzio; Attends Swearing-in of Justice Gorsuch, 4/10/2017
Events
- Puerto Rico Pharmaceutical Summit 2024, 2/06/2024
- Increased IRS Scrutiny of Acts 20/22/60 Businesses and Individuals: Get Ready and Be Prepared, 3/25/2021
- 2018 Porzio / Seton Hall Life Sciences Compliance and Cybersecurity Forum, 2/16/2018
- Porzio Principals to Present at PCF's Pharmaceutical Regulatory and Compliance Congress, 11/07/2017
- Porzio Principals Presented at CBI's Data Privacy Summit for Life Sciences, 10/30/2017
- Bill Hughes Presented During Network of Trial Law Firms' In-House Counsel Litigation Management Program, 8/04/2017
Speaking Engagements
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"The Tale of Two Compliance Programs – The Prosecution of Compliance Officers, Directors, and Managers," Presenter, Porzio Life Sciences, Life Sciences Palooza, Atlantic City, NJ, 9/26/2023
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"Emerging Cases," Mass Torts Puerto Rico, 5/05/2022
- "Data Privacy & CyberSecurity: Practical Steps to Protect Your School," New Jersey Association of School Administrators, Monroe Township, NJ, May 23, 2018.
- "Updating the Corporate Compliance Framework to Tackle Data Privacy and Cybersecurity," CBI's 15th Annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress, Washington, DC, April 24, 2018.
- "Data Privacy & CyberSecurity: Practical Steps to Protect Your School," New Jersey Association of School Administrators' TECHSPO '18, Atlantic City, NJ, January 25, 2018.
- "Playbook for Addressing a Data Breach," CBI's Data Privacy Summit for Life Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, October 30, 2017.
- "Threat Briefing & Implementing Effective Cyber Security Measures," Porzio Life Sciences Privacy & CyberSecurity Forum, Morristown, NJ, October 25, 2017.
- "Antitrust Resurgence: Managing Criminal And Civil Exposure," The Network of Trial Law Firms, New York City, August 4, 2017.
- "The Inside View of the Confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch," CBI's 14th Annual Pharmaceutical Compliance Congress, Washington, DC, April 27, 2017.
Media Mentions
- "Nicodemo didn't lie, attorney general's office said," New Jersey Globe, 2/12/2024
- "Nicodemo faces more allegations of prosecutorial misconduct," New Jersey Globe, 12/06/2023
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" 3 New Jersey Matters To Watch In 2023," Law360, 1/02/2023
- Inside The Collapse Of A Pioneering Opioid Case For DOJ, 9/09/2022
- Litigator of the Week Runner-Ups and Shout Outs, 9/02/2022
- Drug charges dismissed for man wrongly accused of being a drug dealer, 8/31/2022
- Prosecutors drop opioid charges against former drug distributor, officer, 8/29/2022